News
Prospects for Platinum Group Metals Look Good Despite Uncertainty
June 22, 2017
Platinum group metals or PGM (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium) form a uniform, yet fairly diverse with respect to market trajectories, selection of rare metals with unique properties and a wide application range. This range mainly centers on high-tech …
Adipic Acid Market Demonstrates Mixed Sentiments and Complex Picture
June 15, 2017
Adipic acid (ADA) is a large-scale chemical product embedded in the nylon-66/nylon-6 production chain which also features upstream benzene, cyclohexane and hexamethylenediamine. The bulk of cyclohexane is used to produce adipic acid and caprolactam (capro). With other outlets, including downstream …
Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether Market Demonstrates High Volatility
June 8, 2017
Ether-based oxyfuels, like methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE), can be defined as octane boosters or Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) reducers used as green blending components and additives in motor vehicle fuels. ETBE has a …
Volatility is Mega-Trend of Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) Market
May 25, 2017
Monoethylene glycol (MEG) is a versatile large-scale chemical intermediate embedded in complex chemical commodity chains, composed of various upstream (incl. crude oil and offgas) and downstream products (e.g. polyethylene terephthalate or PET and its multiple derivatives). These chains mostly exist …
Construction Sector Drives Gypsum Industry Growth
May 18, 2017
The global gypsum industry is mainly driven by the construction and renovation sectors as natural gypsum is especially suitable for the manufacture of cement, building plasters, dry mixes, wallboards and other gypsum products. In some of these uses, gypsum has …
Lime Producers Need to Develop Clever Market Strategies
May 11, 2017
Lime and its products are marked by use versatility and abundance of resources. In market terms, lime is a low-value commodity which is not widely traded internationally. Most countries have limestone resources and manufacture lime for domestic consumption. Lime is …
Scandium Market Exhibits Lucrative Growth Potential
April 20, 2017
Scandium is a soft, silvery-white metallic element that might be viewed as a representative of the rare earth class of natural elements. This class includes lanthanides, such as yttrium and scandium. The latter has properties which make it possible to …
Current Economic Outlook May Affect Zirconium Market
April 12, 2017
Zirconium (Zr) is a grayish-white metallic element employed in ceramics, foundry, refractory, electronics, nuclear industry and other applications. More than 80% of the world zirconium reserves are located in two countries: Australia (65%) and South Africa (18%). Zirconium production is …
Recent Upsurge in Cumene Prices in US Is Viewed as Manifestation of Bigger Trend
April 5, 2017
Cumene is an important intermediate in the chemical chain leading from refinery-grade propylene (RGP) and benzene (which have precursors as well), via their catalytic alkylation, to other chemicals, including predominantly phenol and acetone, followed by a number of chemical and …
Low Abundance and High Monopolization Are Major Subjects of Concern in Indium Market
March 29, 2017
Indium (In) is a rare-earth metal employed in flat-panel display screens (as a component of thin-film coatings), solders, alloys, electrical components, semiconductors, photovoltaic cells (e.g., copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells), complex intermetallic compounds (e.g. indium gallium nitride) and other …
Propylene Glycol Market to See Near Equilibrium Situation throughout 2017
March 16, 2017
Propylene glycol is a viscous synthetic liquid derived either from propylene oxide under petroleum-based pathway or glycerine via the bio-based way of production. Specific properties, low toxicity and large versatility make it an attractive commodity in many industrial and commercial …
South-East Asia Dominates Polyvinyl Acetate Market
March 7, 2017
Polyvinyl acetate is an aliphatic polymer made by polymerization of vinyl acetate monomer (VAM). Polyvinyl acetate absorbs nearly half of VAM. VAM itself is a highly versatile intermediate used in the production of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) …
Effective Strategies for Carbon Black Market to Combat Current Macroeconomic Uncertainty
February 24, 2017
Carbon black is mainly used as a rubber-reinforcing agent and performance additive in diverse applications in rubber products (e.g. tires, hoses, belts, etc.), coatings, printing inks, extruded profiles, moulded goods and polymer systems. The diversity of carbon black uses dictates …
New Capacity Additions to Meet Current Methanol Demand Rise
February 17, 2017
The use of methanol and its blends as a fuel is determined by a number of their strengths. These strengths may include attractive prices as compared to gasoline, ethanol and their blends; simplified applicability without significant modification of methanol-running engine; …
Polycarbonate Market Showed Little Apprehension on BPA-related Move
February 8, 2017
Polycarbonates are a group of thermoplastic polymers, which forms an important commodity chain from acetone/phenol feedstock to various end-products. They are notable for their excellent performance specs with respect to stability, impact strength, transparency, thermal resistance, processability, low-temperature toughness, dielectric …
Titanium Dioxide Market: Subdued Demand & Possible Responses
January 25, 2017
Titanium, which is obtained from different titanium-containing minerals, like ilmenite, rutile or anatase, is used in the production of pigments, paints, coatings, plastics, paper cosmetics, food additives, ceramics, textiles, titanium metal, welding electrodes, as well as in a number of …
Growing Environmental & Health Concerns Overshadow Arsenic Market Prospects
January 13, 2017
Arsenic and its compounds are firmly associated with toxicity and environmental risks. Detrimental impact of arsenic is a well-known fact. Its dangerous concentrations have been found in many parts of the world, while numerous remediation technologies and approaches combatting arsenic …
Varied Dynamics of Global Urea Market Leads to Uncertainty and Overcapacity
January 6, 2017
The current situation on the global urea market can be characterised by a fairly large degree of uncertainty, which might be typical for end-of-the-year seasonal fluctuations when players are apprehensive on the verge of a new crop-sowing season and unsure …
Bio-Acetic Acid May Substitute Petroleum-Based Analogue in Future
December 22, 2016
Bioplastics could become viable substitutes for petroleum-based products, and bio-acetic acid may be a good example of such substation. Of course, the capacity to substitute petroleum-based products by ‘green’ alternatives depends on multiple factors, including their production costs, oil prices, …
Possible Reinvigoration on the US PVC Market May Be Adversely Impacted
December 15, 2016
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) acts as a generic name for a group of PVC compounds manufactured by transforming vinyl chlorine monomer (VCM) into PVC resins with the help of additives to easily mold them and optimize their qualities with respect to …
Multiple Ethylene Expansion Projects are Underway
December 6, 2016
Ethylene is one of the most versatile and important chemical components and intermediates used for downstream chemical processing in order to obtain a wide range of consumer and industrial products. Ethylene economics and market are enormous in size and complexity. …
Construction of New Integrated Petrochemical Complexes in Underway on Toluene Market
November 28, 2016
Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon used in various applications. It is involved in production chains of multiple chemicals as an intermediate or precursor. In such role, toluene is often associated with the operation on integrated petrochemical complexes or chemical hubs, …
Mixed Sentiments on Purified Terephthalic Acid Market
November 17, 2016
Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is a raw material used to make polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PET-based products (fibres, films, etc.), which in turn find application in versatile downstream products, like clothing, carpets, car parts, food containers, engineering plastics, to name …
Strategic Partnerships Present Rising Trend within Feldspar Sector
November 10, 2016
Feldspars are mainly used in industrial applications, including production of glass containers, ceramics (incl. tiles and sanitary ware), fillers, glass fibre insulation, fillers, extenders and other commodities. Relative content of feldspar in some feldspar-consuming product groups, % The current trends …
Controlled Release Urea Fertilizers Form New Trend of Fertilizer Industry
October 27, 2016
The market for controlled release fertilizers (CRF) is expected to demonstrate a robust growth as the demand for them will continue to rise due to their enhanced efficiency, high flexibility, improved transportability and reduced environmental impact. Products like Agrium’s XCU® …