Tightening supply drives tentative price hikes for pseudocumene (1,2,4-trimethylbenzene).

[Lead-in] Affected by the tight supply of industrial C10 crude aromatics and the shutdown of synthetic pyromellitic dialdehyde (PMDA) production units, the overall operating load of the domestic PMDA industry remained at a low level of 24.3%. Tight spot supply supported tentative price increases in the market; however, downstream raw material procurement maintained rigid demand levels, new order negotiations were sluggish, and trading sentiment remained weak.

I. Low Operating Load for PMDA at 24.3%

According to Chempricehub statistics, although Yangzi Petrochemical’s reforming unit resumed operations in October, only limited quantities of industrial C10 crude aromatics were released externally. Zhejiang Petrochemical and Jinling Petrochemical have not yet released any industrial C10 crude aromatics. Consequently, the tight spot supply of industrial C10 crude aromatics containing PMDA precursors is unlikely to ease, keeping the operating load of C10-route PMDA units low. Meanwhile, Shaanxi Huahaoxuan’s synthetic PMDA unit has no plans to restart due to high costs resulting in negative profit margins. The overall operating load of domestic PMDA units stands at 24.3%, with most manufacturers holding low inventory levels. New transactions are primarily small-scale orders from individual buyers.

II. Constrained Downstream Demand for PMDA

Table 1: Price List for Domestic PMDA and Upstream/Downstream Products (October 16–22, 2026)

Unit: RMB/ton