Chinese soda ash production figures suggest more than maintenance under way

• Autores: Michael Greenfield
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 603, 2018 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Julio-Agosto)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • With production down 500,000 tonnes year on year in the world's largest soda ash-producing region, market participants are questioning whether the output cut really is down to planned maintenance.It is a constant challenge to discern what is happening in the Chinese market for those involved in the industrial minerals sector, particularly given the limited amount of published data available. Prolonged maintenance Industrial Minerals reported in May that a China-based source claimed that Chinese soda ash factories were producing at a rate of 85% collectively, although NBS figures show that monthly output volumes were down only narrowly in a yearly comparison. [...]although there is a diminished amount of soda ash in the market, “domestic demand is good in China and now both domestic and export prices are going up,” the producer source said.Chinese demand for soda ash grew by 4-7% last year, although it is unclear how that trend has developed so far this year. [...]the question could be asked why soda ash production companies did not perform any maintenance while environmental controls were being enacted and some production was already offline.One thing that can be said with some certainty, however, is that a four-month break for nothing more than maintenance is a far-fetched idea, at best.