Against the backdrop of booming demand for new‑energy materials in China, EVA (Ethylene‑Vinyl Acetate Copolymer) serves as a core raw material for photovoltaic encapsulation films, wires and cables, foaming materials and hot‑melt adhesives. There has long been a supply gap for high‑end grades. Located on Donghai Island in Zhanjiang, ZhongKe (Guangdong) Refinery&Petrochemical Co., Ltd. leverages its full‑chain advantages of integrated refining and petrochemical operations to deploy EVA production capacity, filling the local EVA production gap in South China. It delivers stable domestic raw‑material support for downstream industries including photovoltaics, cables, shoe materials and packaging.
As a landmark integrated refining and petrochemical base under Sinopec, ZhongKe Refinery & Petrochemical boasts a refining capacity of 15 million tons per year and an ethylene capacity of 800,000 tons per year. Benefiting from its “port‑adjacent plant” geographic location, it connects the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area, Beibu Gulf and Hainan Free Trade Port with superior logistics for raw‑material storage, transportation and finished‑product shipment. It is a national‑level green factory and excellent‑grade smart factory. In March 2023, its first 100,000‑ton‑per‑year EVA unit achieved successful startup on the first attempt, adopting LyondellBasell high‑pressure autoclave polymerization technology. This put an end to Sinopec’s lack of self‑owned EVA production capacity in South China. A second 100,000‑ton‑per‑year EVA unit is planned. Upon full completion, the total EVA capacity will reach 200,000 tons per year to further expand regional supply capability.
The high‑pressure autoclave process represents a mainstream technical route for high‑end EVA, imposing stringent requirements on equipment, control and operation. Only a limited number of similar units operate globally. This process enables flexible adjustment of VA (vinyl acetate) content and melt index, covering photovoltaic‑grade, foaming‑grade, hot‑melt‑adhesive and cable‑material grades. It also supports switchable production between EVA copolymers and high‑pressure LDPE with strong unit flexibility. Representative grades include UE2825 photovoltaic‑grade EVA. Featuring high VA content, outstanding light transmittance and bonding performance, it is specially formulated for photovoltaic encapsulation films to protect PV modules for long‑term outdoor service. UE2806 fits extrusion and foaming processing, applicable for wire‑and‑cable shielding materials, shoe‑material foaming, hot‑melt adhesives and soft packaging products. UE631 foaming grade delivers uniform cell structure, widely used in shoe midsoles, sports mats and building buffer materials.
In terms of performance, ZhongKe EVA stands out with prominent flexibility, low‑temperature resistance, impact resistance, good filler compatibility and excellent heat‑sealing properties. Selected grades comply with food‑contact requirements. It supports multiple processing methods including extrusion, film blowing, injection moulding and cross‑linking foaming to satisfy diverse downstream processing needs.
The photovoltaic sector constitutes its most important growth track. As domestic PV module production capacities cluster in South and East China, locally supplied ZhongKe EVA photovoltaic materials shorten logistics distances. Sales of its photovoltaic‑grade products have surged in recent years, advancing domestic substitution for China’s photovoltaic encapsulation‑film materials. Beyond photovoltaic encapsulation films, its products are widely applied in the wire‑and‑cable industry for semi‑conductive shielding and insulation cladding. In the foaming segment, they serve footwear, sports equipment and building thermal‑insulation cushion materials. Additional applications include hot‑melt‑adhesive matrices, special agricultural films, food‑grade flexible packaging and sealing gaskets, covering new energy, electrical & electronics, light‑industry consumer goods and agriculture sectors.
From an industrial perspective, China used to rely heavily on imports for high‑end EVA. In recent years, domestic large‑scale integrated refining‑petrochemical projects have come online continuously, lifting self‑sufficiency rates. Nevertheless, optimisation is still needed for certain high‑end speciality grades. Benefiting from in‑house ethylene feedstock via integrated facilities, ZhongKe holds advantages in cost structure. Together with its port logistics strengths, it serves South China’s manufacturing clusters and meanwhile taps overseas export markets. Powered by its digital‑twin‑based smart ethylene plant system, it keeps improving production stability and consistent product quality. Cooperating with sales teams, it optimises grades targeting downstream customer pain points and keeps expanding high‑value‑added markets such as high‑end cables and modified materials.
Looking ahead, demand for EVA speciality grades and differentiated products will keep rising alongside expansion of the new‑energy industry. Upon completion of ZhongKe’s EVA capacity expansion, it will further reshape China’s regional EVA supply landscape, cut long‑distance procurement costs for downstream enterprises in South China, boost the safety and self‑reliance of new‑material industrial chains, and deliver solid domestic raw‑material support for photovoltaics, cables and light‑industry manufacturing.
