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Surfactants squeezed on high feedstock costs, rising demand
FOCUS propylene and hydrogen peroxide in Jul 2003 [Focus on Surfactants, Oct 2003]. An advantage of the new technology is that co-products are avoided and nothing but PO and water is generated. The partners say that production plants using this new process also have a smaller footprint, need less infrastructure and require a significantly lower investment compared with conventional PO production processes. Press release from: BASF AG, Germany. Tel: +49 621 60 20732. Fax: +49 621 60 92693. Website: http://www.basf.com & The Dow Chemical Company, USA. Tel: +1 989 636 3587. Fax: +1 989 636 5527. Website: http://www.dow.com (31 Aug 2004)
BASF increases ethanolamine and other prices Where existing contracts allow, BASF is raising its European prices for ethanolamines (mono, di, tri, AMIX TE) and ethylene amines (EDA, DETA, AEEA, piperazine, AMIX 1000) by €50 to €150 per tonne, and for isopropanolamine by €50 to €100/tonne. The increase is effective immediately. The price hikes come in response to unsatisfactory margins and increasing raw material prices, the company says. The products in question are intermediates used among other things in the manufacture of betaine surfactants for various applications. BASF produces ethylene amines at its site in Antwerp, isopropanolamines at the Ludwigshafen site and ethanolamines in Ludwigshafen and Antwerp. BASF has also recently increased its price for dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA), used for the production of surfactants and personal care products, by €0.04/kg worldwide because of further increased raw material costs. Press release from: BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Website: http://www.basf.com (30 Sep 2004)
SURFACTANTS Stepan consolidates position on surfactants market in Brazil Stepan Co’s Brazilian subsidiary, Stepan Quimica Ltda, has entered into an agreement to acquire FCC – Comerico E Industria de Productos NOVEMBER 2004
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de Hygiene e Limpeza Ltda (FCC), a subsidiary of Unilever Brasil Ltda – for an undisclosed sum. FCC provides 83,000 tonnes of anionic surfactant capacity and will allow Stepan to better serve the growing Brazilian market with local production. It will bring opportunities to establish new relationships in Brazil and to supply existing Stepan customers from a new location near the City of Belo Horizonte. Stepan, headquartered in Northfield, IL, says it will now have surfactant manufacturing capabilities to support all Latin American markets, with plant locations in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. Press release from: Stepan Co, 22, West Frontage Rd, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 446 7500. Fax: +1 847 501 2100. Website: http://www.stepan.com (23 Sep 2004)
Surfactants squeezed on high feedstock costs, rising demand The detergent surfactants market is exhibiting a great degree of activity. LAB price rises are being sought for the third time in the US in 2004. Worldwide overcapacity is still plaguing the market, and rising raw material costs are increasing the pressure. Current capacity is put at 3.1 M tonnes, but demand at 2.5 M tonnes. LAS demand is said to be very strong, with operating rates high at present. LAS also increased in price this summer to keep pace with rising feedstock and crude oil costs (see next item). Markets for ethoxylates and detergent alcohols are seeing a very tight/supply demand situation, this already leading to some allocations by most makers. Raw material costs and availability have also added to price pressure. Ethoxylates demand has been at an all-time high because of the general upturn in global economies. Ethoxylates supply is currently very tight because of low EO availability. There is also tightness in N America ethoxylation capacity for the first time in some years. Global supply and demand balance has also been extremely tight for alcohols. Price increases are expected to continue for most surfactants, given the rise in raw material costs, demand growth and tightness in supply. Chemical Market Reporter, 13 Sep 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Pilot increases LAS prices Rising raw materials costs, especially for benzene, have led Pilot Chemical to increase prices on several surfactant products, including linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LAS), with effect from 15 Oct, or as contracts allow. Benzene is a main feedstock for LAB, which is the principle raw material for LAS. Prices for caustic soda, also used in making LAS, have more than doubled over the last six months. The company also lists high energy and transport costs. Pilot says the products affected by the increase include LAS; sulfonates; both highand low-active sulfates and ether sulfates; betaines; hydrotropes; and other surfactant blends. Pilot will also increase prices for its Aristonate brand of sulfonates used in lubricants, by 10%. Chemical Week, 22 Sep 2004, 166 (31) (Website: http://www.chemicalweek.com)
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS Builders US profile for STPP Six plants produce sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) in the US. Total US production capacity is 475,000 tonnes/y. Demand was 258,000 tonnes in 2002, 263,000 tonnes in 2003, and is forecast at 268,000 tonnes for 2007. Demand growth was -0.5%/y from 1998 to 2003, and is forecast at 0.5%/y through 2007. Main uses for STPP are as a builder in detergents (51%) and in food and beverages (30%). Chemical Market Reporter, 4 Oct 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Rohm and Haas upgrade Rohm and Haas Co intends to upgrade its 40,000 tonne/y acrylic emulsion plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand by 50% in 2007. The firm aims to address the demand for the material in water-treatment, detergents, adhesives, coatings and paint applications. Chemical Engineering Progress, Aug 2004, 100 (8), 15
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BASF increases ethanolamine and other prices Where existing contracts allow, BASF is raising its European prices for ethanolamines (mono, di, tri, AMIX TE) and ethylene amines (EDA, DETA, AEEA, piperazine, AMIX 1000) by €50 to €150 per tonne, and for isopropanolamine by €50 to €100/tonne. The increase is effective immediately. The price hikes come in response to unsatisfactory margins and increasing raw material prices, the company says. The products in question are intermediates used among other things in the manufacture of betaine surfactants for various applications. BASF produces ethylene amines at its site in Antwerp, isopropanolamines at the Ludwigshafen site and ethanolamines in Ludwigshafen and Antwerp. BASF has also recently increased its price for dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA), used for the production of surfactants and personal care products, by €0.04/kg worldwide because of further increased raw material costs. Press release from: BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Website: http://www.basf.com (30 Sep 2004)
SURFACTANTS Stepan consolidates position on surfactants market in Brazil Stepan Co’s Brazilian subsidiary, Stepan Quimica Ltda, has entered into an agreement to acquire FCC – Comerico E Industria de Productos NOVEMBER 2004
ON
S U R FA C TA N T S
de Hygiene e Limpeza Ltda (FCC), a subsidiary of Unilever Brasil Ltda – for an undisclosed sum. FCC provides 83,000 tonnes of anionic surfactant capacity and will allow Stepan to better serve the growing Brazilian market with local production. It will bring opportunities to establish new relationships in Brazil and to supply existing Stepan customers from a new location near the City of Belo Horizonte. Stepan, headquartered in Northfield, IL, says it will now have surfactant manufacturing capabilities to support all Latin American markets, with plant locations in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. Press release from: Stepan Co, 22, West Frontage Rd, Northfield, IL 60093, USA. Tel: +1 847 446 7500. Fax: +1 847 501 2100. Website: http://www.stepan.com (23 Sep 2004)
Surfactants squeezed on high feedstock costs, rising demand The detergent surfactants market is exhibiting a great degree of activity. LAB price rises are being sought for the third time in the US in 2004. Worldwide overcapacity is still plaguing the market, and rising raw material costs are increasing the pressure. Current capacity is put at 3.1 M tonnes, but demand at 2.5 M tonnes. LAS demand is said to be very strong, with operating rates high at present. LAS also increased in price this summer to keep pace with rising feedstock and crude oil costs (see next item). Markets for ethoxylates and detergent alcohols are seeing a very tight/supply demand situation, this already leading to some allocations by most makers. Raw material costs and availability have also added to price pressure. Ethoxylates demand has been at an all-time high because of the general upturn in global economies. Ethoxylates supply is currently very tight because of low EO availability. There is also tightness in N America ethoxylation capacity for the first time in some years. Global supply and demand balance has also been extremely tight for alcohols. Price increases are expected to continue for most surfactants, given the rise in raw material costs, demand growth and tightness in supply. Chemical Market Reporter, 13 Sep 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Pilot increases LAS prices Rising raw materials costs, especially for benzene, have led Pilot Chemical to increase prices on several surfactant products, including linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LAS), with effect from 15 Oct, or as contracts allow. Benzene is a main feedstock for LAB, which is the principle raw material for LAS. Prices for caustic soda, also used in making LAS, have more than doubled over the last six months. The company also lists high energy and transport costs. Pilot says the products affected by the increase include LAS; sulfonates; both highand low-active sulfates and ether sulfates; betaines; hydrotropes; and other surfactant blends. Pilot will also increase prices for its Aristonate brand of sulfonates used in lubricants, by 10%. Chemical Week, 22 Sep 2004, 166 (31) (Website: http://www.chemicalweek.com)
ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS Builders US profile for STPP Six plants produce sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) in the US. Total US production capacity is 475,000 tonnes/y. Demand was 258,000 tonnes in 2002, 263,000 tonnes in 2003, and is forecast at 268,000 tonnes for 2007. Demand growth was -0.5%/y from 1998 to 2003, and is forecast at 0.5%/y through 2007. Main uses for STPP are as a builder in detergents (51%) and in food and beverages (30%). Chemical Market Reporter, 4 Oct 2004 (Website: http://www.chemicalmarketreporter.com)
Rohm and Haas upgrade Rohm and Haas Co intends to upgrade its 40,000 tonne/y acrylic emulsion plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand by 50% in 2007. The firm aims to address the demand for the material in water-treatment, detergents, adhesives, coatings and paint applications. Chemical Engineering Progress, Aug 2004, 100 (8), 15
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