China’s Maleic Anhydride Boom: From Domestic Surplus to Global Supply Chain Transformation

BEIJING / SHANDONG, October 14, 2026 – China’s maleic anhydride (MA) industry is undergoing its most dramatic transformation in decades. Since 2023, domestic capacity has entered a phase of rapid expansion, surpassing three million tonnes by the end of 2024. With more than one and a half million tonnes of new capacity expected to come online in 2025 alone, the sector now faces its greatest challenge yet: how to convert an overwhelming domestic surplus into a sustained export advantage. For established producers like Binzhou Dayou New Energy Development Co., Ltd., this inflection point represents not merely a survival imperative, but a strategic opportunity to reshape China’s role in the global maleic anhydride supply chain.

From Volume Growth to Value-Driven Exports

In 2024, China’s maleic anhydride capacity utilization fell to 48.13 percent, a sharp decline of 17 percentage points from the previous year. This structural imbalance between rapidly expanding supply and lagging domestic demand has forced the industry to look overseas. In the first half of 2025, Chinese maleic anhydride exports reached 168,900 tonnes, up 53.88 percent year-on-year, marking one of the strongest export performances in recent history.

But the character of these exports is changing. Rather than competing solely on price, Chinese producers are increasingly competing on credentials. International buyers now expect suppliers to provide not only consistent quality but also internationally recognized certifications — ISO, SGS, FAMI-QS — alongside traceable quality data and transparent environmental reporting. This shift from price-based to value-based competition is reshaping which Chinese producers can capture premium markets.

European Capacity Exit Creates Chinese Opportunity

While China’s domestic supply continues to grow, Europe is experiencing the opposite trend. Approximately 30 percent of European maleic anhydride capacity has exited in recent years, creating an estimated annual import gap of 150,000 tonnes. Chinese suppliers have filled much of this void: Italy imports from China jumped 129.94 percent, Turkey 198.68 percent, and the Netherlands 143.31 percent in 2025.

The geographic footprint of Chinese exports is also evolving. India, traditionally the largest destination, saw its share fall from 34.55 percent to 27.14 percent — but this reflects not declining demand, rather, Chinese shipments to India grew significantly while total exports expanded even faster, diluting India’s proportional share. Meanwhile, Turkey (18.2 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (6.6 percent) have emerged as rapid-growth destinations.

Dayou’s Position: Quality Infrastructure as Export Enabler

Binzhou Dayou New Energy operates a 60,000-tonne-per-year maleic anhydride production facility on the n-butane oxidation route, one of the most efficient and environmentally sustainable production technologies in the industry. With ISO, SGS and FAMI-QS certifications and exports to more than 30 countries and regions, Dayou has built the quality infrastructure that global buyers increasingly require.

The company’s export network spans critical downstream markets, serving customers in biodegradable polymers, unsaturated polyester resins, BDO and succinic acid production. As green procurement standards tighten and carbon-footprint verification becomes a procurement gateway, Dayou’s commitment to quality consistency and environmental compliance positions it to capture growing demand in the highest-value segments of the maleic anhydride market.

The Road Ahead

China’s maleic anhydride industry stands at a critical juncture. The question is no longer whether Chinese producers can compete on volume — they already export at scale — but whether they can lead the industry’s transition toward quality, sustainability and supply chain integration. Companies like Dayou New Energy, with deep domestic manufacturing capabilities and established international quality credentials, are well positioned to drive this transformation from within.