FEATURED COMPANIES | INDUSTRY DATA | TRAVEL INFORMATION

Taiwan’s petrochemical industry has undergone a major transformation since the mid 1990s switching from domestic production to export oriented production.

For the year 2008, there was a substantial slowdown in the production and demand for petrochemical due to the global financial turmoil resulted in the overall decline in consumption.

The following data gives an overview of Taiwan’s petrochemical industry

A) PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF PETROCHEMICALS IN RECENT YEARS (TAIWAN)

B) SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR BASIC PETROCHEMICALS (TAIWAN)

C) SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR SYNTHETIC RUBBERS (TAIWAN)

D) SUPPLY AND DEMAND (MT) FOR PLASTICS (TAIWAN)

E) SUPPLY AND DEMAND (MT) FOR RAW MATERIALS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS (TAIWAN)

A) PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF PETROLCHEMICALS IN RECENT YEARS (TAIWAN)               UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Ethylene Production 2,863,688 2,899,874 2,888,364 3,665,950 3,622,636 3,851,877 Import 413,967 457,594 404,594 423,360 342,306 296,296 Export 5,863 12,567 10,181 8,987 14,330 143,676 Propylene Production 1,995,153 2,012,035 2,104,826 2,835,072 2,661,760 2,881,105 Import 147,587 194,434 267,347 278,306 308,714 281,888 Export 126,565 36,813 29,739 373,993 590,560 547,032 Butadiene Production 411,715 387,041 394,469 521,453 513,371 527,016 Import 100,973 145,244 169,351 138,738 143,558 172,337 Export 6,350 16,500 22,300 77,280 96,000 110,158 Benzene Production 1,088,354 1,204,093 1,180,370 1,605,683 1,550,229 1,557,693 Import 340,268 399,448 450,687 678,285 427,613 672,362 Export  -  - 4,869 -   - - Toluene Production 139,569 87,738 30,066 35,825 15,562 39,025 Import 179,733 196,980 224,626 340,737 264,619 143,620 Export 54,243 51,191 8,886 11,717 9,967 17,443 Xylenes Production 1,585,904 1,790,693 1,717,166 2,368,172 2,463,990 2,460,628 Import 2,303,810 2,101,829 2,264,517 1,366,745 1,131,851 1,388,878 Export 204,192 262,814 245,656 352,809 818,289 694,967 LD/LLD/EVA Production 609,476 662,611 597,014 700,346 622,786 661,280 Import 214,040 171,287 186,865 172,120 169,041 166,939 Export 386,294 473,915 423,880 521,731 432,050 524,365 HDPE Production 537,285 514,545 521,012 577,454 511,606 577,976 Import 102,527 87,602 79,809 84,516 80,824 62,171 Export 255,978 271,336 253,694 286,281 271,303 336,088 VCM Production 1,763,004 1,782,585 1,609,265 1,810,273 1,632,573 1,772,586 Import 44,145 62,483 79,171 97,300 72,152 65,164 Export 186,871 357,878 308,190 362,827 325,307 405,783 PVC Production 1,592,290 1,480,343 1,372,758 1,512,226 1,386,461 1,415,914 Import 37,552 34,589 30,845 33,046 22,564 22,964 Export 738,538 748,537 661,953 819,534 811,332 910,239 PP Production 1,020,202 1,096,766 1,174,290 1,261,627 1,178,601 1,231,008 Import 129,042 100,006 76,519 78,058 77,482 75,724 Export 520,823 669,432 755,570 837,630 741,251 796,813 SM Production 1,247,194 1,248,492 1,221,857 1,824,424 1,679,391 1,906,015 Import 606,738 572,544 566,767 560,405 429,778 402,901 Export 51,888 70,862 59,066 391,961 574,998 531,583 PS Production 739,184 771,654 713,173 760,573 637,825 777,297 Import 15,871 12,222 12,071 17,376 13,221 10,001 Export 620,073 657,579 603,125 675,588 586,599 684,532 ABS Production 1,166,284 1,210,988 1,273,968 1,324,351 1,129,858 1,245,339 Import 25,297 19,290 17,910 21,826 14,681 11,625 Export 1,018,281 1,130,249 1,132,598 1,227,773 1,084,253 1,113,322 MMA Production 161810 163,377 178,664 190,064 160,788 175,448 Import 41,579 51,215 54,781 95,443 90,799 93,447 Export 46,615 48,150 47,646 56,521 59,682 41,775 SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan   PRODUCTION AND TRADE OF PETROLCHEMICALS IN RECENT YEARS (TAIWAN)               UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Melamine Production 30,930 20,734 0,629 9,620 10,046 6,599 Import 1,544 45,913 3,449 3,347 4,033 1,983 Export 10,799 4,738 5,196 1,244 124 432 CPL Production 215,724 246,837 256,795 256,614 215,820 252,906 Import 332,628 370,129 432,645 463,591 421,283 401,308 Export 4,336 5,120 1,209 904 173 296 AN Production 378,750 386,078 417,615 451,407 359,502 411,575 Import 147,446 159,763 167,683 153,883 135,847 91,542 Export 82,203 109,919 128,085 138,705 121,204 93,605 PTA Production 4,620,137 4,596,942 4,400,326 4,437,153 4,095,844 4,406,348 Import -  36 -  -  -  80 Export 1,640,357 2,133,957 1,985,856 2,127,450 1,986,202 2,171,769 EG Production 1,459,154 1,412,698 1,342,501 1,795,131 2,013,642 2,038,649 Import 240,957 194,650 183,022 196,480 243,036 239,789 Export 552,758 658,325 598,760 1,176,648 1,432,129 1,272,857 SBR Production 108,148 95,779 101,782 111,756 101,992 93,197 Import 36,309 28,206 35,449 41,942 36,786 36,283 Export 64,241 67,879 66,096 72,559 72,149 70,835 BR Production 56,489 52,668 50,292 54,146 50,377 52,730 Import 2,115,526,151 21,155 21,178 16,608 16,671 15,646 Export 46,015 43,723 38,952 45,332 56,980 58,677 CB Production 105,624 114,169 108,695 111,619 93,988 81,830 Import 53,739 46,484 43,845 59,155 53,949 46,667 Export 17,744 30,637 30,626 31,366 30,326 34,865 PA Production 285,595 263,491 254,689 268,942 227,150 262,993 Import 9,302 6,652 1,533 5,559 3,114 3 Export 67,109 70,726 59,448 52,023 59,258 69,829 DOP Production 239,059 204,228 211,465 244,380 188,854 224,300 Import 566 63 44 210 52 48 Export 121,607 127,380 119,164 160,843 108,075 173,896 PPG Production 35,467 36,183 51,678 54,933 55,533 48,774 Import 55,514 61,480 62,265 54,934 38,900 24,337 Export 11,317 7,693 5,714 13,030 17,202 25,739 MeOH Production -  -  -  -  -   Import 791,145 784,606 962,544 1,088,635 978,524 945,143 Export 2,135 2,770 3,346 3,984 7,202 2,833 VAM Production 303,971 248,513 439,978 451,498 453,774 405,627 Import 8,629 13,219 10,165 8,761 8,401 18,469 Export 59,793 42,344 168,134 187,331 199,072 172,967 PVA Production 86,075 74,470 86,018 88,904 83,645 75,252 Import 2,766 2,088 2,441 2,197 1,660 1,388 Export 70,812 60,691 72,538 74,594 67,611 63,359 AB Production 70,372 73,698 86,047 92,519 84,219 85,817 Import - 61 157 12,500 646 547 Export 51,299 49,280 57,618 64,982 64,025 67,410 SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan back to top B) SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR BASIC PETROCHEMICALS (TAIWAN) DEMAND = PRODUCTION + IMPORT - EXPORT     UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2007 2008 2009 GROWTH Ethylene Production 3,665,950 3,622,636 3,851,877 6.33% Import 423,360 342,306 296,296 -13.4% Export 8,987 14,330 143,676 903% Demand 4,080,323 3,950,612 4,004,497 1.36% Propylene Production 2,835,072 2,661,760 2,881,105 8.24% Import 278,306 308,714 281,888 8.69% Export 373,993 590,560 547,032 7.37% Demand 2,739,385 2,379,914 2,615,961 9.92% Butadiene Production 521,452 513,371 527,016 2.66% Import 138,738 143,558 172,337 20.1% Export 77,280 96,000 110,158 14.8% Demand 582,911 560,929 589,195 5.04% Benzene Production 1,605,683 1,550,229 1,557,693 0.48% Import 678,285 427,613 672,382 57.2% Export 0 0 0 na Demand 2,283,968 1,977,842 2,230,055 12.8% Toluene Production 35,825 15,562 39,025 151% Import 340,782 264,619 143,620 -45.7% Export 11,717 9,967 17,443 75% Demand 364,890 270,214 165,202 -38.9% Xylenes Production 2,368,172 2,463,990 2,460,628 -0.14% Import 1,366,745 1,131,851 1,388,878 22.7% Export 352,809 818,289 694,967 -15.1% Demand 3,382,108 2,777,552 3,154,539 13.6% Total Production 11,032,155 10,827,548 11,317,944 4.52% Import 2,226,216 2,618,661 2,955,381 12.9% Export 824,786 1,529,146 1,513,276 -1.04% Demand 13,433,585 11,917,063 12,759,449 7.07% SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan back to top C) SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR SYNTHETIC RUBBERS (TAIWAN) DEMAND = PRODUCTION + IMPORT - EXPORT   UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2007 2008 GROWTH SBR Production 111,756 101,992 -8.74% Import 41,942 36,786 -12.30% Export 72,559 72,149 -0.57% Demand 81,139 66,629 -17.90% BR Production 54,146 50,377 -696.00% Import 16,608 16,671 -6.96% Export 45,332 56,980 25.70% Demand 25,422 10,068 -60.40% SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan back to top D) SUPPLY AND DEMAND (MT) FOR PLASTICS (TAIWAN) DEMAND = PRODUCTION + IMPORT - EXPORT     UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2007 2008 2009 GROWTH LDPE/LLDPE/EVA Production 700,346 622,786 661,280 6.18% Import 172,120 169,041 166,939 -1.24% Export 521,737 432,050 524,365 21.4% Demand 350,729 359,777 303,854 -15.5% HDPE Production 577,454 511,606 577,976 13% Import 84,516 80,824 62,171 -23.1% Export 286,281 271,303 336,088 23.9% Demand 375,689 321,127 304,059 -5.32% PVC Production 1,512,364 1,383,431 1,415,914 2.12% Import 32,521 23,671 22,964 1.77% Export 819,096 817,482 910,239 12.2% Demand 725,789 589,620 528,639 -11.5% PP Production 1,261,627 1,178,601 1,231,008 4.45% Import 78,058 77,482 75,724 -2.27% Export 838,062 741,251 796,813 7.5% Demand 501,623 514,832 509,919 0.95% PS Production 760,573 637,825 777,297 21.9% Import 17,376 13,221 10,001 -24.4% Export 675,588 586,599 684,532 16.7% Demand 102,361 64,447 102,766 59.5% ABS Production 1,324,351 1,129,858 1,245,339 10.2% Import 21,826 14,681 11,625 -20.8% Export 1,227,791 1,084,253 1,113,322 2.68% Demand 118,386 60,286 143,642 138% SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan back to top E) SUPPLY AND DEMAND (MT) FOR RAW MATERIALS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS (TAIWAN) DEMAND = PRODUCTION + IMPORT - EXPORT     UNIT: MTA PRODUCT   2007 2008 2009 GROWTH Caprolactum Production 256,614 215,820 252,906 17.2% Import 463,591 421,183 401,308 -4.7% Export 904 173 298 72.3% Demand 719,301 636,930 653,916 2.7% Acrylonitrile Production 451,407 359,502 411,575 14.5% Import 153,883 135,847 91,542 -32.6% Export 138,705 121,204 93,605 -22.8% Demand 466,585 374,145 409,512 9.5% Purified Terephthalic Acid Production 4,437,153 4,095,844 4,406,348 9.1% Import 0 0 0   Export 2,097,854 1,986,202 2,171,769 9.3% Demand 2,339,299 2,109,642 2,234,579 8.8% Monoethylene Glycol Production 1,795,131 2,013,642 2,038,649 1.2% Import 196,480 243,036 239,789 -1.3% Export 1,176,648 1,432,129 1,272,857 -11.1% Demand 814,963 824,549 1,005,581 22% SOURCE: Petrochemical Industry Association of Taiwan back to top