Formosa Plastics Industrial Park, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province | Credit: Beijing ZCOOL Network Technology Co., Ltd
Formosa Plastics Industrial (Ningbo) Co., Ltd. (台塑工业（宁波）有限公司) is the largest operating entity within the Formosa Plastics Ningbo Industrial Park, formed through a five-company merger in 2017 to create an integrated plastics and chemicals production complex.
The company operates six production plants following the 2017 merger of five previously independent companies:
- PVC Plant (established May 2002, registered capital USD 126 million)
- PP Plant (established January 17, 2004)
- SAP Plant (established July 14, 2005, registered capital USD 19.3 million)
- AA/AE Plant (established August 2003, registered capital USD 81.57 million)
- EVA Plant (established March 25, 2011, registered capital USD 57.5 million)
- PTA Plant (operating as part of the merged entity)
Production Facilities & Capacities
1. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) Plant
- Capacity:
- PVC suspension resin: 400,000 t/y
- PVC paste resin: 70,000 t/y
- Total: 470,000 t/y
- Approved expansion: +150,000 t/y
- VCM (vinyl chloride monomer): 600,000 t/y project
- Startup: May 2002
- Products: Polyvinyl chloride suspension resin and paste resin for construction, piping, wire insulation, flooring applications
- Technology: VCM production integrated with PVC polymerization
2. Polypropylene (PP) Plant
- Capacity: 520,000 t/y
- Technology: Novolen process (Germany) - described as "most latest and advanced manufacture technology"
- Startup: Established January 2004, plant trial and commercial production commenced 2008
- Feedstock: Propylene from on-site PDH plant (600,000 t/y capacity) and external procurement
3. Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) Plant
- Capacity: 90,000 t/y
- Capacity Evolution:
- 2008: 30,000 t/y initial startup
- 2010: Expanded to 60,000 t/y
- Later: Expanded to 90,000 t/y
- Startup: Established July 14, 2005
- Feedstock: Acrylic acid from on-site AA/AE plant (vertical integration)
- Products: Super absorbent polymer resin for hygiene products including diapers, feminine hygiene products, and adult incontinence products
- Integration: Part of FPC's global SAP network (Taiwan Mailiao produces SAP as part of 110,000 t/y total Taiwan capacity)
4. Acrylic Acid (AA) & Acrylate Esters (AE) Plant
- Acrylic Acid Capacity:
- Current: 320,000 t/y
- No. 1 Plant: 160,000 t/y
- Approved expansion: +160,000 t/y
- Future total: 480,000 t/y
- Acrylate Esters Capacity:
- Current: 400,000 t/y
- Approved expansion: +200,000 t/y
- Future total: 600,000 t/y (note: earlier I stated 560,000 t/y, but 400,000 + 200,000 = 600,000)
- Startup: Established August 2003
- Feedstock: Propylene from PDH plant via propylene oxidation process
- Products:
- Acrylic acid
- Butyl acrylate
- 2-ethylhexyl acrylate
- Methyl acrylate
- Other acrylic ester derivatives
- Integration: Supplies acrylic acid to on-site SAP plant
5. EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) Plant
- Capacity:
- Phase 1: 72,000 t/y (current)
- Debottleneck approval: Increase to 100,000 t/y
- Phase 2 planned: +128,000 t/y
- Future total: 228,000 t/y
- Technology: Eni high-pressure autoclave process (Italy)
- Startup: Established March 2011, commissioned 2016
- Feedstock: Ethylene (imported) and vinyl acetate monomer
6. PTA (Purified Terephthalic Acid) Plant
- Capacity: 1,500,000 t/y (1.5 million t/y)
- Products: Purified terephthalic acid for polyester production (PET bottles, polyester fibers, films)
- Integration: Complements FCFC's PTA operations in Taiwan (Longde: 600,000 t/y; Mailiao: 1.1 million t/y) and Ningbo (FCFC owns separate 1.2 million t/y plant)
Upstream Integration - PDH Plant
Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) Facility:
- Capacity: 600,000 t/y propylene
- Technology: Lummus Catofin process
- Feedstock: 740,000 t/y propane
- Investment: RMB 4.448 billion (~USD 685 million)
- Target Startup: 2022
- Purpose: Supply propylene to PP plant, AA/AE plant, and support C3 derivative production
Propane Storage Infrastructure:
- Two 160,000 m³ cryogenic propane storage tanks
- Largest propane storage in China at time of construction
- Construction period: 2019-2021
Total Site Production Capacity (Formosa Plastics Industrial Ningbo)
| Product |
Current Capacity (t/y) |
Approved/Planned Expansion (t/y) |
| PVC |
470,000 |
+150,000 |
| PP |
520,000 |
- |
| SAP |
90,000 |
Under review |
| Acrylic Acid |
320,000 |
+160,000 → 480,000 |
| Acrylic Esters |
400,000 |
+200,000 → 600,000 |
| EVA/PE |
72,000 |
+156,000 → 228,000 |
| PTA |
1,500,000 |
- |
| Propylene (PDH) |
600,000 |
- |
Total Annual Production Capacity: Approximately 4.0 million tons/year (current), expanding to 4.7+ million tons/year
This makes Formosa Plastics Industrial (Ningbo) one of the largest integrated petrochemical producers in eastern China, with complete value chain integration from C3/C4 olefins through to finished polymers and specialty chemicals.
