Polyolefin Elastomer (POE), often referred to as the "gold" of advanced polymer materials, combines the excellent processability of plastics with the elasticity, weather resistance, and impact performance of rubber. It has become an indispensable material for photovoltaic (PV) modules, lightweight automotive components, polymer modification, and many other high-performance applications.
For decades, core POE production technologies have been dominated by a handful of international chemical companies, leaving China's market heavily dependent on imports and creating a critical bottleneck in the domestic new energy supply chain.
As one of Sinopec's largest integrated refining and petrochemical complexes in South China, Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Company has spent years advancing high-end polyolefin technologies. The company has successfully commissioned China's landmark 50,000-ton-per-year POE industrial demonstration plant, utilizing a fully self-developed production process with independent intellectual property rights. This achievement marks China's successful transition from laboratory research and pilot production to stable commercial-scale manufacturing, opening a new chapter in domestic POE substitution.
In 2022, Maoming Petrochemical successfully started up its 1,000-ton-per-year POE pilot plant, producing qualified products on the first attempt and making Sinopec the first company in China to master the complete proprietary POE production technology.
Building upon this success, the company invested nearly RMB 1 billion to construct a 50,000-ton-per-year industrial demonstration facility covering approximately 2.76 hectares. In April 2025, the unit achieved successful first-feed startup and quickly reached stable full-load operation.
The production line features three major competitive advantages.
Instead of relying on expensive overseas licensing, Sinopec developed its own catalyst system in collaboration with the Sinopec Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry. The technology enables precise molecular weight distribution control, producing POE with over 93% light transmittance and outstanding UV aging resistance comparable to internationally recognized premium grades.
Maoming Petrochemical operates integrated ethylene production facilities together with a 50,000-ton-per-year Linear Alpha Olefin (LAO) unit capable of supplying ethylene, 1-octene, and 1-butene—the key feedstocks for POE production. This integrated supply chain minimizes procurement risks while reducing production costs and improving operational efficiency.
The facility is designed to manufacture:
This flexible production strategy enables one facility to serve multiple rapidly growing industries.
Thanks to its saturated molecular structure without unsaturated double bonds, POE offers significantly better resistance to ozone, thermal oxidation, and low-temperature impact than conventional elastomers such as SBS and EPDM. Outdoor applications can achieve service lives of 10–15 years, making POE suitable for demanding environments.
Today, Maoming Petrochemical's domestically produced POE is expanding across four major application sectors.
With the rapid adoption of TOPCon and HJT solar cell technologies, conventional EVA encapsulants face challenges in moisture resistance and long-term durability.
Maoming Petrochemical's octene-based POE provides:
These advantages make it an ideal encapsulation material for next-generation N-type photovoltaic modules and a competitive domestic alternative to imported POE.
Electric vehicles require lightweight, durable, and low-VOC materials.
When blended with polypropylene, Maoming Petrochemical POE significantly enhances the impact resistance of bumpers, dashboards, door panels, and interior components, particularly under low-temperature conditions.
Its modified compounds have already passed qualification by several leading Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturers and entered commercial production.
Adding relatively small amounts of POE into PP, PE, and TPE compounds greatly improves:
These modified materials are widely used in household appliances, pipes, cable insulation, and engineering plastics.
Low-odor, high-resilience POE grades are suitable for:
These applications align with the global trend toward sustainable material development.
Before Maoming Petrochemical's industrial POE project entered operation, China's annual POE consumption exceeded 1.1 million tons in 2025, with approximately 76% supplied through imports. High-performance grades for photovoltaic and automotive applications remained almost entirely dependent on overseas manufacturers.
The successful commercialization of Maoming's 50,000-ton-per-year demonstration plant, together with planned POE projects at Sinopec Tianjin Petrochemical and Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical, is creating a coordinated Sinopec production network with a combined capacity of approximately 250,000 tons annually.
Industry analysts expect China's domestic POE self-sufficiency rate to approach 50% by 2027, significantly reducing dependence on imported materials while improving market competitiveness.
For downstream manufacturers, localized POE production delivers three major benefits:
Domestic production shortens lead times and minimizes supply chain disruptions caused by international shipping and geopolitical uncertainties.
Integrated local manufacturing reduces logistics expenses, import duties, and overall purchasing costs compared with imported products.
Leveraging Sinopec's research platform, Maoming Petrochemical can rapidly adjust melt flow index, elasticity, comonomer content, and other key properties to satisfy the evolving requirements of photovoltaic manufacturers, automotive suppliers, and polymer compounders.
As South China's leading ethylene production base, Maoming Petrochemical has even broader ambitions beyond its current demonstration facility.
The company is planning a long-term expansion toward 200,000 tons of annual POE capacity, further strengthening China's domestic supply of premium elastomer materials.
More importantly, the POE project establishes an integrated industrial chain encompassing:
This integrated ecosystem will promote coordinated development of polypropylene, polymer modification, and specialty materials throughout Guangdong Province, helping establish one of China's most important high-end polyolefin manufacturing clusters.
From a national strategic perspective, the successful commercialization of Sinopec's proprietary POE technology also provides a proven industrial model for future large-scale POE projects across China, accelerating the localization of critical materials supporting the country's new energy industry.
The successful commercialization of POE by Sinopec Maoming Petrochemical Company represents a landmark achievement in China's pursuit of technological independence in advanced polymer materials.
From complete reliance on imports to fully proprietary industrial-scale production, this breakthrough strengthens the domestic supply chain for photovoltaic power generation, electric vehicles, and other strategic emerging industries.
As Maoming Petrochemical continues expanding production capacity and enriching its product portfolio, domestically produced POE is expected to replace an increasing share of imported materials, providing a solid foundation for China's high-end manufacturing sector while demonstrating Sinopec's growing technological leadership in the global polyolefin industry.
