By Xiao Ming

The import and export of China’s rubber additives varied with the change of production capability, output and downstream demand. The GACC data (The General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China) shows major types of rubber additives, such as rubber antioxidants and accelerators, carbon black and silica concerning the import and export’s volume, countries, provinces, cities, regions and trade ways.

Silica

1. Import analysis

In 2022, 90 100 tons of silica, up 1.92% year-on-year, were imported to China, with 68 700 tons from Taiwan of China, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and French, an increase of 3.62% from a year before, holding 76.25% of total imports. The biggest import source among them was Taiwan of China with 28 800 tons up 12.06% year-on-year, representing 31.96% totally, followed by Thailand, declining 3.42% year-on-year to 14 100 tons, representing 15.65% of total imports. Moreover, the imports from Japan were down 10.94% year-on-year to 11 400 tons, holding 12.65% overall. And the imports from Indonesia were up 3.45% year-on-year to 9000 tons, representing 9.99% of total imports, while from French were 5 400 tons, rising 20% than 4 500 tons in 2021, holding 5.99% totally.

The same year, China’s silica import destinations were mainly Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong provinces and Shanghai city, with the imports declining 0.13% year-on-year to 73 500 tons, holding 81.58% of total imports. And the imports boosted by general trade and processing with imported material rose 2.76% year-on-year to 89 200 tons, accounting for 99.00% totally.

2. Export analysis

China’s silica exports in 2022 grew 29.08% year-on-year to 622 800 tons, with 370 900 tons growing 19.03% year-on-year to Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, the UAE and India, holding 59.55% of overall exports. Figure 1 displays China’s silica major export destinations in 2022.

Figure 1 China’s silica major export destinations in 2022

Shanghai city and the provinces of Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Hunan served as the majority of China's silica export sources in 2022, with the exports going up 10.46% year-on-year to 469 000 tons, representing 75.31% overall.

The same year, silica exports dealt by general trade in China rocketed 31.09% year-on-year to 617 700 tons, holding 99.18% of overall exports.

Carbon black

1. Import analysis

China’s carbon black imports in 2022 grew 1.66% year-on-year to 103 900 tons, with 68 000 tons up 7.42% year-on-year from Japan, South Korea, Belgium, the US and Russia, accounting for 65.45% of overall imports.

The same period, China’s silica import destinations were mainly Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong provinces and Shanghai city with the exports decreasing 7.34% year-on-year to 68 200 tons, taking up 65.64% of overall imports. The imports using general trade and processing with imported material increased to 95 800 tons, declining 4.49% year-on-year and occupying 92.20% overall. Additionally, the imports via general trade were down 6.02% year-on-year to 87 400 tons, holding 84.12% of total imports, while via the latter climbed 15.07% year-on-year to 8 400 tons, holding 8.08% of all imports.

2. Export analysis

China exported 810 200 tons of silica to abroad in 2022, with 627 300 tons to Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Vietnam, going up 22.07% year-on-year and holding 77.43% of all exports. Figure 2 shows China’s silica major export destinations in 2022. 

Figure 2 China’s silica major export destinations in 2022

China’s sources for carbon black export in 2022 were primarily Hebei, Jiangxi, Shandong, Jiangsu provinces, as well as Shanghai city, with the exports rising 17.84% year-on-year to 676 300 tons, occupying 83.47% of overall exports. And the exports motivated by general trade jumped 12.49% year-on-year to 803 400 tons, accounting for 99.16% of total exports.

Rubber antioxidants

1. Import analysis

4 092.07 tons of antioxidants, declining 16.75% year-on-year, were imported to China in 2022, with 3 023.99 tons from Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan of China, expanding 4.46% year-on-year and occupying 73.90% totally.

And China’s antioxidants import destinations in 2022 were mainly Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong provinces and Shanghai city, with the imports shrinking 12.59% year-on-year to 3 192.43 tons, accounting for 78.02% totally.

General trade and processing with imported material drove China’s antioxidant imports to 4 014.69 tons, declining 16.65% year-on-year and occupying 98.11% of overall imports.

2. Export analysis

China exported 19 494.73 tons of antioxidants to abroad, expanding 0.80% year-on-year, with 13 637.50 tons to Indonesia, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, tumbling 0.38% year-on-year and accounting for 84.12% of total exports.

Thanks to general trade and processing with imported material, antioxidants exports grew 1.75% year-on-year to 19 464.45 tons, occupying 99.84% of overall exports.

Rubber accelerators

1. Import analysis

15 632.91 tons of rubber accelerators were imported to China in 2022, shrinking 17.47% year-on-year.

China mainly imported rubber accelerators from India, Japan, Taiwan of China, South Korea, and Germany, with 11 480.87 tons totally, tumbling 18.87% year-on-year and occupying 73.44% of overall imports. And the import destinations were primarily Guangdong, Shandong, Liaoning, Jiangsu provinces and Shanghai city, with the imports shrinking 14.87% year-on-year to 14 090.70 tons, holding 90.13% totally. The imports, facilitated by General trade and processing with imported materials, declined 17.71% year-on-year to 15 097.43 tons, equal to 96.57% overall.

2. Export analysis

142 300 tons of rubber accelerators, declining 10.62% year-on-year, were exported to abroad from China in 2022, with 83 100 tons down 11.22% year-on-year to Vietnam, Brazil, the US, South Korea, Thailand, India and Indonesia, accounting for 58.40% of overall exports.

China’s export sources for rubber accelerators in 2022 were mainly Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Jiangxi provinces and Tianjin city, with the exports declining 8.21% year-on-year to 101 800 tons, holding 71.54% of total exports.

The exports of rubber accelerators spurred by general trade were 140 300 tons in 2022, shrinking 10.18% from 156 200 tons in 2021 and occupying 98.59% of overall exports.

Summary

Above all, the imports of rubber additives, such as silica, carbon black, rubber accelerators and antioxidants fell by 0.33% from one year before to 213 700 tons in 2022. And the import was dealt by general trade and processing with imported material, with major import sources being Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan of China and Russia, and import destinations including Jiangsu, Liaoning, Guangdong, Shandong provinces and Shanghai city. 

Furthermore, the exports of rubber additives supported by general trade in 2022 expanded 15.35% year-on-year to 1 594 800 tons, with the majority going to Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, the UAE and India. And the provinces of Fujian, Hebei, Jiangxi, Shandong, and Jiangsu, and Shanghai city acted as the primary export sources.

The capability for China’s silica and carbon black is projected to grow, while imports of rubber additives will decrease. The main approach to consuming silica and carbon black will still be the export.