Antai Textile: 30 Years of Accumulation Riding Market Fluctuations, Intelligent Innovation Forging a Leader in the Acrylic Fiber Industry
In Zhangjiagang in July, the summer heat is intensifying, but the production workshop of Antai Textile is even hotter than the weather – intelligent production lines are running at high speed, acrylic yarns with a soft luster are winding into bobbins like flowing water, workers in blue overalls are carefully inspecting the color fastness of colored acrylic sliver, and the air is filled with the unique fresh scent of fibers. Li Xiong, the Marketing Manager, stands in front of the large screen in the central control room, his fingertips gliding over the real-time fluctuating acrylonitrile price curve, his tone carrying a hint of composure: 'This year's acrylic fiber market is like a roller coaster, but we've long been used to finding opportunities amid fluctuations.'
As a textile 'veteran' rooted in Zhangjiagang since 1993, Antai Textile's main products – acrylic yarn, acrylic sliver, colored acrylic sliver, and fancy yarn – are each closely linked to acrylonitrile, the 'upstream lifeline'. In the first half of this year, the rapid rise in crude oil prices was like a boulder thrown into the market; speculative restocking by downstream enterprises caused acrylic fiber inventory to drop by 30% from the beginning of the year, hitting a recent low. 'At that time, raw material prices were rising sharply, and customer calls urging for goods were almost overwhelming,' Li Xiong recalled. The team analyzed data overnight and found that behind the inventory decline was the continuous release of end-market demand for acrylic products characterized by 'lightness, softness, warmth, and rich colors', especially for colored acrylic sliver and fancy yarn, whose order volume in children's clothing and home wear increased by 20% year-on-year.
'It's not enough to just盯着 orders; we have to watch the upstream 'water tap',' Li Xiong said, referring to changes in acrylonitrile production capacity. As of July 10, the average operating rate of China's acrylonitrile industry had回升 to 76.20%, with weekly output slightly increasing to 83,100 tons. The news that Jilin Petrochemical's new 260,000-ton/year expansion unit is scheduled to start production at the end of July has further given the market a signal of relaxed supply. 'We敲定 long-term contract prices with raw material suppliers two months in advance and reserved a 15% flexible procurement space,' Li Xiong said with a smile. This move prevented the company from blindly stockpiling or missing out on cost dividends when acrylonitrile prices recently pulled back due to rumors of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran.
In the production workshop, Factory Director Huang of the Production Department is leading technicians to debug the newly launched 'intelligent color matching system'. On the screen, parameters of acrylic sliver in more than 20 Pantone colors are updated in real time, with errors in raw material proportioning and dyeing temperature controlled within ±0.5℃. 'Previously, it took 3 days to sample a special color for customers; now it can be done in 4 hours,' Factory Director Huang wiped the sweat from his forehead and pointed to a pile of packaged acrylic sliver next to him. 'This is 'Cloud Gray' made for an outdoor brand in Zhejiang, using our self-developed low-temperature dyeing process, which saves 30% energy compared to traditional processes and reduces wastewater discharge by 80%.'
Antai Textile's confidence stems from over 30 years of工艺 refinement. From the commissioning of its first acrylic yarn production line in 1993 to now拥有 a provincial-level technology center and more than 20 patents, the company is no longer a simple 'yarn manufacturer'. The 'Eco Colored Stripe' series of colored acrylic sliver launched last year, which uses plant-based dyes to replace some chemical dyes, secured a full-year order from a leading fast fashion brand as soon as it hit the market. The 'air-layer fancy yarn' developed this year, with a 40% increase in bulkiness, has become a 'hot commodity' for winter home textile enterprises.
'Jilin Chemical Fiber accounts for nearly 40% of the market. Recently, with rumors of maintenance, some traders have started hoarding goods to drive up prices,' Li Xiong pulled up a customer satisfaction report. 'But our old customers have反而 increased orders – they know that Antai's production lines operate stably throughout the year, with inventory turnover controlled within 15 days. Even if raw materials fluctuate, we can ensure 'stable prices, high quality, and sufficient supply'.' Just last week, a large local knitting factory in Jiangsu specially sent a silk banner to thank Antai for prioritizing the delivery of its export orders by adjusting production plans during the raw material shortage in June.
The setting sun filters through the workshop windows, gilding the neatly stacked acrylic bobbins with a golden edge. Looking at the stable production data on the screen, Factory Director Huang sighed: 'Thirty years have passed, from manual doffing to intelligent workshops, from single white yarn to hundreds of fancy yarns. What hasn't changed at Antai is the drive to 'follow the market and lead with technology'.' Li Xiong, meanwhile, opened the next quarter's plan, which reads: 'Connect with Jilin Petrochemical's new unit to develop low-melting-point acrylic sliver; expand into the Southeast Asian market to promote environmentally friendly fancy yarn...'
In this summer of volatile acrylonitrile prices and 'roller coaster' inventory levels, Antai Textile has turned market fluctuations into development opportunities with 30 years of industry accumulation and a keen market sense. As the slogan on the workshop wall says: 'Every thread holds a commitment to quality.' And this commitment is enabling this Zhangjiagang textile enterprise to always stand firmly at the forefront amid the changing market tides.