Sinopec Yanshan Launches ¥6 Billion Green Rubber Project as Tianjin Industrial Push Accelerates
Sinopec Yanshan Launches ¥6 Billion Green Rubber Project as Tianjin Industrial Push Accelerates
Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical Company has formally entered the full implementation phase of its Nankang Green High-End Rubber New Materials Project in Tianjin, following the signing of an Investment Cooperation Letter of Intent with the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) Administrative Committee.
The project, with a total investment of approximately 6 billion yuan, represents a significant strategic expansion for Yanshan Petrochemical within the Tianjin Nankang Industrial Zone. This move comes after the establishment of Sinopec Yanshan (Tianjin) Petrochemical Co., Ltd. in June of this year.
Occupying a 27.7-hectare site within the Nankang Industrial Zone - a specialised chemical and new materials park under TEDA - the project is a key component of Sinopec Yanshan Petrochemical's corporate strategy. The overall development will be executed in two phases. The first phase, involving an investment of 2.42 billion yuan, will initially construct two primary production units: a 100,000-tonne-per-year solution-polymerised styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR) facility and a 100,000-tonne-per-year polybutadiene rubber (BR) facility, along with necessary auxiliary infrastructure. A second phase will focus on developing Yanshan Petrochemical's distinctive and competitive projects, with its initiation contingent upon the progress, technological readiness, and market conditions of the first phase.
Key Project Milestones:
• 12 February 2025: The project feasibility study received approval from Sinopec Group, confirming the construction of the 100,000-tonne/year BR and 100,000-tonne/year S-SBR units.
• 16 June: Sinopec Yanshan (Tianjin) Petrochemical Co., Ltd. completed its corporate registration.
• 17 June: The company obtained its business licence.
• 8 September: The project's basic design received formal approval at the Sinopec Group level.
• 25 October: Piling works commenced on site.
Positioned as an extension of the C4 hydrocarbon chain within the Tianjin Nankang Industrial Park, the project is aligned with national and regional industrial policies. With a 'green and high-end' focus, its products are designed to meet specific market demands. The facility will employ innovative processes, utilising C4 resources from the Tianjin Nankang Ethylene project and the Sinopec-SABIC Ethylene complex. By leveraging the Nankang Industrial Zone's established infrastructure, the project aims to create a complete, green industrial cluster from raw materials to finished products, thereby strengthening the regional rubber industry chain and enhancing Sinopec's synthetic rubber competitiveness, particularly for the high-end tyre market.
Product Advantages
The two primary rubber products, solution-polymerised styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (BR), offer distinct performance benefits. S-SBR is noted for its high strength, excellent abrasion resistance, low rolling resistance, and superior anti-hydroplaning and low-temperature performance, making it ideal for high-performance and eco-friendly tyres. It effectively balances vehicle safety, energy efficiency, and comfort.
In contrast to traditional emulsion-polymerised S-SBR, which has high rolling resistance, or natural rubber and BR, which have poorer wet skid resistance, S-SBR combines both excellent wet skid resistance and low rolling resistance. Its production also allows for controllable molecular weight, short reaction times, high conversion rates, and solvent recycling.
BR, the second most widely used synthetic rubber, exhibits exceptional cold resistance, abrasion resistance, and elasticity after vulcanisation. It generates minimal heat under dynamic loads and possesses satisfactory ageing resistance.
The future development prospects for S-SBR are considered promising, with growing demand expected from the new energy vehicle sector, which requires tyres with lower noise and rolling resistance. Blended SBR-BR compounds are seen to have significant potential in green tyre applications.
The new project will fully leverage resource advantages in the Nankang area, utilising feedstocks from Sinopec's recently commissioned 1.2-million-tonne-per-year ethylene complex. It will integrate supporting conditions including port logistics, pipeline transport, utilities, and green electricity supply to establish an integrated 'feedstock-energy-logistics' support system.
Petrochemical Industry in Tianjin Nankang Industrial Zone
The 109-square-kilometre Nankang Industrial Zone, established 16 years ago, has attracted over 40 petrochemical enterprises. Key projects include:
• Sinopec's 1.2-Million-Tonne/Year Ethylene Project: A key national project under China's 14th Five-Year Plan, with total investment exceeding 30 billion yuan. Centred around the ethylene plant, it includes 13 downstream facilities. Commissioned in November 2024, it has elevated Sinopec's Tianjin base ethylene capacity to 2.5 million tonnes per year.
• Catalyst Production Base: Manufactures polyolefin and silver catalysts.
• Hydrogen Energy Sector: Involves fuel cell hydrogen purification and integrated energy stations.
• Photovoltaic New Energy: Advances in power generation, energy storage, and hydrogen production.
Bohai Chemical Nankang New Materials Industrial Park
With a total investment of 29.4 billion yuan, its Phase I is operational. A Phase II chlor-alkali project will commence production by the end of Q3 2025, targeting annual capacities of 900,000 tonnes of caustic soda and 1.2 million tonnes of PVC.
Tianjin NHU Materials Technology Co., Ltd. New Materials Project
With a total investment of approximately 10 billion yuan, this project involves constructing facilities for adiponitrile, adipic acid, and nylon. Pile foundation construction commenced in September 2025.