PU China: Longhua launches new polymeric polyol

Guangzhou, Guangdong – Polyol maker Longhua New Material  launched a low viscosity, high solid content polymeric polyol named S200 in July. It has similar performance to western products, the company’s sales director Li Zhenli told UTECH-polyurethane.com in an exclusive interview at PU China 2017.

The company has made 400 tons of such polyol and is preparing for mass production, said Li.

A 200kT/year plant came on stream in July at its existing site in Zibo, Shandong, giving Longhua has 380kT/year total capacity today. Over the first eight months of 2017 the company saw a 10% year on year rise in its revenue.

Li believes China’s polyether polyol market still has surplus problems. In 2016 the country’s facilities had a 70% capacity utilization rate, and it could now be below 60% this year with 1mT/year new capacity coming on stream, mostly in Shandong province, he said.

Li expects rising popularity of more advanced products such as polymeric polyols and predicts high-end home furnishing to drive the growth.