# Monoethylene glycol: Production

Why the world builds far more than it uses

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/production/

What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.

| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| **World capacity** | about 60-65 Mt/yr globally (2025, indicative) |  | Chemical Market Analytics, Oct 2022 (53.7 Mt nameplate in 2022, up 5.5 Mt or 11.4%, with up to 8 Mt more by end-2023, over 90% in China); 2025 total indicative |
| **World output** | about 35 Mt (2025, indicative) |  | indicative |
| **Capacity utilisation** | about 55-60% globally (indicative); China EO operating rate 69% in Oct 2025 | Coal-based units in China often run below 60% when margins are negative (indicative). Satellite's 800 kt/yr unit was restarting in October 2025. | Argus Oct 2025; indicative |
| **Concentration** | China about 45% of capacity; China plus Saudi Arabia about 56% (indicative) | SABIC and its affiliates are the largest single producer; MEGlobal (Kuwait), Sinopec, Reliance, Formosa/Nan Ya, Shell and Lotte follow (indicative). | indicative |
| **New capacity** | mainly China, e.g. Yulong 1 Mt/yr (Oct 2025) | New Chinese integrated refinery-crackers add EO/EG trains. Elsewhere few new units; some Western EO/EG closures (Clariant Gendorf EO unit by end-2025). | Argus Oct 2025 |

#### Top producing countries
 China 45% · about 28 Mt/yr including about 10 Mt coal-based (indicative) Saudi Arabia 11% · about 7 Mt/yr (indicative) United States 7% · about 4.5 Mt/yr (indicative) Taiwan 3% · about 2 Mt/yr (indicative) India 4% · about 2.3-2.5 Mt/yr (indicative) South Korea / Singapore / Kuwait 7% · about 1.5 Mt/yr each (indicative) indicative; indicative (basis: Argus 2025 EO capacity of 5.7 Mt)

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **SABIC** largest; not published as single figure | Saudi Arabia | not published | 2025 | [SABIC](https://www.sabic.com) |
| **MEGlobal (EQUATE)** Kuwait and Canada plants; Asian contract price setter | Kuwait | not published | 2025 | [MEGlobal](https://www.meglobal.biz) |
| **Sinopec** Zhenhai No. 2 EG 800 kt/yr (Argus) | China | not published | 2025 | [Sinopec](http://www.sinopec.com/listco/en/) |
| **Yulong Petrochemical** start-up October 2025 | China | 1 Mt/yr new MEG unit | 2025 | [Argus Oct 2025](https://www.yulongpetrochemical.com) |
| **Zhejiang Satellite** ethane-based; restart Oct 2025 | China | 0.8 Mt/yr MEG unit | 2025 | [Argus Oct 2025](https://www.weixing.com.cn) |
| **Nan Ya Plastics** not published | Taiwan | not published | 2025 | [company](https://www.npc.com.tw) |
| **Shell** two US units (125 and 250 kt/yr) in maintenance Oct 2025 | US/Singapore | not published | 2025 | [Argus Oct 2025](https://www.shell.com) |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Reliance Industries** largest; Hazira, Dahej, Jamnagar; about 2 Mt (indicative) | India | not published | 2025 | [Reliance annual report](https://www.ril.com) |
| **Indian Oil Corporation** Panipat MEG about 325 kt/yr (indicative) | India | not published | 2025 | [IOCL](https://iocl.com) |
| **India Glycols** bio-MEG from molasses ethanol at Kashipur | India | not published | 2025 | [India Glycols](https://www.indiaglycols.com) |

India has about 2.3-2.5 Mt/yr of MEG capacity, dominated by Reliance (indicative). Demand from polyester is larger, so India imports MEG, mainly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore (indicative). McKinsey noted announced Indian additions of about 2 Mt/yr mainly in EO and EG.

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | Ethane-based exporter; spot about 20.60 c/lb (about $454/t) FOB in Oct 2025 (Argus). |
| **EU** | Net importer; contract €735/t delivered in Oct 2025, spot €475-505/t (Argus). |
| **India** | Polyester producers (Reliance, Indorama India, Alok, Filatex, Wellknown) depend on imported MEG for part of supply; Gulf disruption in 2026 raised costs. |
| **China** | About half of world capacity; port inventories and coal-route run rates drive Asian prices. |
| **Japan** | Small; mostly imports. |
| **Middle East** | Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the largest exporters; 2026 Hormuz disruption cut exports (ICIS, Aug 2026). |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/meg/links/index.md)