On May 19, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce of China issued a notice announcing that it will launch an anti-dumping investigation into imports of polyoxymethylene copolymer originating from the European Union, the United States, Japan and Taiwan (China), and that the investigation is expected to take one year. According to CRI, the polyformaldehyde products can be divided into two main categories based on the structure, homopolymer and copolymer.
Polyoxymethylene copolymer synthesized from formaldehyde, with high mechanical strength, high fatigue resistance, high creep resistance and other good mechanical properties, is able to partially replace copper, zinc, tin and other metal materials, and can be used directly or after modification for automotive parts, electronical appliances, electronics and appliances, machinery, daily necessities, sports equipment, medical equipment, construction materials and other fields.
On October 23, 2023, the Tariff Commission of the State Council of China decided, based on the recommendation of the Ministry of Commerce, to continue to impose anti-dumping duties on imports of polyoxymethylene copolymer originating from South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia for an implementation period of 5 years starting from October 24, 2023.
On April 22, 2024, the Ministry of Commerce of China received an anti-dumping investigation application formally submitted by a number of enterprises on behalf of the polyoxymethylene copolymer industry in mainland China. The applicants requested an anti-dumping investigation on imported polyoxymethylene copolymer originating from the European Union, the United States, Japan and Taiwan (China).
According to the evidence provided by the applicant and the preliminary review by the Ministry of Commerce of China, the applicants’ polyoxymethylene copolymer production accounted for more than 50% of the total production of similar products in mainland China in 2021, 2022 and 2023, which is in line with the provisions for the application of anti-dumping investigation by the relevant industries in mainland China. At the same time, the application contains the content and relevant evidence required for the filing of an anti-dumping investigation. Based on the review results, the Ministry of Commerce of China decided to initiate an anti-dumping investigation on imports of polyoxymethylene copolymer originating from the European Union, the United States, Japan and Taiwan (China) from May 19, 2024.
This investigation would start on May 19, 2024, and should normally be completed by May 19, 2025, with a six-month extension under special circumstances.
In 2023, China imported about 329,900 tons of polyoxymethylene, with an import value of US$664 million. According to CRI, in 2023, China imported polyoxymethylene copolymer from more than 40 countries and regions. The main import sources are the United States, Taiwan (China), South Korea, Japan, Germany, etc. Among them, Taiwan (China) is the largest import source by import volume and the second largest source in terms of import value.
In 2023, China imported about 464 million tons of polyoxymethylene from Taiwan (China), with an import value of US$87.23 million, accounting for 14.1% and 13.1% of China's total import volume and total import value of polyoxymethylene copolymer, respectively. CRI predicts that in the next few years, imports of polyoxymethylene copolymer from the EU, the United States, Japan and Taiwan (China) will show a certain decline.
Economic growth has led to an increase in consumption levels and demand for new products, which has directly promoted the demand for high-performance materials. At the same time, technological advances have also promoted the development of new applications for new materials outside of traditional fields, such as uses in sustainable energy and high-tech products. For example, for electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment, polyoxymethylene copolymer is an ideal choice for accessories and components due to its lightweight and durable properties. CRI predicts that as global awareness of sustainable development and environmental protection increases, the development and application of environmentally friendly polyoxymethylene copolymer products will also become an important trend.
Therefore, it can be predicted that the consumption of polyoxymethylene in the world and China will continue to grow in the next few years.
CRI expects that with the continuous growth of China's domestic polyoxymethylene production capacity and output, as well as the improvement of technology level, the import volume and value of polyoxymethylene are projected to show a certain decline in the next few years. However, since it is difficult for China to produce enough high-end polyoxymethylene copolymer products in the short term, the amount of polyoxymethylene imported by China will remain at more than 200,000 tons per year from 2024 to 2033.
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