Polyester POY Price Divergence Intensifies: Zhejiang Chemical Fiber Firms Quote Range Widens to 7800-8400 CNY/Ton

The spot price of polyester POY is tearing apart the pricing logic of Zhejiang's chemical fiber industrial belt. On July 6, 2026, industry public data showed that the price gap for the same specification of polyester POY (150D/48F semi-dull, first grade) among different enterprises in Zhejiang reached as high as 600 CNY/ton. Rongsheng Petrochemical quoted a low of 7,800 CNY/ton, while Tongkun Group held firm at 8,400 CNY/ton, a spread rarely seen in recent months.

Structural Factors Behind Price Divergence The widening of the quotation range is no coincidence. Looking at the data, the price gap between Rongsheng Petrochemical and Tongkun Group reached 600 CNY/ton. Zhejiang Juxing Chemical Fiber in Shaoxing quoted 8,050 CNY/ton, Hangzhou Kaishi Chemical Fiber quoted 8,300 CNY/ton, and both Jiangsu Guowang High-Tech Fiber (Shenghong Chemical Fiber) and Zhejiang Jiabao New Fiber quoted 8,250 CNY/ton. This means that within the same market, downstream buyers can find multiple price points ranging from 7,800 to 8,400 CNY/ton. This divergence fundamentally reflects differences in raw material procurement costs, plant operating rates, and inventory turnover among enterprises. Rongsheng Petrochemical, as an integrated refining and chemical company, has cost advantages along the PX-PTA-POY chain and tends to exchange price for volume to capture market share. Tongkun Group, on the other hand, has invested more in differentiated products, and its POY may command a premium due to quality stability and downstream adaptability, hence its firmer pricing. For traders and weaving mills, this means procurement decisions can no longer rely on average prices but must involve company-by-company comparison, quality assessment, and delivery evaluation. The widening price gap also suggests that the overall industry supply-demand balance is loosening. If demand were strong, low-priced goods would be quickly snapped up, and the price spread could not persist.

Transmission Effects on Downstream Weaving and Trade Chains Polyester POY is a core raw material for filament weaving, and its price fluctuations directly impact the cost of grey fabrics in industrial clusters such as Shaoxing, Xiaoshan, and Changxing. The current 600 CNY/ton price gap translates into monthly cost differences of hundreds of thousands of yuan for medium-sized weaving mills consuming dozens of tons per day. This forces procurement departments to establish more refined supplier evaluation systems rather than relying solely on long-term contract prices. At the same time, this price divergence is reshaping the role of traders. In the past, traders profited from price spreads by holding inventory. Now, with transparent and frequently fluctuating quotes, traders must act as information intermediaries, helping downstream find a balance between low-cost and high-cost suppliers. Some traders are already arbitraging this gap, sourcing from low-price suppliers like Rongsheng and reselling to downstream at prices slightly below Tongkun's quotes. Notably, Zhejiang Senkai New Materials quoted 7,900 CNY/ton, only 100 CNY higher than Rongsheng, indicating that medium-scale enterprises are also actively cutting prices to survive. This further compresses the market share of high-quote firms and may force Tongkun Group to adjust its pricing strategy in the coming weeks.

Practical Recommendations ### For Buyers - Establish a multi-supplier price comparison mechanism: Do not rely on a single quote. Pay special attention to supply stability from low-price enterprises like Rongsheng and Senkai to avoid production halts due to supply disruptions. - Assess quality consistency: Low prices may come with quality fluctuations. Conduct batch-level tests for breaking strength and evenness to ensure compatibility with weaving machines. - Optimize inventory using price spreads: When Tongkun quotes 8,400 CNY/ton, consider increasing procurement from Rongsheng or Juxing, but sign short-term contracts to lock in prices and avoid market rebounds.

For Foreign Trade Enterprises - Adopt flexible quotation strategies: For export quotes, reference the weighted average of Rongsheng and Tongkun, and include raw material price fluctuation clauses to prevent losses from domestic price gaps. - Monitor export tax rebate and exchange rate linkages: Current low POY prices may boost export volumes, but watch for RMB exchange rate fluctuations affecting FOB quotes. Use forward forex contracts to lock in profits. - Signal quality to customers: If sourcing high-price POY from Tongkun or Kaishi, highlight the raw material source and quality certification in product descriptions to support premium pricing for export finished goods.