From monomers to flagship phones: A supply chain story at CISCE

Sinochem sits at a critical juncture of the advanced manufacturing supply chain. It starts from raw materials – synthesizing monomers step by step into high-performance specialty materials – and delivers them to downstream industries including ultra-high voltage power, new energy vehicles, electronics and even humanoid robots.

"We serve the most advanced manufacturing at the frontier," Li Longrui, senior engineer at SinoChem, told CGTN at the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing.

One example on display: PBO fiber, a composite material that can replace traditional glass or glass-fiber phone backplanes.

Foldable screens "demand the highest level of materials and craftsmanship" in consumer electronics, Li said. "Traditional backplanes have reached their limit in weight and thickness."

Sinochem's PBO fiber reduces backplane thickness from 0.4-0.6 millimeters to 0.22 mm – more than 50% thinner – while easily passing the industry's battery puncture test at 65-centimeter drops, well above the standard 40 cm requirement.

Compared to carbon fiber, which is conductive and interferes with phone signals, PBO fiber offers T800-grade strength while remaining an excellent insulator with ultra-low dielectric constant – ideal for high-frequency communications, Li said.

The single application cuts the phone's largest structural component by 60% and saves 2 grams, a significant gain for flagship phones where every 0.1 mm and 0.1 gram saved costs hundreds of millions in R&D.

Sinochem is in talks with major domestic handset makers, with potential applications extending to tablets and laptops. The company also aims to expand globally, seeking partnerships in consumer electronics, new energy vehicles and power infrastructure.

"We are a material supplier closely tied to advanced manufacturing," Li said. "The expo is where we connect with the entire chain."

(Cover via VCG. Tang Yin contributed to the story.)