On June 3, the EVA plant of Fujian Gulei Petrochemical was successfully restarted and rolled out qualified products. As the first production unit to resume operation after the company’s major overhaul, this milestone breaks the production halt caused by tight international crude oil supply. It also lays a solid foundation for stable production and profit growth amid a challenging market environment.
Faced with tough operating conditions including ethylene raw material shortage and insufficient steam supply, Fujian Gulei Petrochemical took proactive actions rather than waiting passively. After thorough analysis, the company prioritized the restart of the EVA plant for its sound marginal benefits.
Management teams coordinated overall arrangements while all departments collaborated to address difficulties and fulfill pre-start requirements. A pre-commissioning confirmation meeting was held to require the No.2 Chemical Department to follow strict operational rules. Staff focused on leakage prevention and freeze blockage protection, and conducted full calibration on alarm interlocks, field instruments and rotating equipment to guarantee safe and stable operation.
The No.2 Chemical Department delivered special training, updated management regulations and revised operating procedures in advance to ensure all staff mastered startup workflows and risk control measures. Teams completed process verification, air tightness inspection and blind plate handling in strict accordance with high standards.
Multiple simulation drills were carried out to identify potential risks and work out targeted solutions. All bottlenecks affecting production startup were resolved, enabling the whole production process to run smoothly.
A total of 144 overhaul and renovation projects were completed with high efficiency and quality. Notably, the high circulation technical revamp marks the first domestic localization application for the high-pressure system of EVA plants across the industry. The upgraded system operates more stably and provides solid technical support for producing high value-added EVA products in the future.
The successful restart of the EVA plant boosts the company’s confidence to cope with market headwinds and accumulates valuable experience for full production recovery after the major overhaul. Going forward, Fujian Gulei Petrochemical will optimize overall production scheduling, push forward the resumption of other units step by step, and strive to achieve the annual business targets.
While manufacturers accelerate production resumption, China’s EVA market presents a volatile trend with fierce supply-demand competition. Domestic EVA plants see frequent operation adjustments. Total output remains at a relatively high level, while photovoltaic-grade EVA inventory pressure persists at some petrochemical enterprises.
Downstream demand stays weak. Slow spot trading in the foaming sector and sluggish end-user orders lead buyers to make purchases only for rigid demand. Nevertheless, scheduled major overhauls of leading petrochemical producers have lifted market sentiment to some extent.
EVA prices fluctuate sharply recently. Taking Yangzi-BASF V5110J in East China market as an example, its highest price in 2026 hit 14,200 RMB per ton and the lowest stood at 9,550 RMB per ton as of June 8. The price gap reaches 4,650 RMB per ton, reflecting the intense game between cost support and weak market demand.
