# Phenol and acetone: Production

How China doubled output and Europe started closing

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/phenol/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 15-16 Mt/yr phenol world (indicative); China 7.19 Mt/yr (late 2025) |  | OPIS, Dec 2025 (China); world indicative |
| **World output** | about 12.5 Mt phenol (2024, indicative) |  | indicative |
| **Capacity utilisation** | about 75-80% (indicative) | China phenol plants ran at 76.7% in the first three weeks of December 2025 (OPIS). Europe's acetone plants ran at 60-70% in 2025, and US rates were in the low 70s% (S&P Global). | OPIS, Dec 2025; S&P Global, H1 2026 |
| **Concentration** | China about 46%; top three regions about 70% (indicative) | INEOS Phenol describes itself as the largest global producer (S&P Global). Other leaders: Sinopec, Mitsui Chemicals, Kumho P&B, Chang Chun, Formosa, Wanhua, Lihuayi, ZPC and Hengli. | S&P Global 2025; indicative |
| **New capacity** | China about 680 kt/yr in 2026; India about 650 kt/yr by 2027 | China: about 680 kt/yr of new phenol in 2026 including PetroChina Jilin 250 kt/yr (S&P Global). India: Haldia Petrochemicals 350 kt/yr (end-2026, S&P Global) and Deepak 300 kt/yr (Deepak annual report). Closures: INEOS Gladbeck 650 kt/yr total product (2025 announcement). | S&P Global H1 2026; Deepak 2024-25; S&P Global Jun 2025 |

#### Top producing countries
 China 46% · 7.19 Mt/yr (2025); 6.6 Mt/yr in 2024 and 3 Mt/yr in 2019 United States 12% · not published in sources reached Western Europe 12% · shrinking; Gladbeck 650 kt/yr closing South Korea 8% · not published in sources reached Taiwan 6% · not published in sources reached Singapore and Thailand 5% · supplied about 62% of India's phenol imports in Jan-Sep 2025 OPIS, Dec 2025; Argus, May 2025; share against indicative 15.5 Mt; indicative share; S&P Global, Jun 2025; share indicative; OPIS, Dec 2025; share indicative

#### Largest producers: global

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **INEOS Phenol** self-described largest producer; closing Gladbeck (650 kt/yr total product) | UK/Germany | not published | 2025 | [S&P Global, Jun 2025](https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/chemicals/061725-ineos-phenol-to-permanently-close-gladbeck-site-in-germany) |
| **Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian)** | China | 0.42 Mt/yr phenol | 2026 | [OPIS, May 2026](https://www.opis.com/resources/energy-market-news-from-opis/asias-benzene-outlook-clouded-by-volatility-weak-demand-recovery/) |
| **PetroChina (Jilin)** added unit | China | 0.25 Mt/yr phenol (new unit) | 2026 | [S&P Global, H1 2026](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/special-reports/chemicals/chemical-trends-h1-2026/rationalisation/phenol-acetone) |
| **Shandong Ruilin Polymer Material** commissioning | China | 0.217 Mt/yr phenol | 2026 | [OPIS, Dec 2025](https://www.opis.com/resources/energy-market-news-from-opis/india-phenol-at-2025-ytd-low-as-weak-rupee-china-downturn-erode-sentiment/) |
| **Sinopec** not published | China | not published | 2025 | [indicative](http://www.sinopec.com) |
| **Mitsui Chemicals** Japan and Singapore sites; not published | Japan | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://jp.mitsuichemicals.com) |
| **Kumho P&B Chemicals** not published | South Korea | not published | 2025 | indicative |

#### Largest producers: India

| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Deepak Phenolics (Deepak Nitrite)** new plant within about Rs 3,500 crore approval; existing Dahej plant capacity not given in source | India | 0.3 Mt/yr new phenol capacity (plus 185 kt/yr acetone, 100 kt/yr IPA) | 2025 | [Deepak Nitrite annual report 2024-25](https://54thannualintegratedreport.godeepak.com/our-expansion-initiatives.html) |
| **Haldia Petrochemicals** forecast start by end-2026 | India | 0.35 Mt/yr phenol | 2026 | [S&P Global, H1 2026](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/special-reports/chemicals/chemical-trends-h1-2026/rationalisation/phenol-acetone) |
| **Hindustan Organic Chemicals (HOCL, Kochi)** small state-owned producer; capacity not published in sources reached | India | not published | 2025 | [indicative](https://hoclindia.com) |

India relies heavily on imports, with Singapore and Thailand supplying nearly 62% in January-September 2025 (OPIS). Domestic producers filed anti-dumping petitions on phenol and acetone in late 2025. New Deepak and Haldia capacity should cut import dependence from 2026-2027.

#### Position by region

| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| **US** | Flat demand into 2026, operating rates in the low 70s% (S&P Global); US exporters face an Indian anti-dumping investigation. |
| **EU** | Demand down nearly 30% since 2019; Gladbeck closure for energy costs, CO2 costs and Chinese imports (S&P Global). |
| **India** | Import-dependent but adding about 650 kt/yr; anti-dumping investigations on phenol and acetone from late 2025 (OPIS). |
| **China** | 7.19 Mt/yr; import parity about $679/t before duties in December 2025 (OPIS); now close to self-sufficient. |
| **Japan** | Mitsui Chemicals the main producer; mature market. |
| **Middle East** | Saudi phenol imports rose 25% in the first eight months of 2025 (S&P Global). |

## Other sections

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