As the old engine of capacity expansion sputters, the nylon industry is trying to reignite in Shantou. In mid-August, the annual meeting of the China Chemical Fiber Industry Association's Nylon Branch sent a clear signal: the industry is collectively bidding farewell to scale worship and shifting to quality- and efficiency-centered competition. This closed-door meeting in Guangdong's Shantou, while seemingly routine, was actually a collective correction against 'ineffective involution' across the entire supply chain.
Overcapacity Forces Consensus on Transformation
The core judgment from the meeting was not optimistic: overcapacity in the nylon sector is worsening the supply-demand imbalance, and the complex international situation and oil price fluctuations in 2026 have added to operational uncertainty. Zhuang Xiaohua, synthetic fiber supply chain lead at Longzhong Information, noted that the industry is in a phase of 'slowing capacity expansion but intensifying competition,' meaning the old playbook of adding projects and boosting output is no longer viable. The industry must shift from scale expansion to quality improvement.
The consensus to 'prioritize quality and efficiency' is essentially a reflection on past blind capacity expansion. Lv Wenjuan from Shenma Industrial highlighted the pain point in the nylon 66 chain—the dual challenge of ensuring quality and supply stability—which exposes structural weaknesses accumulated during rapid expansion. Without linkage between raw material and application ends, single-point breakthroughs cannot sustain overall efficiency, which is why supply chain collaboration was repeatedly emphasized.
Technological Breakthroughs Target Cost Reduction and Efficiency
Several technical achievements presented at the forum directly address industry pain points, providing actionable levers for transformation. Professor Cai Zhengguo from Donghua University introduced a technology for anionic ring-opening polymerization of caprolactam and melt direct spinning of nylon 6, compressing the polymerization cycle from several hours to over ten minutes and reducing cyclic dimer residue to below 0.01wt%. This simplifies pre-spinning processes, potentially lowering energy consumption and costs. For nylon companies seeking cost-reduction opportunities, such technologies that can directly adapt to existing production lines are more attractive than conceptual innovations.
Professor Hu Xudong from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University outlined a three-stage digital transformation path for the chemical fiber industry, providing a longer-term upgrade blueprint for factories. From digitalization to networked collaboration and intelligent upgrading, AI applications in design and manufacturing are no longer theoretical. The prospect of embodied robots points directly to the goal of 'minimally staffed smart factories.' Meanwhile, Beijing Zhongli Jizhong's high-speed spinning engineering solutions have already established partnerships with leading companies like Yongrong Jinjiang and Hengshen Group, indicating that equipment upgrades are moving from pilot to scale.
Green and Functional Products as New Tracks
In the context of overcapacity, differentiation has become a key strategy. Zhejiang Jincai New Materials' matrix of over 20 functional masterbatches, from graphene antibacterial to mint cooling, covers diverse consumer demands for functional textiles. Their graphene masterbatch-treated fabrics achieve over 99% antibacterial rate, exemplifying the shift from 'selling tonnage' to 'selling functionality.'
Green and low-carbon development is also an unavoidable topic. Sien New Energy's smart integrated energy service solution, tailored to the high electricity and heat consumption of the nylon industry, aims to systematically reduce costs and carbon emissions through energy management platforms and full-scenario intelligent control. Hangzhou Jiersi's halogen-free flame-retardant nylon chips, with an oxygen index of 30-32%, and blending with Lyocell to solve melt-drip issues, are opening new application spaces that meet international flame-retardant and environmental standards.
Shantou Industrial Belt as a Model of Aggregation
The choice of Shantou as the venue was not accidental. Weng Chuangjie, chairman of Hongjie Underwear, showcased the rise of the local nylon and nylon-spandex knitted fabric production base under the theme 'From Dispersed and Crude to Full-Chain Aggregation.' Driven by the Shantou Textile and Garment Industry Association, this traditional underwear cluster is extending upstream into chemical fiber, forming vertical integration from raw materials to finished garments. For buyers, this means shorter supply chain response times and more controllable quality management; for foreign trade enterprises, it means the ability to complete sampling, production, and delivery within one industrial belt, reducing communication costs.