A technological breakthrough in a single production line can often rewrite the competitive rules of an industry. In 2001, the first private polyester melt direct spinning line in China was put into operation by Hengyi; 25 years later, its self-developed PA6 melt direct spinning technology passed authoritative appraisal, reaching an internationally leading level. These two milestones not only mark a company's growth but also epitomize the transformation of China's chemical fiber industry from follower to leader.
Background
The 2001 polyester melt direct spinning project involved huge investment and high technical barriers, long dominated by state-owned enterprises and multinational giants. Hengyi achieved production in less than 20 months, pioneering the large-scale application of domestically developed large-capacity melt direct spinning technology by private enterprises. This breakthrough was not merely capacity expansion but a breakthrough in market access—it proved that private enterprises can enter core upstream segments of the industrial chain.
Based on the process accumulated from this line, Hengyi's participation in the "Annual 200,000-ton Polyester Four-Reactor Process and Equipment Development" project won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2006, and its technology was adopted by over 75% of new polyester projects in China. This means that a private enterprise's technical route effectively became the basis for industry standards, profoundly influencing subsequent capacity construction and equipment selection.
Industrial Impact
In 2026, Hengyi achieved a new breakthrough in PA6 melt direct spinning. PA6 fiber is one of the earliest synthetic fibers; traditional chip spinning processes have many steps, long cycles, and high energy consumption, and the global industry had long failed to conquer the core technology of melt direct spinning. Hengyi, in collaboration with several universities, developed a dedicated continuous polymerization process and efficient short-flow devolatilization technology, achieving the world's first industrial application of 10,000-ton-scale PA6 continuous polymerization melt direct spinning.
In terms of energy consumption, the new technology reduces water consumption by about 80% and electricity consumption by about 30% compared to traditional processes. This means that under the dual-carbon target, this technology not only lowers production costs but may also become a green benchmark for new industry projects. For downstream buyers, suppliers using such processes have dual advantages in carbon footprint and cost, making them worth including in supply chain assessments.
Hengyi's 25 years of technological iteration, from polyester to PA6, from domestic first to international leading, reflects a consistent theme: using continuous innovation to navigate industry cycles. In 2001, the question was whether private enterprises could break through upstream barriers; in 2026, it is how Chinese manufacturing can participate in international high-end competition. This path from "ice-breaking" to "leading" offers valuable lessons for other private manufacturers.