Industrial Chemicals

 

Taiwan

Overview

                                               2004                     2005                    2006 (Estimated)

Total Market Size            $19,196.3             $20,116.2            $20,378.8

Total Local Production      15,558.0               16,113.8              16,355.5

Total Exports                      5,300.2                 5,930.2                6,107.9

Total Imports                      8,938.5                 9,932.6              10,131.2

Imports from the U.S.         2,054.0                 2,129.4                2,171.9

Notes:  Figures are in millions of USD.  The exchange rates (1USD=NTD) were NT$33.48 for 2004, NT$32.15 for 2005, and NT$32.50 for 2006 (estimated).  The statistics are unofficial estimates.

 

The Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC), a state-owned enterprise, has evolved into the only upstream petrochemical raw material supplier for Taiwan’s industrial chemical producers. This situation continued until the establishment of the Formosa Plastics Group’s (FPG) No. 6 naphtha cracker in 1998. Taiwan authorities released petrochemical industry guidelines in 1999, which called for boosting domestic ethylene production to 2.37 million metric tons by 2006. Taiwan relies heavily on imports of high-value-added products, such as polymers and specialty chemicals for the electronic and semiconductor industries. Import and export values remained steady in 2006 compared to 2005.

 

Best Prospects/Services                              

 

·           Cyclic hydrocarbons

·            Heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atom(s) only

·           Halides and halide oxides of non-metals

·            Unsaturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids, cyclic monocarboxylic acids, their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives

·           Acyclic hydrocarbons

·            Carbonates; peroxocarbonates (percarbonates); commercial ammonium carbonate containing ammonium carbonate

·            Hydrogen, rare gases and other non-metals

·            Hydrides, nitrides, azides, silicides and borides

·            Epoxides, epoxyalcohols, epoxyphenols and epoxy ethers, with a three-member ring, and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitro sated derivatives

·           Other inorganic acids and other inorganic oxygen compounds of non-metals

 

Opportunities                                                                           

 

The Government Procurement Act (GPA) took effect in May 1999, and requires all agencies to publicize their procurement projects worth over NT$1 million (US$30,303) on the Public Construction Commission’s website (www.pcc.gov.tw) to provide easy access to interested bidders.  The GPL governs all government procurement for engineering projects, goods, and services -- a massive market, estimated at US$30 billion annually. Major project opportunities include:

 

·           Phase IV, 6th Refinery Project of Formosa Petroleum Chemical Company

·           Yunlin Petrochemical Complex Project of China Petroleum Chemical

 

Resources                                                                                           

 

Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA): http://www.moea.gov.tw/index.htm

 

Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), MOEA: http://eweb.trade.gov.tw/

 

China Petroleum Corporation (CPC): http://www.cpc.com.tw

 

Formosa Plastics Group: http://www.fpg.com.tw

 

U.S. firms wishing to learn more about the ICH market are encouraged to contact CS Taiwan, Allen Chien, Commercial Specialist, at Allen.Chien@N0SPAM.mail.doc.gov or visit http://www.buyusa.gov/taiwan/en.