By Xiao Ming

Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) is widely used in foamed material, functional greenhouse film, packing film, injection molded parts, blow molding parts, wire and cable, the encapsulation film of solar cell, hot glue, coating and vehicle, as well as modification material. 

In 2018, China’s EVA capability was just 972 000 t/a, which surged after 2021. Four sets of equipment, from Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical Co., Ltd., China Coal Shaanxi Yulin Energy Chemical Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Petroleum and Chemical Co., Ltd., were put into production successively in 2021, with 800 000 t/a added and total capacity of 1 772 000 t/a. And after 2022, new and expansion equipment was put into production sequentially from Zhongke (Guangdong) Refinery and Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Xinjiang Tianli Gaoxin Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Levima Advanced Materials Co., Ltd., Formosa Industries (Ningbo) Co., Ltd., with 378 000 t/a added. By the end of 2022, China’s EVA capability reached 2 150 000 t/a.

The increasing EVA capability drove up its output, thus changing China’s EVA imports and exports from 2018 to 2022.

Import analysis

China’s EVA imports increased, then fell, and then grew again between 2018 and 2022. The imports in 2018 were 975 900 tons, which increased to 1 202 200 tons in 2022, an increase of 7.71% over 2021. And the import unit price declined by years and rose later, with US$1 599.07/ton in 2018, and US$2 762.16/ton in 2022, up 12.22% than the last year. China’s EVA imports are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 China’s EVA imports between 2018 and 2022

China’s EVA imports were mainly from South Korea, Taiwan of China, Thailand, Singapore and Saudi Arabia from 2018 to 2022, of which the imports in 2022 were 1 073 800 tons, accounting for 89.32% totally, an increase of 15.36% over the last year.

China’s EVA imports were promoted by general trade and processing with imported materials, of which the former is the biggest motivation between 2018 and 2022. And the imports in 2022 were 960 500 tons, accounting for 79.90% totally, an increase of 6.76% over the last year.

Export analysis

China’s EVA exports increased, then decreased, followed by yearly growth from 2018 to 2022, with the exports of 47 400 tons in 2018, and a year-on-year increase of 63.31% to 71 400 tons in 2021, and 116 600 tons in 2022. Moreover, the export unit price grew by years with US$1 748.18/ton in 2018.

Between 2018 and 2022, China’s major EVA export destinations and regional exports varied much. In 2018, EVA was mainly exported to Vietnam, Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Thailand with 20 400 tons accounting for 43.04% totally. And in 2022, 45 000 tons of EVA were exported to Vietnam, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Mexico and Saudi Arabia, accounting for 38.59% totally, a year-on-year growth of 63.64%. China’s EVA major export destinations between 2018 and 2022 are shown in Table 2. 

China’s EVA export in 2018 was motivated by general trade and processing with imported materials, with the exports of 35 000 tons, accounting for 73.84% totally. After 2019, the export impetus came from general trade and logistics in customs special supervision areas, with 68 600 tons in 2022, holding 58.83% of the total, a year-on-year growth of 65.70%.

The general trade between 2018 and 2022 was the biggest driver of China’s EVA export, with exports increasing, dropping, and jumping by years. And the exports were 29 300 tons in 2018, holding 61.81% of the total, and 54 200 tons in 2022, accounting for 46.48% totally, a year-on-year jump of 62.28%.

Summary

China’s EVA imports grew by years and dropped, and then rose again from 2018 to 2022, with intensive sources of imports and trade modes. And the imports, facilitated by general trade and processing with imported materials, mainly came from South Korea, Taiwan of China, Thailand, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. 

China’s EVA exports jumped and dropped, followed by yearly growth between 2018 and 2022. And the exports, promoted by general trade and logistics in special customs supervision areas, varied greatly with the focus on Vietnam, Nigeria, Kenya, Russia, the Philippines and Mexico.

The rapid PV growth in EVA downstream contributed to the addition and expansion of EVA equipment in the next 3 years. The equipment will be mainly from Gulei Petrochemical Co., Ltd., CHN Energy Ningxia Coal Industry Co., Ltd., Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Levima Advanced Materials Co., Ltd., Yulong Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Baofeng Energy Co., Ltd., Grand Resource Co., Ltd., Anhui Carbon Xin Technology Co., Ltd., Huayi Energy Chemical Co., Ltd., Sinopec Guangxi Oil Products Co., Ltd., Petrochemical Daqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Sinopec Jilin Oil Products Co., Ltd. By the time, China's EVA capability, supply, and localization will further improve, which will be bound to reduce import dependance. Meanwhile, China’s EVA imports will fall while the exports will rise.