Recently, at the 2025 Sulfur Industry Chain Spring Market Exchange Conference, the Titanium Dioxide Branch of the National Productivity Promotion Center made a wonderful analysis of the development status and future prospects of the titanium dioxide industry.

They pointed out that China's titanium dioxide production capacity and output continued to grow in 2024. By the end of 2024, the total domestic titanium dioxide production capacity reached 6.05 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 16.5% over 2023; the main companies that increased production capacity and formed production were LB Group, CHTI, GUOCHENG GROUP, YOUCAN, etc. The total output in 2024 reached 4.766 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 606,000 tons over 2023, an increase of 14.57%; the overall output reached a record high. In 2024, there were 5 chloride titanium dioxide producers in the country, with a comprehensive output of 1.055 million tons, accounting for 17.9% of the country's total titanium dioxide production that year; the sulfuric acid titanium dioxide production of sulfuric acid enterprises was 4.1076 million tons, accounting for 86.2% of the country's total titanium dioxide production that year.

In 2024, the overall titanium dioxide market price fell. The average price of domestic titanium dioxide was 16,483.33 yuan/ton at the beginning of the year, and the average price was 14,900 yuan/ton at the end of the year, with an overall decline of 9.61%. The overall titanium dioxide market showed a trend of rising first and then falling, with the largest increase of 1.81% in February and the largest decline of 4.47% in May.

According to national customs data, China's titanium dioxide exports in 2024 will be 1.9017 million tons, compared with China's titanium dioxide exports in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 15.84%. Among them, sulfuric acid titanium dioxide exports were 1.5558 million tons, and chloride titanium dioxide exports were 345,900 tons. In 2024, China's titanium dioxide export countries and regions mainly included India, accounting for 15%, Brazil, accounting for 7%, Turkey, accounting for 6%, South Korea, accounting for 5%, Russia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates, each accounting for 4%, Egypt and Malaysia, each accounting for 3%, and other countries and regions accounting for 45%. In 2024, China's titanium dioxide imports will be 91,900 tons, an increase of about 8,000 tons, an increase of about 8.7% year-on-year.

In 2024, the actual domestic titanium dioxide consumption will be about 3.1 million tons; the national per capita titanium dioxide consumption is about 2.1 kg. The main influencing factors, affected by the decline in downstream terminal real estate, in 2024, the national real estate development investment and residential investment will both decline by about 10%. The construction area of houses by real estate development companies fell by 12.7% year-on-year. Among them, the construction area of residential houses fell by 13.1%. The newly started area of  houses fell by 23.0%. Among them, the newly started area of residential houses fell by 23.1%. The completed area of residential houses fell by 26.0%. Titanium dioxide is used in downstream coatings, plastics, papermaking, inks, chemical fibers and other demands, and changes in industry capabilities will have a certain impact on the demand for titanium dioxide.

It is expected that in 2025, the export market will continue to maintain a stable and rising trend; last year, the EU, India, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia successively launched anti-dumping investigations, which caused market concerns in the downstream industry, and buyers and sellers operated more cautiously. Improving the quality of domestic products is the key to enhancing competitiveness. It is expected that in 2025, my country's titanium dioxide exports will maintain an 8% growth rate, with exports of about 2.05 million tons, filling the vacancy left by overseas titanium dioxide producers, mainly in the middle and low end. Imports are expected to remain the same as in 2024. During the economic downturn, transportation and other fields represented by automobiles, high-speed railways, and aviation are still developing rapidly. The titanium dioxide used in these fields is precisely a high-end product. As an import substitute, it is difficult for titanium dioxide producers to win in the short term.

The domestic market faces many uncertainties, with tight supply and demand of titanium raw materials, high prices, and large fluctuations in sulfuric acid prices, which bring great cost pressure to manufacturers; the real estate industry continues to play a key role under the guidance of policies, and may continue to maintain market stability in 2025 by optimizing and adjusting. Under the circumstance of reduced national infrastructure investment in 2024, the impact on the real estate market will continue in 2025; demand in the industrial coatings, plastics, and polymer materials industries is expected to grow, but demand growth in the architectural coatings and papermaking industries is relatively weak. Downstream demand is the key to releasing titanium dioxide production capacity.