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Titanium Dioxide Market Prospects & Challenges
March 7, 2022
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an industrial mineral commodity with multiple applications (especially as a colouring pigment) in cosmetics, the food industry, healthcare, paints, coatings (in cars, boats, construction materials etc.), paper, plastics, disinfectants, antimicrobials and other applications. Titanium dioxide is …
Potassium Hydroxide Market Dynamics amid Challenges
February 24, 2022
Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash or KOH) is a versatile and popular chemical commodity deeply embedded in the chlor-alkali industry and used in a wide range of applications. It serves as a component in the production of liquid fertilizers, batteries, biodiesel, …
Formaldehyde Market: Health Concerns as a Key Challenge
February 15, 2022
Formaldehyde is a versatile chemical product and a common precursor, produced via a series of technological processes, involving the oxidation of methanol with the help of catalysts. Traditionally, formaldehyde is manufactured and sold as formalin (37% formalin), which is an …
Ethyl Acetate Market: Current Challenges & Dynamics
February 3, 2022
Ethyl acetate (ETAC) is an important chemical product with broad applicability. It is manufactured via different production routes. Traditionally, it is obtained with the help of the esterification reaction between glacial acetic acid and industrial ethanol or ethylene. Alternatively, Sasol …
Dimethyl Terephthalate Market: Long-Term Trends & Challenges
January 27, 2022
Dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) is a functionally versatile intermediate with a wide range of applications within the production chains of other downstream products. Dimethyl terephthalate is predominantly used to make polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other linear polyesters, which are in turn …
Pumice Market: Functional Versatility & Current Challenges
January 18, 2022
Pumice is a rock material of volcanic origin with a variety of useful commercial applications. Being a safe and effective industrial abrasive, it is used in multiple industries, like glass making, electronics, etc. Likewise, it is applied in cleaning, polishing, …
Propylene Glycol Market Demonstrates Mixed Dynamics
January 10, 2022
Propylene glycols (mono-, di-, tri-propylene glycols and higher glycols) represent a group of chemicals with a wide range of applications, including the production of unsaturated polyester resins, specialty plasticizers, cosmetics, and personal care products (e.g., scent carriers), laundry products, pharmaceuticals, …
Ammonia Market: Challenges & Opportunities
December 27, 2021
Ammonia is an indispensable and multifunctional chemical commodity and intermediate with a key role in the agribusiness sector and especially in the production of liquid nitric fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate, urea, DAP/MAP, or aqua ammonia. The current shortage of …
Ethanol Market: in Search of a New Equilibrium
December 17, 2021
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) is an important chemical compound that is used in a wide range of applications, such as the production of transport fuel blends, sanitizers, disinfectants, cosmetic products, paints, pharmaceuticals, beverages, preservatives for biological specimens, to name only a …
Chlorine Market: Prospects & Challenges
December 8, 2021
Chlorine is an important chemical commodity and intermediate used in a huge variety of applications, including the production of plastics, polymers, solvents, paints, textiles, agrochemicals, refrigerants, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, electronics, automotive parts, consumer products, to name only a few. The …
Ammonium Sulphate Market Challenges & Prospects
November 29, 2021
Ammonium sulphate is a popular fertilizer, though this chemical has a variety of other uses, for instance, in water treatment, food industry, pharmaceuticals, woodworking, paper industry, to name just a few. Like all synthetic fertilisers, its current position on the …
Polyacetal (Polyoxymethylene, POM) Market Dynamics & Challenges
November 18, 2021
Polyacetal or polyoxymethylene (POM) is an aliphatic polymer and a formaldehyde-based engineering thermoplastic. In line with other polymers, it is characterised by functional versatility, finding uses in construction materials, gearboxes, conveyor belts, valves, consumer electronic devices, garden equipment, footwear, nuclear …
Dioctyl Phthalate Market Challenges & Opportunities
November 9, 2021
Dioctyl phthalate (DOP) belongs to a class of phthalic acid esters or phthalates used predominantly as plasticizers, which are added to polymers to modify their flexibility, hardness, viscosity, processability, durability, and other vital characteristics. As such, DOP is a very …
Ortho-Xylene Market: Strong Demand & Rising Feedstock Costs
October 28, 2021
Ortho-xylene (o-xylene) is one of the three xylene isomers, together with meta-xylene and para-xylene (when all three are mixed with ethylbenzene and other hydrocarbons, they form mixed xylenes). Being aromatic hydrocarbons with natural occurrence in petroleum and coal tar, xylenes …
Methyl Ethyl Ketone Market: Trends & Challenges
October 19, 2021
Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is a petroleum-based chemical used primarily as a solvent. Its application range includes the following segments: paint and coating systems, synthetic rubber (halogenated butyl rubber), lacquers, varnishes, printing inks, lubricating oils, tapes, rubber-based industrial types of …
Vinyl Chloride Monomer Market: Mixed Regional Dynamics
October 6, 2021
Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is an extremely important building block of the whole chemical industry, leading to the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which consumes the bulk of manufactured VCM. In turn, PVC is a bridge between polymer and chlorine …
Polybutylene Terephthalate Market: Varied Regional Dynamics & Good Prospects
September 27, 2021
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a polyester resin and a high-performance engineering plastic material with a wide range of applications, including the automotive sector, household appliances, packaging, electrical items, and electronics. PBT is manufactured by either polycondensation of terephthalic acid or …
Ethylene Dichloride Market: Challenges & Trends
September 15, 2021
Ethylene dichloride (EDC) or 1,2-dichloroethane is an important intermediate within complex chlor-vinyls production and commodity chains or networks. One of the most widespread networks of such kind includes the following items: ethylene, chlorine/caustic soda, ethylene dichloride, vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), …
Acetic Acid Market: Rising Demand Amid Tight Supply
September 6, 2021
Acetic acid is a large-tonnage industrial chemical involved in complex commodity networks of different feedstock materials, intermediates, and end-products. Among the most common intermediates of these networks, one can mention the following: vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), acetic anhydride, acetate esters …
Butyl Acetate Market Is in Search of New Balance
August 26, 2021
Butyl acetate (BAC) is an acetic acid n-butyl ester and an important chemical intermediate, associated with upstream markets such as oxo-alcohols. Butyl acetate finds an outlet in a variety of applications, including the automotive, food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, as …
Polyvinylidene Fluoride Market: Strong Performance amid Growing Demand
August 16, 2021
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a fluorine-containing polymer. It is manufactured by dehydrochlorination of 1,1,1-chlorodifluoroethane or by dechlorination of 1,2-dichloro-1,1-difluoroethane. KF (Kureha), Kynar (Arkema), Hylar, and Solef (both Solvay) are among the most famous PVDF tradenames. Polyvinylidene fluoride is used in …
Asia-Pacific Purified Terephthalic Acid Market: Trends & Challenges
August 5, 2021
Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is a large-tonnage chemical commodity and intermediate with the main outlet in the production of polyester fibre and non-fibre applications such as PET bottles, PET films, and engineering plastics. The packaging and plastics sectors are doing …
Polyarylsulfones Market Demonstrates Strong Performance
July 14, 2021
Polyarylsulfones or sulfone polymers, like polysulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyethersulfone, and polyetherimide, belong to a class of heat-resistant high-performance amorphous specialty polymers. The product range of sulfone polymers is extremely diverse with hundreds of different formulations, which are used in vital applications …
Monoethylene Glycol Market: Rising Demand and Tight Supply Amid Uncertainty
July 2, 2021
Ethylene glycols (mono-, di-, tri- and poly-glycols) are indispensable intermediates with vital applications like resins, deicing, and heat transfer fluids, fibres, packaging materials, paper, leather, latex paints, antifreeze solutions, explosives, dehydrating agents, industrial solvents, cosmetics, construction materials, electrical goods, and …
Caprolactam Market: Challenges & Trends Amid Current Uncertainty
June 24, 2021
Caprolactam is an important chemical intermediate, which is primarily used for the production of nylon 6 fibres (about 63% of caprolactam output) and nylon 6 engineering resins (about 33% of caprolactam output). Nylon 6 fibres are indispensable in textile, carpet, …
Epichlorohydrin Market: Key Prospects & Challenges
June 16, 2021
Epichlorohydrin (ECH) is an important chemical mainly used in the production of epoxy resins, which derive from the reaction of epoxy compounds with phenols. Apart from epoxy resins with their multiple applications in the automotive and electronic industries, epichlorohydrin finds …
Expandable Polystyrene Market: Prospects & Challenges
June 7, 2021
Polystyrene and its copolymers pertain to the styrenics segment of the polymer industry and comprise an important group of plastics, alongside polyolefins and polyvinyl chloride. Expandable polystyrene (EPS), which is a rigid cellular form of polystyrene, exhibits excellent performance in …
Polyvinyl Alcohol Market: Innovation, Sustainability & Interdependence
May 28, 2021
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH or PVA) is a structurally isomeric, acetylene-based polymer used in a large variety of applications. Its functional palette could be really wide and limitless, including polyvinyl alcohol blends with other polymers, and comprise such areas as adhesives, …
Butadiene Rubbers Market: Key Prospects & Challenges
May 21, 2021
Butadiene rubbers belong to an extensive family of elastomers and are noted for their excellent performance with respect to elasticity, abrasion resistance, glass transition temperature, and low-temperature flexibility. Apart from butadiene rubbers, elastomers comprise such versatile products as styrene-butadiene rubber, …
Polyphenylene Sulphide Market: Prospects & Trends
May 10, 2021
Polyphenylene sulphide is a versatile high-performance engineering polymer, which is available in a range of compositions with other materials and manufactured in a wide assortment of grades. Its processing modes vary, while its commodity forms could be also diverse and …
Hydrogen Cyanide Market: Challenges and Trends
April 26, 2021
Hydrogen cyanide is an important organic compound and a chemical intermediate indispensable in the production of adiponitrile, sodium cyanide, acetone cyanohydrin, methionine, cyanuric chloride, and chelating agents. These derivatives, in turn, are vital for multiple industries and further downstream applications. …
Ethylbenzene Market Trends and Challenges
April 16, 2021
Ethylbenzene is an important chemical intermediate used predominantly for the production of styrene, but also for making fuel blending components and solvents. Ethylbenzene is converted to styrene via dehydrogenation, oxidation, chlorination, and other industrial routes, while ethylbenzene itself is produced …
Calcium Chloride Versatility Guarantees Its Durable Demand Profile
April 5, 2021
Calcium chloride is a highly versatile chemical product used in a very diverse range of applications. These include: de-icing and anti-icing (calcium chloride acts as one of the most effective de-icers); oilfield and water treatment applications (e.g. oilfield fluids, pipeline …
Global Polycarbonate Market: Key Trends & Challenges
March 29, 2021
Polycarbonates, which are linear polyesters of carbonic acid, form a group of thermoplastic polymers within an important commodity chain. This chain combines bisphenol A/phosgene or diphenyl carbonate as feedstocks and multiple end-products consumed in different areas: automotive (e.g. dashboards, side, …
Global Formaldehyde Market: Trends & Challenges
March 16, 2021
Formaldehyde (or aqueous formaldehyde solutions) is an important and versatile chemical with a major outlet in the production of formaldehyde-based amino, phenolic, and polyacetal resins. It is also used to manufacture various chemicals (e.g. BDO, MDI, and pentaerythritol), drying agents, …
Global Polyethylene Market Dynamics amid COVID-19 Pandemic
March 9, 2021
Polyethylene (PE) comprises a vast and significantly important group of ethylene homopolymers, as well as ethylene copolymers with some olefins. Produced via step-growth polymerization and processed via various technologies (blow molding, extrusion, and injection molding), polyethylene could be of various …
Maleic Anhydride Market: Prospective and Challenging Character
February 26, 2021
Maleic anhydride is an important chemical intermediate with extremely wide functionality. A specific structure of the chemical optimises its applicability in chemical conversions and transformations. Its key application areas include the production of unsaturated polyester resins (a major outlet that …
Acrylonitrile Market Dynamics & Resilience
February 19, 2021
Acrylonitrile is an important commodity chemical with multiple uses and advantageous properties, like enhanced elasticity or good compatibility within polymer blends. As a monomer, it is primarily used in the production of acrylic and modacrylic fibers. This application segment accounts …
Phthalic Anhydride Market Scenario amid Macroeconomic Recovery
February 12, 2021
Phthalic anhydride is an important chemical intermediate, which is produced via the oxidation of o-xylene and naphthalene or mixed feed. Phthalic anhydride participates in the production of (saturated and unsaturated) polyester resins, polyols, plasticizers, alkyd resins, flame retardants, coatings, engineered …
Sulfuric Acid Market Demonstrates Mixed Regional Dynamics and Cautious Optimism
February 4, 2021
The current situation on the global sulfuric acid market remains unstable, though there are some signs of optimism. It is clear that the Covid-19 pandemic had a very lasting and profound impact on the chemical and other industries. This impact …
Hydrogen Peroxide Market Resilience During Coronavirus Pandemic
January 28, 2021
Hydrogen peroxide is an important commodity chemical used in various applications, among which the pulp and paper industry acts as the main outlet. With the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous agencies and media reported about the rising demand for …
Polyphenylene Oxide Market Trends in Times of Crisis
January 19, 2021
Polyphenylene oxides (or polyphenylene ether) represent a group of thermoplastic polymers that are manufactured via oxidative dehydrogenation of 2,6-disubstituted phenols. Being fully miscible with polystyrene, polyphenylene oxides actually are blends of polyphenylene ether with other polymer products (and additive packages), …
Global Cumene Market Shows Robust Performance
January 8, 2021
The trends in the global cumene market are guided mainly by its important role in combined phenol/acetone production. Phenol and acetone production, in turn, leads to the manufacture of multiple chemical intermediates (methyl methacrylate, bisphenol-A, etc.) and end products, including …
Mixed Prospects in Sodium Chlorate Market
December 28, 2020
The application of sodium chlorate (NaClO3), also known as chlorate of soda, is predominantly orientated at two segments. Firstly, it is used in chlorine-free pulp bleaching in the pulp and paper industry. It is considered to be an environmentally preferred …
Global Bentonite Market Demonstrates Strong Resilience
December 16, 2020
The current state of the market for bentonite and its products is negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic reduced the overall demand in multiple bentonite-consuming sectors, deteriorated the functioning of distribution networks, and violated the operation of …
Phosphate Rock Market: Major Issues & Top Trends
December 3, 2020
The essential need in food security and the growing demand for agricultural products has laid the groundwork for the phosphate market development. Phosphate rock is used predominantly (up to 95%) in the production of different types of fertilizers (both solid …
Acrylic Acid Market Shows Lucrative Growth Potential Despite Current Macroeconomic Turbulence
November 19, 2020
Acrylic acid is an important chemical compound, which acts as an element of extensive value chains with end uses in products like plastics, paints, textiles, lacquers, coatings, surfactants, adhesives, detergents, water treatment products, hygiene items, to name only a few. …
Polyphthalamide Market Remains Under Pressure from Global Macroeconomic Uncertainty
November 12, 2020
Polyphthalamide (PPA) represent a group of multi-functional thermoplastic synthetic resins, which belong to the class of crystalline semi-aromatic polyamides with aromatic groups in their polymer backbones. They, especially when blended with other polymers, demonstrate good dimensional and heat stability (it …
COVID-19 Impact on US Perchloroethylene Market
November 5, 2020
Perchloroethylene (PERC), also known as tetrachloroethylene or tetrachloroethene, is a versatile chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent. It is used for dry cleaning, metal degreasing, paint stripping, adhesive thinning, insulating and cooling (in electrical transformers), paper coating, leather/textile treatment, and other applications. It …
Ethylene Dichloride Market Demonstrates Complex Dynamics
October 28, 2020
Ethylene dichloride (EDC), also known as 1,2-dichloroethane, is inextricably embedded into the complex chlor-vinyls production networks, featuring a range of feedstock chemicals, intermediates, and end-use products. A key chain in these networks includes ethylene, chlorine, caustic soda, EDC, vinyl chloride …
Polybutylene Terephthalate Market Is Witnessing Unstable Recovery
October 19, 2020
Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) belongs to the class of polyesters within a broader category of polycondensates. Being a high-performance engineering plastic material with advanced parameters in rigidity and strength, abrasion/heat/hydrolysis resistance, processing capacity, flame retardancy, and dimensional stability, it is widely …
Magnesium & Its Compounds Market: Versatility, Innovation & Collaboration as Enablers of Good Prospects
October 8, 2020
Magnesium compounds, primarily magnesium oxide, are used mainly as refractory materials. The key refractory markets for magnesium oxide by industry are steel (about 70%), cement and lime, ceramics, metals, glass, chemicals, and others. The major producer of magnesium compounds is …
Carbon Black Manufacturers Show Strong Performance Despite Ongoing Crisis
September 29, 2020
Carbon black is a truly versatile commodity, though its functionality is mostly related to enhancing the performance of rubber products, predominantly in the sector of tire manufacturing and the automotive industry. This sector is now heavily affected by the economic …
Polyarylsulfones Market: Steady Development Amid Uncertainty
September 17, 2020
Amorphous polymers form an extensive group of chemical products of both low-performance (commodity types), mid-range, and high-performance character. The latter (i.e. high-performance amorphous polymers) constitute a small assortment of specialty polymers, which demonstrate high values of temperature resistance, as well …
Global Ammonium Nitrate Market: Good Prospects & Strong Fundamentals
September 8, 2020
The global ammonium nitrate market is currently performing well despite the serious economic crisis caused by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The wet winter season in Europe and North America means the necessity to maintain sufficient levels of nitrogen in soils, …
Increased Volatility of Global Ethylene Market
August 27, 2020
The current situation on the global ethylene market is somewhat similar to that which occurred during the 2008-2009 crisis, though the current COVID-19-induced crisis is much wider in scope. When economic conditions deteriorated severely at the end of 2008, the …
Fragile Equilibrium at Monoethylene Glycol Market
August 17, 2020
Ethylene glycols (mono-, di-, tri- and poly-) are vital as versatile intermediates used in a wide range of applications. They are central for the production of such important polymers as polyethylene terephthalate (used as polyester fibre and packaging products, e.g. …
Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer Market Shows Resilience
August 6, 2020
The market for various copolymers of ethylene (ethene) with vinyl acetate is characterised by a significant degree of functional versatility owing to the intrinsic characteristics of these copolymers. Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) can feature different ratios of monomers. So, modification …
Polyvinylidene Fluoride Market Demonstrates Strong Fundamentals
July 28, 2020
Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) belongs to the class of fluorine-containing polymers. When one evaluates the commercial volume of the market for fluorine-containing polymers, it is possible to ascertain that it is not particularly large as compared to that of other polymers, …
Varied Dynamics of Steel Markets
July 17, 2020
The global steel market, which is known to closely follow the macroeconomic trends, is inevitably impacted by the current economic slowdown, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (as of May 2020, total output in 64 leading crude steel-manufacturing countries was about …
Global Nitrobenzene Market Recovery Is Slow but Stable
July 7, 2020
Industrial manufacture of nitrobenzene began in the mid-19th century. Acting as an intermediate, it is tightly coupled with aniline and other downstream products since 95% of produced nitrobenzene is used for aniline production. Upstream-wise, nitrobenzene is the fourth largest outlet …
Dioctyl Phthalate Market: Can Challenges Outweigh Prospects?
June 24, 2020
Dioctyl phthalate [synonyms: DOP; bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate; di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate; DEHP] belongs to the class of phthalic acid esters (PAEs), which are mainly used in plasticizer-related applications in polymer products. Plasticizers are vital organic additives to polymers. Plasticizers are able to modify …
Liquid Crystal Polymers Market Is Affected but Shows Resilience
June 16, 2020
Liquid crystal polymers (LCP) represent a diverse group of polymer substances that, under certain conditions, form an additional phase, known as mesophase, (by a process known as mesomorphism), which is between an ordered solid body and a disordered liquid. So, …
Zeolites Market Demonstrates Mixed Dynamics
June 8, 2020
In the current turbulent environment, the market for zeolites demonstrates varied dynamics. For instance, Tosoh Corp. reports about the decline in the demand for zeolites in several sectors. The decline primarily relates to high-silica zeolites in such application areas as …
Global Market for Polyacetals and Its Current Challenges
May 27, 2020
Acetal polymers, also known as polyoxymethylene (POM) or polyacetals, belong to the class of aliphatic polymers. They have been on the market since the 1950s, starting from the time when they were made sufficiently stable to be used in commercial …
Benzene Market Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic
May 14, 2020
It goes without saying that the present situation on the aromatics market is heavily affected by the global economic recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The main substances of the aromatics groups (benzene, toluene, and xylenes) are used as vital …
Demand for Chlorine from Medical and Disinfecting Applications on the Rise
April 27, 2020
Chlorine is known for its functional ubiquity, making it an indispensable component in nearly every household and industrial sector. As such, it is extremely hard to foresee the dynamics of the chlorine market behaviour in the current times of the …
Global Ethanol Market Is Under COVID-19 Threat
April 21, 2020
The global and regional ethanol markets are largely unbalanced and heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for ethanol in motor fuels and fuel additives, which is a main ethanol consumption area, has dropped significantly. Likewise, ethanol consumption in …
Global Isopropanol Demand Is Rising Boosted by COVID-19 Pandemic
April 13, 2020
The ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic drives the demand for isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol or IPA). Despite its fairly large level of toxicity when ingested or excessively applied to skin, the demand for isopropanol is currently boosted by its two applications – …
COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak as Challenge for Ammonium Industry
March 26, 2020
The current and future behaviour of the chemical market and many related markets remain unpredictable when such expressions as nationwide lockdown and aggressive quarantine measures are getting firmly entrenched in daily activities. The coronavirus outbreak, in combination with other factors, …
Propionic Acid Market Prospects Remain Solid Despite Current Challenges
March 19, 2020
Propionic acid and its salts comprise a group of versatile products used in numerous applications. Their major application areas are in the agriculture and food industry or more specifically in the production of animal feed and food preservation. Propionic acid …
Kaolin Market Strategies as Response to Business Challenges
March 10, 2020
Kaolin group of minerals (kaolinite, dickite, nacrite, and halloysite) combines important industrial mineral products used in a variety of applications, including the manufacture of fire retardants, paper, and cardboard (for filling and coating), ceramics and porcelain, rubber products, paints, cosmetics, …
Styrene Acrylonitrile Market: Dynamics & Recent Trends
February 25, 2020
Styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) resins are thermoplastic copolymers of styrene and acrylonitrile, which find application in household and sanitary products, domestic electrical items, battery casings, pharma/cosmetic packaging, automotive industry, medicine and other applications. Though not as popular as polystyrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene …
Innovations Act as Major Driving Force of Polyphenylene Sulphide Market
February 17, 2020
Polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) is a high-performance engineering aromatic polymer and thermoplastic material with superior characteristics of such parameters as thermal stability, chemical resistance, mechanical strength, dimensional stability, and flame resistance. A number of polyphenylene sulphide features allows manufacturing a large …
Pumice Market Sentiments Remain Positive in Construction Sector
January 30, 2020
Construction materials remain the major outlet for pumice, especially in the production of concrete admixtures/aggregates and lightweight building blocks. An economic recession can cause a downturn in the construction sector, thus weakening the demand for pumice and analogous building materials. …
Diatomite Market: Current Trends, Strategies & Issues
January 23, 2020
Diatomite, also known as diatomaceous earth or kieselgur, is a naturally occurring mineral. It has a minimal detrimental effect upon humans and the environment, though the issue of diatomite waste disposal can be quite serious if protective measures are neglected. …
Global Polystyrene Market: New Developments & Projects in 2020
January 16, 2020
The global and regional polystyrene markets are directly influenced by the feedstock styrene monomer price fluctuations. Styrene monomer prices are in turn driven by oil prices. The present political instability in the Middle East was instrumental in raising the current …
Nafine Group Leads Global Sodium Sulphate Market
December 19, 2019
China is a leading player in the global market for sodium sulphate with respect to both consumption and production. China accounts for almost 60% and 64% of sodium sulphate production and consumption worldwide, respectively. Its sodium sulphate production significantly exceeds …
Global Potassium Sulphate Market: New Entrants and 4R Strategy
November 21, 2019
The market for potassium sulphate, also known as sulphate of potash (SOP), has been historically growing at an average rate of about 2% per year. The current demand for this type of fertilizer has been on the rise due to …
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 …