Summary: In order to build a competitive edge in thiamethoxam TC market, Handan Ruitian plans to transform and upgrade its thiamethoxam TC production line. Once the new project is completed, Handan Ruitian's thiamethoxam TC capacity will increase from 2,000 t/a to 6,000 t/a.

On 7 Feb., Handan Ruitian Pesticide Co., Ltd. (Handan Ruitian) revealed that it had planned to carry out the thiamethoxam TC production line transformation project in the Shangcheng Industrial Park, Cheng'an County, Handan City, Hebei Province. Once the project is successfully built up, Handan Ruitian's capacity of thiamethoxam TC will increase from 2,000 t/a to 6,000 t/a. This project was approved for project filing by local authorities in Jan. 2023 and it still needs to go through other administrative reviews before the construction kick starts. In fact, thiamethoxam TC is one of Handan Ruitian's flagship products and the company has long before acquired the qualifications for the production and sale. It obtained a registration certificate for 98% thiamethoxam TC in 2014.

Thiamethoxam is a neonicotinoid insecticide. After the compound patent for thiamethoxam in China expired in 2013, a number of Chinese pesticide companies have entered the thiamethoxam market. The dynamic market has enabled strong growth momentum of this product in global market even though many unfavourable factors are there, such as high toxicity to bees and high resistance.

Many Chinese pesticide producers have brought their large-scale thiamethoxam TC production lines into operation; these manufacturers include Handan Ruitian, Hebei Yetian Agrochemicals Co., Ltd., Hebei Brilliant Chemical Co., Ltd., Rudong Zhongyi Chemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Kexin Biochemical Co., Ltd., Shandong United Pesticide Industry Co., Ltd. (Shandong United Pesticide), Oriental (Luzhou) Agrochemicals Co., Ltd., Shanghai High Victory Fine Chemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Hailir Chemicals Co., Ltd. and Inner Mongolia Benxing Chemical Co., Ltd. Besides, some other pesticide companies are building or have revealed plans to build capacity for thiamethoxam TC. It is inevitable that the competition in thiamethoxam market will remain fierce for a long time as the new production capacity is added.

It should be noted that Handan Ruitian used to have a 200 t/a bifenthrin TC production line, which was dismantled in May 2018. In addition to Handan Ruitian's withdrawal, Jiangsu Huangma Agrochemicals Co., Ltd.'s 500 t/a bifenthrin TC line and Yancheng South Chemical Co., Ltd.'s 500 t/a bifenthrin TC line were phased out. In recent years, under the impact of workplace safety and environmental protection policies, and due to voluntary product structure optimisation in relevant enterprises, the bifenthrin TC industry in China has experienced great changes, out-dated capacity phased out while new capacity still coming.

At present, major active bifenthrin TC producers in China are: Jiangsu Youjia Crop Protection Co., Ltd. (Jiangsu Youjia), Jiangsu Chunjiang Runtian Agrochemical Co., Ltd (Chunjiang Runtian)., ADAMA Huifeng (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Lianhe Chemical Technology Co., Ltd., Anhui Biocompounds Chemicals Co., Ltd., Weifang Runnong Chemical Co., Ltd. So far two leading companies—Jiangsu Youjia and Chunjiang Runtian have completed capacity expansion and consolidated their position in the market. Meanwhile, some new ones have revealed plans to build capacity for bifenthrin TC, such as Shandong United Pesticide, Hebei Di'annong Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Hebei Di'annong) and Hebei Saifeng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Hebei Saifeng). Specifically, Hebei Di'annong and Hebei Saifeng have planned to build 3,000 t/a bifenthrin TC capacity, and Shandong United Pesticide has been pushing forward with the construction of its 1,500 t/a bifenthrin TC line.