The water treatment industry's commonly used polyester staple fiber ball products received the latest round of quotations on July 12, 2026: ordinary fiber balls with diameters of 30mm, 40mm, and 50mm all remained at 15,500 yuan per ton. The quoter, Henan Kaijie Water Treatment Co., Ltd., has reported the same price for several consecutive periods, signaling a lack of directional signals in the market.
From the upstream raw material side, polyester staple fiber, the main raw material for fiber balls, has been trading in a narrow range in recent months. Profit allocation in the polyester chain is relatively stable, and price fluctuations in PTA and ethylene glycol have not been transmitted to fiber balls. This means fiber ball producers face limited cost pressure but also lack support for price increases.
On the demand side, industrial water treatment, municipal sewage treatment, and circulating water systems are the main application areas for fiber balls. Currently, it is the peak summer water consumption season, with water treatment facilities operating at high loads, but incremental demand from new projects is limited, keeping overall demand stable. Although environmental policies continue to advance, no policy stimulus has emerged that could significantly boost fiber ball procurement.
Price Stalemate Under Supply-Demand Balance
The current fiber ball market exhibits a typical 'weak supply and weak demand' pattern. On the supply side, operating rates at small and medium-sized producers remain around 70%, with major factories holding reasonable inventory levels and no significant destocking pressure. On the demand side, end users are purchasing on demand with little willingness to build inventory. This balance leaves prices without momentum to break through upper or lower limits.
Notably, products of different specifications (30mm, 40mm, 50mm) are quoted at the same price, indicating that the market does not generate premiums or discounts based on size differences. This reflects a high degree of product standardization and limited room for differentiated competition.
Profit margins for traders are being squeezed. With transparent and long-unchanged prices, intermediaries have minimal room for markup, and some small traders have already shifted to other water treatment material varieties in search of better profits.
Practical Impact for Buyers and Factories
For buyers, the current price environment allows for relatively calm procurement decisions. However, caution is needed: some polyester staple fiber factories have planned maintenance in August, which could tighten raw material supply and pose a slight upward risk for fiber ball prices.