Although summer is a season hard to resist, the expansion site of fatty alcohol at Wuhan Sifangxing Chemical Co., Ltd., located in the Wuhan Chemical Development Zone, remains in full operation. In recent years, due to limited production capacity that fails to meet growing market demand, the company has launched a 12 million yuan project to upgrade its existing equipment. Once completed, the project will increase production capacity from 4,000 tons per year to 15,000 tons annually. Meanwhile, Jiangsu Yonglin Grease Chemical Co., Ltd. plans to invest 60 million yuan in a 20,000-ton/year high-grade fatty alcohol project. Xinjiang Hutubi County is also investing 80 million yuan to build a 30,000-ton/year natural fatty alcohol plant using 35,000 tons/year of cottonseed oil. Liaoyang City is set to invest 170 million yuan in a joint 40,000-ton/year natural fatty alcohol project, and Jiangsu Sasol Yihai (Lianyungang) Alcohol Industry Co., Ltd. is planning a 60,000-ton/year fat alcohol project.
In response to the trend of "scaling up" among domestic fatty alcohol producers, industry experts emphasize that large-scale production is essential for competitiveness. They suggest that an optimal production scale for domestic manufacturers should be between 30,000 and 50,000 tons per year. The China Petroleum and Chemical Planning Institute supports this view, noting that global fatty alcohol production is on the rise. With rising oil prices, synthetic fatty alcohol development using olefins has slowed, while natural fatty alcohols are gaining momentum. Globally, the share of natural fatty alcohols in detergents has increased from 40% in 1988 to over 50% today.
China previously built two large synthetic fatty alcohol plants during the Eighth and Ninth Five-Year Plans, with capacities of 100,000 and 150,000 tons per year, respectively. However, these plants have since ceased operations due to raw material shortages. As a result, natural fatty alcohol companies have regained their leading role. Despite this, the domestic natural fatty alcohol industry still faces challenges: small production scales, high costs, and limited market competitiveness. Currently, fewer than three manufacturers produce over 10,000 tons per year, with most operating below 10,000 tons annually. Domestic production is under 100,000 tons per year, leaving many markets untapped.
Experts recommend expanding production to 30,000–50,000 tons per year, and utilizing hydrogen sources from fertilizer and caustic soda plants to support fatty alcohol production. For existing synthetic fatty alcohol facilities, strategic planning is needed to replace petroleum fuels and free up olefin resources for synthetic fatty alcohol production.
Fatty alcohols are essential in the production of surfactants, textile auxiliaries, printing dyes, agricultural emulsifiers, shampoos, bath liquids, and laundry detergents. With rising living standards, demand for fatty alcohols is surging, and the development of fatty alcohol derivatives holds great potential. For instance, in the surfactant industry, foreign countries use surfactants for 60% of total production, while China uses only about 30%. Currently, the application of fatty alcohol products in China remains limited, with many industrial opportunities yet to be explored. Markets such as oil extraction, tertiary oil recovery, food, paper, textiles, machinery, and construction show significant growth potential.
Full Electric Stackers(Stand-on Driving Type)
Stand On Drive Electric Stacker,Stand On Pallet Stacker,Electric Stacker Lifter,Electric Pallet Stacker
Jiangsu Lundi Forklift Co.,Ltd. , https://www.lundilift.com