China's Two Giants Lead the Global SR Production Capacity Rankings
Date：2026/10/19
The International Association of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP*) confirmed in its 2026 capacity data a pattern never seen before: the top two spots in global synthetic rubber (SR) effective capacity are both held by Chinese companies.
Sinopec remains the global leader with an effective production capacity of 1.92 million metric tons per year, while PetroChina has risen to second place with 1.71 million metric tons per year, a 3% year-over-year increase. Arlanxeo, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco that had long held the top spot, saw its effective production capacity decline by 20% year-over-year to 1.518 million metric tons per year, dropping to third place. Russia’s Sibur/NKNH maintained its fourth-place position with an effective capacity of 1.297 million metric tons per year, remaining unchanged from the previous year.
In terms of global capacity distribution, total global SR capacity in 2026 stood at 22.257 million metric tons, with China accounting for 36% and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region accounting for 25%—together making up more than 60% of the total. The EMEA region and North America each accounted for 14%, Russia accounted for 9%, and South America accounted for only 3%. The high concentration of production capacity in China is not a new phenomenon; however, against the backdrop of limited growth in global total capacity, the simultaneous occurrence of “steady progress” among leading Chinese enterprises and “significant contraction” at Arlanxeo indicates that market share is also shifting toward China. The IISRP specifically highlighted the role of its Beijing office in enhancing data coverage of the Chinese market, which in itself demonstrates that China’s weight within the organization’s global statistical system is on the rise.
A tiered structure among Chinese enterprises is also emerging. In addition to Sinopec and PetroChina, Chuanshua Synthetic entered the IISRP rankings at 22nd place globally, making it the third of the three Chinese companies on the list, while also ranking among the top three in domestic synthetic rubber production capacity. Unlike the synergistic model of petrochemical giants, which feature multiple production sites and a variety of rubber types, Chuanhua Synthetic relies on a single 270,000 metric tons per year butadiene rubber production base in Jiaxing, Zhejiang. By following a “single-plant, single-product” approach, it has entered the global production capacity rankings; its standalone butadiene rubber plant is the largest in the world.
However, concentrated production capacity does not necessarily equate to a positive industry outlook. The IISRP’s baseline forecast for 2026 is that “growth will remain resilient but uneven, with Asia driving expansion while developed economies lag behind,” and it explicitly warns that downside risks dominate, with geopolitical tensions, inflation, and financial pressures posing the primary threats.
By rubber type, the supply-to-demand ratio for butadiene rubber in the Asia-Pacific region stands at 64/65, approaching a tight balance;
for SSBR, the ratio is 53/48, indicating a supply surplus;
and for EPDM, the ratio is 47/45, also showing a slight surplus.
Domestic Chinese data corroborates this: Longzhong Information estimates that China’s butadiene rubber plant capacity utilization rate will be around 72.7% in 2026, down approximately 1 percentage point year-over-year. With the capacity expansion cycle continuing and demand growth remaining limited, signs of a structural surplus are becoming increasingly evident.
* IISRP, short for the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers, was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. It is an international industry organization composed of global synthetic rubber producers. Its primary activities include publishing global synthetic rubber production capacity, supply and demand data, and statistical information; organizing industry conferences; and promoting issues related to safety, health, environmental protection, and sustainable development. Industry media often cite IISRP statistics as the source when referencing global SR production capacity rankings and regional supply and demand data.
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