Pulp and tissue parent roll prices in major regional markets of China in December 2024According to survey data from Tissue Paper & Disposable Products magazine, pulp prices in China’s major tissue paper markets showed overall fluctuations in December 2024. The average price of natural color bamboo pulpboard in the Sichuan-Chongqing region remained unchanged, while the average prices of bleached bamboo pulpboard in the same region and imported bleached softwood pulpboard in the Hebei region increased. Average prices for other types of pulp showed a downward trend. In terms of tissue parent roll prices, most major regional tissue paper markets experienced a general decline. Exceptions include the average prices of bleached wood pulp tissue parent roll in Hebei and natural color bamboo pulp tissue parent roll in Sichuan-Chongqing, which remained stable. Average prices for other types of tissue parent rolls in major regional markets fell.

China releases the 2025 Tariff Adjustment Plan: import tariffs on diapers and sanitary napkins to remain unchanged from 2024 On December 26, 2024, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council released the 2025 Tariff Adjustment Plan, which adjusts the import tariff rates and tariff items for certain goods, effective from January 1, 2025. According to the plan, the provisional import tariff rate for baby diapers (96190011) and adult diapers (96190019) in 2025 will remain at 0%. For sanitary napkins (pads) and tampons (96190020), the 2025 provisional import tariff rate will stay at 2%, unchanged from the 2024 rates.

China’s births in 2024 reach 9.54 million, an increase of 520,000 from the previous yearOn January 17, the China National Bureau of Statistics released population data for 2024. By the end of 2024, China’s total population (including the population of 31 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, and active military personnel, but excluding residents of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and foreign nationals living in the 31 regions) stood at 1.40828 billion, a decrease of 1.39 million compared to the previous year. The total number of births in 2024 was 9.54 million, an increase of 520,000 from 2023, with a birth rate of 6.77‰. The number of deaths was 10.93 million, with a mortality rate of 7.76‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -0.99%.

China Yusen puts the converting lines for trial production in its Gansu production base with the tissue capacity of 360,000 tonsRecently, the converting production line of Gansu Yusen’s 360,000 tpy tissue project, located in the industrial zone of Chongxin County, China, successfully entered the trial production phase. The project has completed key facilities, including a comprehensive office building, warehouse No. 5, wet combined papermaking workshop No. 1, and finished products warehouse No. 1. A total of 14 converting production lines, including rewinding and slitting machines and roll tissue conveying systems, have been installed, with 10 lines already in trial production.

China’s Xinshihao launched spunbonded and air through nonwovens projectXinshihao Maternal and Infant Products Co., Ltd. is developing a raw and auxiliary materials base project. The project will primarily include the construction of two spunbonded nonwovens production lines and three automatic air through nonwovens production lines. The project is expected to be completed and put into operation by mid-2025.

China Xinjiang Kaiwo launched high-performance spunmelt nonwovens project On December 28, 2024, Xinjiang Kaiwo Technology Co., Ltd. launched its high-performance spunmelt nonwovens project. The facility introduced the Reifenhäuser RF5 spunmelt nonwovens production line, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons. The production line is capable of manufacturing ultrafine denier and ultra-lightweight spunmelt nonwovens. The products from this project will be exported to Central Asia and used in the manufacturing of baby diapers.

China Shandong Rizhao Huatai Paper’s fluff pulp project with the capacity of 500,000 tpy released environmental disclosureThe Rizhao Ecological Environment Bureau in Shandong, China, has announced environmental disclosure for the 500,000 tpy fluff pulp project by Huatai Paper Co., Ltd. The project includes the construction of one production line each for pulping, alkali recovery, white lime regeneration, pulpboard production, and chlorine dioxide preparation. Additionally, the project involves building a new wastewater treatment plant, woodchip yard, woodchip raw material conveying system, finished product warehouse, and other facilities. It will also include supporting systems for heating, water supply, and drainage, as well as an administrative area and auxiliary infrastructure.

China’s Botare Yuanchuang tissue paper full industry chain project breaks groundOn January 8, the Botare Yuanchuang tissue paper full industry chain project commenced construction in the Jiangnan Industrial Park of Guigang, Guangxi, China. With a total investment of 13.7 billion yuan, the project will be developed in two phases. Phase one includes the construction of a 330,000 tpy bleached chemical pulp production capacity and a 300,000 tpy tissue paper and converting production line. Phase two will replicate the same production capacities. Once fully completed, the project will achieve an annual total capacity of 1.26 million tons of pulp and paper. Phase one is expected to be completed and operational by June 2026.

Jinboshi Group’s Hubei base Phase I project with the annual tissue production capacity of 250,000 tons completedOn December 31, 2024, the inauguration ceremony for Phase I of the 250,000 tpy tissue paper project at Jinboshi Group’s Hubei base was successfully held. The Hubei base project was officially signed on July 26, 2023, and construction began in early December of the same year. Within just one year, the first phase of the project was completed and put into operation. Phase I includes seven tissue paper machines and one hand towel machine, with a combined annual production capacity of 160,000 tons. To date, seven tissue paper machines have officially put into production.

TM36 at China’s Hengan Group (Guangdong Base) successfully starts productionRecently, the TM36 at Hengan Group’s Guangdong base in China was successfully started, producing its first batch of tissue paper. The machine was supplied by Shanghai Qingliang, with Shandong Fengxin providing the Yankee hood, hot air system, and a fully enclosed dust removal system. The tissue machine features a width of 3,650 mm and a design speed of 1,700 m/min.

Another international standard in the paper industry led by China National Pulp and Paper Research Institute was officially establishedRecently, at the 38th plenary meeting of the ISO/TC 6/SC 2, the Amendment proposal for the international standard “ISO 12625-8: 2010 Tissue paper and tissue products—Part 8: Water-absorption time and water-absorption capacity, basket-immersion test method”, led by the China National Pulp and Paper Research Institute was officially established after deliberation. Chinese experts have been appointed as project leaders to undertake the standard drafting.