Meta-aramid is an aromatic polyamide fiber, the full name being polyisophthaloyl metaphenylene diamide fibre. It is known as PMIA in short.

The main materials are IPC and MPD.

Meta-aramid is one of the fastest growing high-tech organic fibers, which exhibits outstanding properties of thermal stability, flame resistance, electrical insulation, chemical stability and radiation resistance. It is widely used in aerospace, high-speed trains, firefighter apparels, training uniform, work wear, environmental protection, industrial high-temperature materials, automobile hoses, senior sound dampers, electrical insulation and other important areas.

Technology of meta-aramid manufacturing is very complex. All over the world only USA, China, Japan and Russia have abilities to produce it with total capacity of about 40,000 tons per year.

In China, the R&D of meta-aramid started in 1970s. A number of research institutes was involved and had some minor progress, but they were far away from the industrialization without the key engineering technology.

Yantai Spandex officially started the R&D of meta-aramid in 1999. In May 2004 the first aramid industrial production line was established with annual capacity of 500 tons. In 2009, ‘Development and Industrialization Technology of Wet Spinning Meta-aramid Staple Fiber’ was awarded Second Prize of National Advanced Technology.

The annual capacity reaches today up to 5,600 tons, which makes Yantai Spandex become the world top two meta-aramid maker and supplier.