China Chemical Industry Update

Business Wire, May 8, 2007

SRI Consulting Releases the Eleventh Updated China Report

MENLO PARK, Calif. -- With a population of over 1.3 billion people, China represents a large and growing commercial force worldwide. Now a World Trade Organization (WTO) member, China is regarded as a viable business partner and many large international chemical companies are investing in China. Today, SRI Consulting (SRIC) released its updated China Report: Chemical Product Trends which provides supply and demand, trends, and historical data for the chemical industry in China.

Published since 1996, SRIC's China Report contains over 2100 pages that cover 146 chemical profiles and major industry overviews. For this edition, 88 chemical profiles and overviews are updated with timely data on supply and demand, trends, producers, price and trade information. New additions this year are profiles for 1,4-Butanediol, Butyl Elastomers, and Dimethyl Ether and a new Inorganic Chemicals Industry overview. The updated profiles and overviews include data and estimates for 2006 and forecasts for 2007, 2010 and 2015.

Guangdong Qu, Regional Vice President at SRIC in Beijing, commented, "During the last 10 years, the chemical industry in China has grown substantially. However, China still needs to import significant amounts of most chemicals. In 2006, the total value of chemical products traded was $142 billion with imports valued at $88.6 billion and exports at $53.4 billion."

China's production capacity for chemicals has increased in almost every area. For the last ten years, commodity chemicals such as petrochemicals and polymers were the growth drivers. Strong growth is expected to continue for at least the next five to ten years with new growth drivers in not only commodity chemicals but also the new generation of specialty chemicals.

John Pearson, CEO of SRIC commented: "The rapid rise of China's industry impinges on the business decisions of every chemical industry decision maker in the world. Yet well-researched, easy-to-digest forecast reports on China are difficult to come by. That is why SRIC created the China Report 12 years ago, and why it has become essential information for the world's leading companies."

The China Report is developed by SRI Consulting's Beijing office and combines independent research data obtained directly from major industry organizations and chemical manufacturers. The China Report includes most major chemicals and provides the most accurate information available. For additional information about the China Report, please visit www.sriconsulting.com.

About SRI Consulting (SRIC)

SRI Consulting is the world's leading business research service for the global chemical industry. Other SRIC publications on China include the Process Economics Program (PEP) China Yearbook, PEP Cost Index-China, Economics of Petrochemicals Production in China and the Directory of Chemical Producers-China. Publishing for almost 60 years, SRI Consulting is the preeminent source for in-depth business and process analysis. SRI Consulting's headquarters are located in Menlo Park, California with offices in The Woodlands, Texas; Zurich, Switzerland; Tokyo, Japan; and Beijing, China. SRI Consulting is a division of Access Intelligence, LLC. Additional information is available at www.sriconsulting.com.

SRI Consulting (SRIC) is a trade name and a registered trademark of SRI International, used under license.