Monthly review: August needle coke market is stable in the domestic and hot in the overseas market

ICC News: The domestic market for needle coke performed smoothly in August, with sufficient supply of mid- and low-end products. High-quality needle coke market resources are still scarce. The overseas market is driven by the demand for graphite electrodes with an operating rate of 85%. The quotation of some oil-based needle coke has reached US$2,800/ton, and the supply and demand market of needle coke in the overseas market is expected to ease in the fourth quarter. Domestically, the coal-based needle coke capacity utilization rate was 30% from January to August, and the oil-based needle coke capacity utilization rate was 86%. As of the end of the month, domestic coal-based needle coke is at 8500-10000 yuan/ton, oil-based needle coke is at 9500-12000 yuan/ton, the price of joint coke is 13000 yuan/ton, and the price of green coke is 6000-6500 yuan/ton; In terms of import prices, the price of coal-based needle coke is 1500-1600 US dollars, the price of oil-based needle coke is 1600-2000 US dollars/ton, and the price of anode-used coke is 850-1300 US dollars/ton.

 

According to the latest statistics from the customs, China’s oil-based needle coke exports in July were 688 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 31.2%, and the average export price was US$1,650/ton; oil-based needle coke imports were 2,200 tons, an increase of 83.3% year-on-year and a decrease of 33% month-on-month, and the average import price was US$1,400/ton. The import volume of coal-based needle coke was 7,800 tons, of which 45% were needle coke for the anode and 55% were needle coke for the electrode. The average price was US$1,000/ton. Ton. On the whole, the supply of needle coke in the domestic market is unlikely to increase significantly in the later stage. The coke price is supported by cost and will maintain a stable probability in the short term. The demand side is supported by the anode market and there is no pressure for shipment. The graphite electrode market is negatively affected by the demand, some needle coke companies may ease sales pressure via exports.

 

Monthly Market Review:

According to China National Chemical Engineering Fourth Construction Co., Ltd., the company won the bid for the delayed coking and calcination project of Shanxi Yongdong Chemical Co., Ltd. for an annual output of 40,000 tons of needle coke.

 

Maoming Petrochemical's 100,000 tons/year high-end carbon material combined facilities successfully produced qualified needle coke (green coke) products. The device adopts the patented technology independently developed by Sinopec Petrochemical Research (RIPP), designed by Sinopec Engineering Construction Company (SEI), and constructed by Sinopec Tenth Construction Company.

 

Novonix announced that it has reached this transformation agreement with Pillips 66's Emerging Energy. The Emerging Energy has a long-term vision of focusing on sustainable development, thus laying the foundation for the joint development of a complete supply chain of synthetic graphite anode materials for American battery manufacturing. As a strategic investor, Pillips 66 invested US$150 million in exchange for a 16% stake in Novonix, and the latter will expand the 30,000 tons of anode material capacity, which is expected to be completed in 2025. 

 

In August 2021, Jingyang's needle coke products were accepted by the only large-scale graphite electrode manufacturer in the United States. The company spoke highly of Jingyang's needle coke products and signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with Jingyang Technology. This marks that Jingyang has become the only domestic needle coke company that has entered the American market.

 

After Jingyang Technology completed the shipment from the United States, with the last package of needle coke loaded into the carriage on August 16, 2021, the company's sixth batch of Japanese export needle coke for the year of 2021 was successfully launched. Since August 2020, Jingyang Technology has exported more than 5,000 tons of needle coke to Japanese companies, and its customers include Japanese carbon companies such as Showa Denko, SEC, and Tokai Carbon. Jingyang Technology has won the recognition of the vast number of international customers with its excellent product quality and high-quality customer service.