News
Vertical Integration as Viable Strategy in Silicon Market
October 10, 2019
Despite a highly oligopolistic character of the global silicon market, the silicon industry, including its mining, smelting, refining and manufacturing operations, consists of a wide range of multiple-scale entities with a very broad line of products, reaching out to various …
Key Manufacturers of Polymethyl Methacrylate Need to Adapt to Market Fluctuations
September 23, 2019
Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a multifunctional polymer commodity, involved in complex networks of chemical products, which are especially extensive in the upstream direction. These upstream products may involve benzene, propylene, acetone and methyl methacrylate (MMA), which themselves can have various …
Bismuth Market Variability and Potential
September 12, 2019
Bismuth has been gaining popularity due to its versatility, ecological friendliness, a remarkable degree of non-toxicity for heavy metal, noncarcinogenic character, and other useful properties. It should be also stated that, despite non-toxicity and small amounts in the environment (relative …
Versatility, Innovation and Environmental Friendliness as Key Indicators of Successful Calcium Chloride Market Performance
September 5, 2019
Application of calcium-containing solutions, like calcium chloride, to fruits and vegetables is known to extend shelf-life of horticultural products, as well as improve their quality and prevent rotting effects. Since horticultural products are indispensable sources of minerals and vitamins, the …
Melamine Market: Poor Demand amid Ample Supply
August 28, 2019
The global and regional melamine markets are known for their volatility coupled with seasonality. The summer of 2019 was not an exception. The Chinese melamine market is currently struggling with excessive supply and poor demand in an effort to stabilize …
New US Regulation of Beryllium Exposure Will Positively Affect Labour Safety
August 21, 2019
Beryllium is a lightweight and super-strong metal whose combination of unique properties safeguards its application in various sectors, associated with added value and high technologies. Despite its privileged status, it is characterised by a distinctive degree of toxicity and a …
Bentonite Market Drivers and Challenges in Corporate and Regional Dimensions
August 13, 2019
Bentonite-based products are known for their extra-wide functional versatility, non-toxicity, low degree of substitutability and a capacity to be integrated with highly innovative technical decisions. In some applications, bentonite importance is paramount. For instance, bentonite is a component of a …
Current Butadiene Rubbers Market Challenges
August 5, 2019
Butadiene rubbers are a part of an elastomer family, which comprises natural rubber (NR), styrene-butadiene rubbers (SBRs), polybutadiene rubber (PBR), butyl rubber (IIR) and ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer rubber (EPDM). The global market for butadiene rubbers is currently in transition. Since the bulk …
Mixed Dynamics of Regional Butyl Acetate Markets
July 25, 2019
The current dynamics of the regional butyl acetate markets is varied. In early July 2019, the European butyl acetate market was rather stable with ample supply and poor demand from the end-markets. Major butyl acetate manufacturers, like Oxea (a 140,000 …
US Aromatics Market: Volatility & Complex Dynamics
July 18, 2019
Seasonal factors are regularly instrumental in shaping much of the dynamics of the US market for octane-enhancing aromatics like benzene, toluene, and mixed xylenes. In accordance with this logic, summertime, when the automobility-enhanced demand for gasoline always increases, acts as …
Purified Terephthalic Acid Market Dynamics
July 11, 2019
Upstream feedstock paraxylene costs are among the key factors that affect purified terephthalic acid (PTA) prices. Currently, paraxylene prices at some regions are demonstrating a downward trend amidst robust supply and a decrease in the demand for its derivatives. This …
Recent Developments in Cyclohexane Markets
July 4, 2019
Cyclohexane is inextricably embedded into the sophisticated chemical, production and commercial chains which run from basic petrochemicals to end-products. Cyclohexane is derived via benzene hydrogenation to produce a cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone mixture, which later acts as a raw material for adipic acid …
Propylene Glycol Market Has Bright Prospects
June 20, 2019
The name of propylene glycol actually combines a family of chemical compounds. This family comprises the following chemicals: monopropylene glycol (it accounts for the largest production volume among all chemicals in this family), dipropylene glycol and tripropylene glycol. These are …
Adipic Acid Market Fundamentals Remain Strong
June 13, 2019
The global and regional markets for adipic acid (ADPA) are volatile, with supply-demand balance, seasonality, turnaround schedules, production disruptions, facility expansions and environmental regulation acting as major factors affecting the markets. However, the fundamentals of these markets remain strong. The …
Lanxess Takes Lead in Production of Elemental Bromine and Bromine-Based Flame Retardants
June 6, 2019
Bromine-based flame retardants remain one of the main bromine outlets. In general, the flame retardant additives market is expected to grow by 3-4 % per year. Many companies view this bromine application area as highly prospective. For this reason, in …
Mixed Picture of the Chinese Acetic Acid Market
May 30, 2019
The global acetic acid market behaviour is determined by complex dynamics of multiple factors, both endogenous and exogenous to this market. These factors primarily operate within extended commodity chains, which form an intricate network of acetic acid feedstocks, intermediates, and …
Caustic Soda Market Volatility & Dynamic Complexity
May 21, 2019
The current behaviour of the caustic soda market confirms its traditional volatility and proneness to quick fluctuations. Abrupt changes at the caustic soda market are a function of the dynamic complexity of the whole chlor-alkali chemical sector, where multiple factors …
Butanediol Market Demonstrates Excessive Supply and Flat Demand
May 10, 2019
Currently, the regional butanediol (BDO) markets demonstrate almost identical dynamics, though the expectations of their future behaviours might be different. The global BDO market is dominated by the Asia-Pacific region, the situation on which can provide a significant impact on …
Global and Chinese Markets for Boron Minerals: Oligopoly and Collaboration
May 2, 2019
Borates (e.g., borax, kernite, ulexite, tincal, colemanite, etc.) form a class of about 80 minerals that are actually boron-containing inorganic salts. The processing of these minerals and their utilization in many, often high-tech, applications make them an important element of …
Global Ammonium Sulphate Market Demonstrates Stability But Not Long-Term Sustainability
April 25, 2019
The global ammonium sulphate market is rather stable, which is substantiated by ample supply, wide geographic diversification of production capacity and strong demand for this type of fertilizers based on its properties. Today ammonium sulphate is one of the most …
Mixed Dynamics of Bisphenol A Markets and Health-Related Concerns
April 17, 2019
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial chemical that is used primarily to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Naturally, the magnitude of the application of the latter opens up a huge potential for BPA use in multiple areas, including …
Graphite-Related Industry as Field of Continuous Innovation
April 4, 2019
The graphite-related industry is considered a field of continuous and prospective innovation. Of course, any new innovative sector is often confronted by multiple challenges and ungrounded expectations. Pioneers, innovators, and early adopters are commonly optimistic at the initial stages of …
Isopropanol Market Behavior as Synergetic Effect of Multiple Forces
March 14, 2019
Isopropanol is one of the secondary alcohols, used in a wide range of applications and consumption sectors. The production of solvents has been isopropanol’s largest outlet for years, though this trend has been gradually reversing. Other major uses of isopropanol …
Acrylonitrile Market: Major Issues & Prospects
March 7, 2019
Acrylonitrile (CAN) is an important monomer used for the production of acrylic fibres, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resins, and water-soluble polymers. The versatility of these product groups employed in a vast range of applications raises the commercial status of acrylonitrile. …
Challenges & Prospects of Nickel Market within Battery Materials Segment
February 28, 2019
Nickel is an important metal resource used in a wide variety of commodities which represent various, often high-tech, industrial, domestic, military and other sectors. Among them, the sector of rechargeable battery systems is one of the most interesting despite the …