Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Plasticisers: Production

Why China sets the tone for a 9-10 Mt market

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.
MeasureFigureDetailSource
World capacitynot published
World outputabout 9-10 Mt (indicative)indicative
Capacity utilisationnot publishedSupply is ample; ResourceWise expects a 2026 focus on cost rather than volume, and gradual Chinese DOTP capacity growth.ResourceWise (Dec 2025)
ConcentrationChina over 50% of consumption (2020)Producer shares not published; many Chinese producers integrated into 2-EH.S&P Global CEH (2021)
New capacitygradual DOTP capacity growth in China (ResourceWise); KLJ Jhagadia complex plannedKLJ planned 250 kt/yr phthalates and 100 kt/yr PA at Jhagadia for 2023 (ICIS 2021); status not verified.ResourceWise (2025); ICIS (2021)

Top producing countries

  • China: over half of world consumption (2020)
  • Other Asia (Korea, Taiwan, India, South-East Asia): large exporters in Korea and Taiwan; India mostly DOP
  • Europe: BASF, Evonik Oxeno, Polynt, Deza
  • United States: ExxonMobil, Eastman, BASF
S&P Global CEH (2021); indicative; ResourceWise (2025)

Largest producers: global

CompanyCountryVolumeYearSource
BASF Volumes not published. Germanynot published n/a
ExxonMobil Volumes not published. USnot published 2025ResourceWise (2025)
Evonik Oxeno Faces 15% US tariff on EU exports (2025). Germanynot published 2025ResourceWise (2025)
Eastman Volumes not published. USnot published n/a
LG Chem and Hanwha Solutions Major Asian exporters (indicative). South Koreanot published n/a
Nan Ya Plastics and UPC Technology Indicative. Taiwannot published n/a
Polynt and Deza Volumes not published. Italy / Czechianot published 2025ResourceWise (2025)

Largest producers: India

CompanyCountryVolumeYearSource
KLJ Plasticizers (KLJ Group) Said to produce over half of Indian output in 2017 (DGAD case). Jhagadia start-up status not verified. India330 kt/yr plasticiser capacity at Silvassa; Jhagadia plan 250 kt/yr phthalates plus 100 kt/yr phthalic anhydride 2021ICIS, 16 Feb 2021
IG Petrochemicals Not verified as a plasticiser producer. Indianot published n/a
Thirumalai Chemicals Not verified as a plasticiser producer. Indianot published n/a

India is a large DOP market tied to cables, leather cloth and footwear, with KLJ the main producer and imports from Korea, Taiwan and China filling the gap. Trade defence has been used repeatedly: a DOP anti-dumping probe on Korea and Taiwan (2017) and a five-year duty on phthalic anhydride from China and Korea (August 2026). India's 2-EH is largely imported.

Position by region

RegionPosition
USDOTP dominant; anti-dumping duties on DOTP from Turkey, Malaysia, Taiwan and Poland (ResourceWise).
EUREACH restrictions on low phthalates; DINP, DPHP, DINCH and DOTP dominate.
IndiaDOP-heavy; import-reliant for 2-EH; active trade remedies.
ChinaOver half of world use; DOP still large; exports rose 35% Jan-Sep 2025 (ResourceWise).
JapanMature market.
Middle EastOxo-alcohol and plasticiser exports from integrated sites (indicative).