I. Qualitative Analysis of Production and Capacity Utilization Trends

During the week of October 16–22, 2026, China’s methanol production totaled 1,991,125 tons, a decrease of 18,220 tons from the previous week. The plant capacity utilization rate stood at 88.13%, down by 0.91% week-on-week.

Table 1: Weekly Comparison of China’s Methanol Production and Capacity Utilization (Units: Tons, %)

Data Source: Chempricehub Information

This week saw new maintenance shutdowns at facilities including Nanjing Chengzhi and Inner Mongolia Qinghua. Additionally, one facility in Heilongjiang initiated new reduced-load operations. Conversely, some plants that had been under maintenance or reduced load resumed normal operations, such as Chongqing Wansheng and two units in Xinjiang. Since the total volume lost due to outages exceeded the volume recovered from restarts, the overall capacity utilization declined, resulting in lower production.

II. Forecast of Production and Capacity Utilization Trends

For next week, China’s methanol production and capacity utilization are projected as follows: production is expected to reach approximately 2.0309 million tons, with a capacity utilization rate of around 89.89%, representing an increase compared to this period. The capacity scheduled for restart next week exceeds the capacity affected by planned maintenance and reduced loads. Consequently, both the capacity utilization rate and production volumes are expected to rise.

III. Comparison of Capacity Utilization and Price Trends

This week, China’s methanol capacity utilization was 88.13%, down 0.91% week-on-week but up 3.05% year-on-year. The slight decline in domestic capacity utilization led to a reduction in market supply. Meanwhile, futures prices plummeted, dampening downstream purchasing enthusiasm. Poor trading results for enterprises caused significant price drops in major production areas.

Sample Description:
Chempricehub Information’s weekly data on China’s methanol production and capacity utilization are based on primary statistical surveys. The sample covers 180 domestic methanol production enterprises, achieving a 100% coverage rate. The statistical period runs from Friday of the previous week to Thursday of the current week. Data is released at 14:30 on Thursdays during business days.

Definitions:

• Production: Generally refers to the quantity of goods produced by manufacturing enterprises within a specific time frame that meets relevant standards. It denotes actual output measured in weight or volume under specific metrics, rather than commodity count.
• Capacity Utilization: Refers to the degree to which enterprise capacity is utilized, also known as operating load. It is typically calculated as the ratio of product output or raw material processing volume to effective capacity.

Statistical Scope:
The statistical period for weekly production and capacity utilization runs from Friday of the previous week to Thursday of the current week. Data is released at 14:30 on Thursdays during business days.