Scorching Heat Can't Dampen Production Fervor! Antai Textile's 33 Years of Accumulation Steadily Breaks Through July's Acrylic Fiber Industry Chain Long-Short Interplay

In Zhangjiagang in July, the summer heat is intensifying, yet the production workshops of Antai Textile are even hotter than the weather – intelligent production lines are operating at high speed, with colored acrylic sliver flowing between machines, finally being wound into bobbins, soon to be shipped to apparel brand customers in Zhejiang. Factory Director Huang of the Production Department, wearing a safety helmet, is盯着 the跳动 parameters on the screen, occasionally exchanging a few words with technicians: 'Adjust the draft ratio of Machine No. 3 by another 0.5%; the bulkiness of this batch of fancy yarn needs to reach 1.2 times the customer's new standard.' Behind this busy scene is this textile enterprise, rooted in the industry for 33 years, calmly responding to the 'long-short interplay' in the July acrylic fiber industry chain with its keen market insight and solid technical reserves.

As a core manufacturer of products such as acrylic yarn and acrylic sliver, Antai Textile's production rhythm has always been closely linked to the upstream acrylonitrile market. Entering July, developments in the acrylonitrile industry have been particularly密集: Jilin Petrochemical's new 260,000-ton/year plant is scheduled to start production at the end of the month, which may alleviate raw material supply pressure in the long term; Shandong Haijiang's 130,000-ton plant began a 10-day maintenance on July 7, bringing short-term local supply tightness; coupled with a monthly increase of 0.3 million tons in factory inventory to 45,800 tons, Lihuayi's spot quotation dropped by 50 yuan/ton to 7,900 yuan/ton... 'These seemingly scattered pieces of information are actually 'signal lights' from the market,' said Li Xiong, Marketing Manager, with a densely annotated industry chain analysis chart spread out on his desk. 'As early as July 1, we predicted that factors such as crude oil fluctuations, unclear production plans of Jilin Chemical Fiber, and tariff negotiations would push July acrylic fiber prices into a 'sensitive window'. Now, it seems that the 'looseness' and 'tightness' on the raw material side are alternating.'

Faced with the complex situation, Antai Textile's response strategy is clear and pragmatic. On the production side, Factory Director Huang led the team to implement a 'combination of measures': in response to the potential short-term raw material tightness caused by Shandong Haijiang's maintenance, they adjusted the procurement rhythm a week in advance, seized the window of Lihuayi's price reduction to lock in some low-priced acrylonitrile, and reduced raw material consumption per unit by 2% through process optimization – 'For example, in acrylic sliver production, we adjusted the ratio of acrylonitrile to the second monomer, saving 15 kilograms of raw material per ton while ensuring fiber strength,' Factory Director Huang said, pointing to a set of production data. 'The current full-load operation of the workshop is both to meet customer orders and an active hedge against fluctuations in raw material costs.' Regarding the long-term impact of Jilin Petrochemical's new plant going into production, the production team has initiated equipment compatibility testing: 'The purity of acrylonitrile from the new plant may vary slightly, so we are adjusting process parameters in advance to ensure seamless product quality when switching raw materials next month.'

The layout on the market side is even more forward-looking. Li Xiong explained that in the face of price fluctuation risks, the company has continuously increased the proportion of high-value-added products in recent years: 'Ordinary acrylic yarn is greatly affected by raw material prices, but colored acrylic sliver and fancy yarn have more stable profit margins because customers are willing to pay for 'differentiation' and 'customization.' Just last week, Antai Textile completed an order for 'Starry Sky Series' fancy yarn from a home textile enterprise in Jiangsu – by embedding colored slubs and metal wires into the acrylic yarn, the finished fabric can呈现 a gradient starlight effect under light. 'The proportion of raw material costs for such products has dropped from 60% to 45%, so even if acrylonitrile prices fluctuate, we can still ensure reasonable profits, and customers can get unique fabrics.' Currently, the revenue share of the company's colored acrylic sliver and fancy yarn has increased to 40%, doubling from three years ago.

This composure stems from 33 years of industry accumulation. Since establishing its factory in Zhangjiagang in 1993, Antai Textile has evolved from initial single acrylic yarn production to a comprehensive supplier covering acrylic sliver, colored acrylic sliver, and fancy yarn, with an annual production capacity exceeding 30,000 tons. Its products have entered the supply chains of well-known brands such as Uniqlo and Luolai Home Textiles. 'In our laboratory, there are more than 10 new product groups under development all year round. For example, the 'antibacterial acrylic sliver' we are currently testing, which adds independently developed nano-silver ion masterbatch, has an antibacterial rate of 99%, and some sports brands have already conducted sample testing,' Li Xiong said with confidence. 'There are no opportunities to 'win by lying down' in the textile industry, but as long as we can read the market and hold onto technology, we can find certainty amid fluctuations.'

In the workshop, a new instruction came through Factory Director Huang's walkie-talkie: 'Director Huang, the colored acrylic sliver for the Zhejiang customer has passed quality inspection and is ready for loading.' He looked up out the window, where the afternoon sun was shining on the factory's '1993-2025' commemorative wall; those numbers record Antai Textile's journey from catching up to leading. Regarding the future, Li Xiong and Factory Director Huang share a common view: 'The market will always have variables, but quality products and strong technology are the unchanging foundation. What Antai Textile aims to do is to make every thread carry the industry's resilience and innovation, accompanying customers through cycles together.'