Yifan Biotechnology completes phase I of project in West China - 3,000 tons of clethodim, 500 tons of bromacil

On 30th October, 2020, in Ningxia Ningdong Energy & Chemical Industry Base, Ningxia Yifan Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,( subsidiary of the Yifan Biotechnology Group) held an opening ceremony after the completion and operation of phase I of its project, making Ningxia Yifan the first major agrochemical manufacturer in West China, driven by the environmental policy implemented in 2018 aimed at promoting the transfer of the agrochemicals industry to that part of the country.

30 years of industry experience made Ningxia Yifan settle in West China 

Ningxia Yifan’s agrochemical and intermediate project landed in the Ningdong Base in March 2018, covering a land area of 36 hectares. The project is being implemented over three phases, with a total investment of Yuan1.86 billion and is scheduled for full-scale operation in 2022. So far, phase I of the project has been completed and began operation, ensuring the production of 3,000 tons of clethodim, 500 tons of bromacil, 500 tons of prothioconazole and 450 tons of flumioxazin, with the presence of waste treatment facilities, storage tanks, warehouses and a technical building. After the completion of all three phases, production facilities for 48 agrochemicals and intermediates will be established, with an estimated annual production value of Yuan3 billion and annual tax contribution of Yuan150 million while creating 1,000 jobs. The implementation of the project will promote the synchronous development of upstream and downstream industries, achieving both economic and social benefits.

“The project broke ground in April 2019, and the first workshop was completed in July 2019, and the first waste treatment facility was delivered to site in November 2019. The civil works of phase I was completed in August 2020, and its first production line and trial operation began in October 2020. Today, phase I of the project is officially in operation. To this end, the Yifan Biotechnology Group now has a production capacity of 6,000 tons of clethodim,” said Wu Kechong (Board Chairman of Ningxia Yifan).

Ningxia Yifan is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Yifan Biotechnology Group. At present, the company holds dozens of authorized patents, such as the breakthrough metalaxyl-M synthesizing technology and the new-route finished product optical content exceeding 93%. Yifan Group currently owns six wholly owned subsidiaries, which are Wenzhou Yifan Fine Chemical Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Yunfan Chemical Co., Ltd., Wenzhou Intercontinental Import & Export Co., Ltd., Shanghai Nongfan Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Ningxia Yifan Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Jiangxi Yifan Biotechnology Co., Ltd. The main products of the group include clethodim, flumioxazin, oxyfluorfen, metalaxyl, metalaxyl-M, difenoconazole and clodinafop-propargyl. In addition to the Chinese domestic market, the group’s products are exported to more than 60 countries and regions across Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa. Backed up by its first-class technical capabilities and management expertise, the group has been listed in China's top 100 agrochemicals manufacturer, staying in the top 30 for more than five years, with its sales value growing year by year. 

National-level energy and chemical base boosts Ningxia Yifan’s new sail 

Located within Lingwu, Yinchuan, Ningxia Autonomous Region, the Ningxia Ningdong Energy & Chemical Industry Base is a key national development zone, being a coal-supported chemical industrial base and coal-fired power generation base that will assist the implementation of China’s “West Power to East Transmission Strategy.” Explored coal reserves amount to 32.2 billion tons, with a future prospect of 139.4 billion tons, being one of China’s 13 key 100 million-ton coal mines. In 2019, the Ningxia Ningdong Energy and Heavy Chemical Base generated an income of Yuan160 billion, ranking sixth among China’s chemical parks. 

The Ningxia Ningdong Energy & Chemical Industry Base has rich resource combinations, being 22 kilometers away from the Yellow River’s water intake. The base has a solid industrial foundation with clustered special chemical production facilities covering more than 200 types of chemicals, including olefins, aromatics, methanol, acetic acid and BDO. There are abundant crude materials that form a complete industry chain to support various chemical productions, as well as complete and supportive infrastructures that include 1,831 kilometers of highways leading to all directions, a 375-kilometer railway connected to road transport networks, five 330kV substations and more than 20 110kV substations that provide multi-circuit power supplies. Three water works were built with 460-kilometers of water pipelines, capable of a daily supply of 1.2 million cubic meters of water. The common-service power island supplies steam of multiple parameters.

Ningxia Yifan’s modern chemical works 

In view of available resources and supportive utilities, as well as the base’s high standards and level of requirements, Ningxia Yifan is able to ensure the safety and reliability of its production, to secure supplies on a stable and long-term basis. 

“In such as business environment, Ningxia Yifan has to be strict with itself, having invested Yuan500 million in phase I of its project, of which Yuan200 million was spent on environmental facilities, such as a world-class COD Submerged-combustion, the same as Syngenta’s, as well as a solid waste rotary kiln and waste gas treatment equipment. This spending aims to ensure that Ningxia Yifan's waste treatment is up to EU standards. Furthermore, Ningxia Yifan’s wastewater treatment capacity is 5,000 tons daily, which is a positive response to the requirements of the administration of the energy base, so not a single drop of wastewater should get into the Yellow River,” Wang said.

Every effort that Ningxia Yifan makes today is to ensure the timely, long-term and sustainable supply of high-quality and high-standard agrochemicals to its worldwide customers. Ningxia Yifan takes responsibility for itself, its customer, the environment and farmers. 

Moving forward in the spirit of the Chinese agrochemical industry 

Yifan Biotechnology was launched in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, in 1992. Jiangsu Yunfan was then founded in Qidong, Jiangsu Province. Prior to today’s establishment of the third production base at Ningxia Yifan, the people of Yifan Biotechnology have witnessed nearly 30 years of development, including both ups and downs. During this period, Chinese agrochemical industry practitioners have overcome challenges to promote Chinese agrochemicals around the world and take a leading position in the global agrochemicals supply chain. Chinese agrochemical enterprises and industry practitioners have made remarkable contributions to global food security.

During the current circumstance involving strict environmental regulation, the approval of new projects in eastern China has been delayed, so manufacturers are obliged to transfer their production. Moreover, the Sino-US trade war that began in 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic have caused difficulties to the global supply chain. Therefore, maintaining the integrity of the agrochemiclas supply chain play a key role in ensuring food security. As a result, it is essential to transfer part of agrochemicals production to the western region of China in the best interests of the food security of the country and the rest of the world.

In 2021, Yifan Biotechnology will be ready to begin phase II of the project, to achieve the goal of full operation as early as possible.