China's Titanium Dioxide Output Declines as Capacity Surplus Grows

Recent statistics from the Secretariat of the Titanium Dioxide Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance show that China's total titanium dioxide output reached 4.72 million tonnes in 2025, marking a year-on-year decrease of 47,000 tonnes, or 1.0%. This represents the first annual decline in domestic titanium dioxide production in more than two decades.

According to Bi Sheng, Secretary-General of the Titanium Dioxide Alliance, by 2025 the sector consisted of 36 fully integrated production enterprises with normal operating conditions, excluding companies engaged only in crude product purchasing and subsequent processing. This reflects a reduction of nine enterprises compared with the previous year.

In terms of product structure, rutile-type titanium dioxide reached 4.103 million tonnes in 2025, accounting for 86.9% of total output. Anatase-type products stood at 503,000 tonnes, representing 10.7%, while non-pigment-grade and other product types totalled 115,000 tonnes, or 2.4%. Chlorination-process titanium dioxide production amounted to 752,000 tonnes, an increase of 89,000 tonnes year-on-year, representing 15.9% of total output and 18.3% of rutile-type production.

Bi Sheng further noted that in 2025, China's titanium dioxide sector included 18 enterprises with actual production exceeding 100,000 tonnes, an increase of three compared with the previous year. Over the same period, nine existing manufacturers ceased production or shut down operations, while two new enterprises, employing hydrochloric acid and chlorination processes respectively, commenced production.

Industry data indicate that in 2025 the effective production capacity of China's titanium dioxide sector reached 5.7 million tonnes per annum, with an average capacity utilisation rate of 82.8%, which is considered moderately low. When including comprehensive capacity of 6.1 million tonnes per annum, covering idle and partially idle capacity, the utilisation rate decreases to 77.3%. These figures highlight that the industry continues to operate at a notably low utilisation level, with overall production capacity significantly exceeding current market demand.