Aromatics
Overview
The global aromatics market is made up of several diverse product markets and can be affected by a great many factors.
Benzene is a highly traded and volatile commodity because of its predominantly co-product nature and unpredictable supply. Styrene, benzene’s largest derivative, represents about 50pc of global benzene demand. Anyone involved in the benzene industry – directly or indirectly – needs market and pricing insight to anticipate supply shortages and large swings in pricing.
Meanwhile, the toluene and xylenes isomer markets are intertwined with the global markets for gasoline. Toluene and xylenes are highly traded commodities that create a lot of interest in the industry because of the various factors that affect demand growth. Outside of their inter-relationship with the gasoline markets, the major end-uses for these commodities vary across the world, from polyester fibres and food and beverage packaging to construction. Anyone involved in the toluene and xylenes industries – directly or indirectly – needs insight into how the toluene and xylenes markets can or will impact on their business, from raw material costs or as a price indicator for downstream products.
Our aromatics experts will help you determine what trends to track and how to stay competitive in today’s ever-changing global markets.
Latest aromatics news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global aromatics services industry.
Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals to cut phenol output capacity
Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals to cut phenol output capacity
Tokyo, 5 April (Argus) — Japanese petrochemical firm Mitsui Chemicals will permanently shut one of its phenol production units at its Ichihara plant in east Japan's Chiba prefecture by the April 2026-March 2027 fiscal year at the latest. Mitsui Chemicals decided to scrap the 190,000 t/yr phenol, acetone and a-methylstyrene production unit at the Ichihara plant, part of its plan to optimize its basic petrochemical businesses. The company cited oversupply of phenols in Asia, especially from China, the launch of new plants from 2022, as well as shrinking domestic demand. But the company will continue phenol production at its plants in west Japan's Osaka prefecture and Shanghai in China. Mitsui Chemicals has attempted to shift to low-carbon production, while promoting optimization of its manufacturing sites. The company has generated phenol from biomass-based naphtha, with its first delivery in February 2022 . It also agreed to sell its subsidiary Singapore Mitsui Phenol Singapore to UK petrochemical producer Ineos in August 2022. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Ineos seals TotalEnergies’ Lavera petchem deal
Ineos seals TotalEnergies’ Lavera petchem deal
London, 2 April (Argus) — UK-based chemical petrochemical company Ineos has completed the purchase of TotalEnergies 50pc stake in the former joint venture at the Lavera chemical site in southern France with the deal including storage and pipeline assets. Ineos and TotalEnergies originally announced the deal in July 2023. Ineos now completely controls the assets at the complex including Naphthtachimie, which operates a 720,000 t/yr ethylene steam cracker at Lavera that can produce 300,000 t/yr of propylene and 120,000t/yr of butadiene. The acquisition also included the 300,000 t/yr Appryl polypropylene business and the Gexaro aromatics operation with a capacity of 270,000 t/yr, the Gexaro site will continue to be operated by Petroineos. Naphtha storage business 3TC was also included in the deal. Ineos plans to fully integrate the connected assets. Ineos already operated and owned ethylene oxide, polyethylene and oxo-alcohol production at the Lavera site. The company also operates the 207,100 b/d Lavera refinery through its Petroineos 50:50 joint venture with state controlled PetroChina. The deal includes Ineos taking control of southern sections of TotalEnergies' ethylene pipeline network from Lavera to the Lyon region. TotalEnergies previously stated that it did not use its share of ethylene production from the Lavera steam cracker and mainly sold it to Ineos. Ineos operates a PVC plant in the Lyon region under the Inovyn business. TotalEnergies operates the Feyzin cracker in the same area. The deal will allow closer integration between the Feyzin and Carling sites for TotalEnergies, the company said. The northern and central sections of the ethylene pipeline will continue to be jointly owned and remain operated by TotalEnergies. By George Barsted Eastern France ethylene pipelines post-transaction Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Covestro's Belgian polycarbonate plant complete
Covestro's Belgian polycarbonate plant complete
London, 27 March (Argus) — German chemical company Covestro has finished construction of a new polycarbonate copolymers plant at its Antwerp site in Belgium. The unit will use a solvent-free melt process in combination with a new reactor process, a technology platform that Covestro developed. This process reduces complexity of production, Covestro said, adding that the polycarbonates will initially be used for electronics and medical applications. The project, which cost "mid double-digit million euros," includes the construction of a pilot unit and production plant. It is the fifth polycarbonate line at the company's Antwerp site. By George Barsted Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan's MGC to cease OX, PA production in 2025
Japan's MGC to cease OX, PA production in 2025
Singapore, 4 March (Argus) — Japan's Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (MGC) will halt the production of orthoxylene (OX) and phthalic anhydride (PA) from its Mizushima site from mid-January 2025. The more than 50-year-old 30,000 t/yr OX extraction plant and 40,000 t/yr PA unit will be shut because of reduced demand and a weak profitability outlook, according to MGC. OX is mainly used as a raw material for PA, as well as for solvents and pharmaceutical and agricultural intermediates. PA is also used as a raw material for plasticizers that add flexibility to vinyl chloride resin. By Bohan Loh Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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