Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Purified terephthalic acid: Production

How China came to make nearly three-quarters of it

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 capacityabout 120 Mt/yr world (indicative); China 87-88 Mt/yr (early 2026), about 72%S&P Global Platts, Jan 2026 (China); world indicative (China plus about 30-35 Mt elsewhere)
World outputabout 85 Mt (2025, indicative)indicative (basis: PX demand and China capacity x operating rate)
Capacity utilisationabout 70-75% (indicative)Chinese PTA operating rates were expected at about 70-71% in October 2026 (Procurement Resource).Procurement Resource, Oct 2026
ConcentrationChina about 72%; top three countries about 81% (indicative)Chinese groups Hengli, Rongsheng (Yisheng), Tongkun, Xin Feng Ming, Shenghong and Hengyi are the largest producers (indicative).indicative
New capacityIndia about 2.75 Mt/yr in 2026; China four plants averaging 2.75 Mt/yr in 2027-2028India: 1.25 Mt/yr expected by April 2026 and 1.5 Mt/yr planned (Tiger Brokers). China: four new plants in 2027-2028 averaging 2.75 Mt each (Tiger Brokers). Turkey's SASA 1.5 Mt/yr started 2025 (Argus).Tiger Brokers, 2025; Argus, Mar 2025

Top producing countries

China 72% · 87-88 Mt/yr capacity (early 2026), about 72% of world India 5% · 3.75 Mt/yr capacity, 3.39 Mt output (2017, latest official series) South Korea 4% · not published in sources reached Taiwan 4% · not published in sources reached Thailand and Indonesia 4% · not published in sources reached Turkey 1% · SASA 1.5 Mt/yr plant starting 2025 S&P Global Platts, Jan 2026; share indicative; DCPC via CEIC (2017); share indicative; indicative; Argus, Mar 2025; share indicative

Largest producers: global

CompanyCountryVolumeYearSource
Rongsheng (Yisheng Petrochemical) among the largest PTA producers; not published in sources reached Chinanot published 2025indicative
Hengli Petrochemical not published Chinanot published 2025indicative
Jiangsu Shenghong (Lianyungang unit) group total not published China2.4 Mt/yr (single unit) 2025Argus, Mar 2025
Tongkun Group not published Chinanot published 2025indicative
Reliance Industries India's largest producer; not published in sources reached Indianot published 2025indicative
SASA Polyester new plant Turkey1.5 Mt/yr 2025Argus, Mar 2025

Largest producers: India

CompanyCountryVolumeYearSource
Reliance Industries Hazira, Patalganga and Dahej sites (indicative); majority of Indian capacity Indianot published 2025indicative
MCPI (Haldia) not published in sources reached Indianot published 2025indicative
Indian Oil (Panipat) not published in sources reached Indianot published 2025indicative
GAIL Mangalore Petrochemicals no start date given India1.25 Mt/yr (planned plant) 2026S&P Global, Jan 2026

India had 3.75 Mt/yr of PTA capacity and produced 3.39 Mt in 2017 (DCPC via CEIC). Demand has outgrown supply: imports were 1.95 Mt in January-November 2025 (S&P Global). Two plants of 1.25 and 1.5 Mt/yr were planned for 2026 (Tiger Brokers).

Position by region

RegionPosition
USSmall PTA base; polyester chain largely imported from Asia.
EUImport pressure and low operating rates in polyester chain (Resourcewise headline, 2026).
IndiaLarge importer; domestic capacity growing; BIS QCO revoked late 2025 reopened Chinese imports (S&P Global).
ChinaDominant producer; exports fell from about 4.4 Mt (2024) to about 3.8 Mt (2025 forecast) as India and Turkey added capacity (Tiger Brokers).
JapanSmall, mostly closed.
Middle EastLimited PTA; Gulf PX exports via Hormuz feed Asian PTA.