Market Overview
Quarterly Update on Global Propylene Glycol Market
For the Quarter Ending December 2020
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
The supply of Propylene Glycol remained short in Q4 2020 due to turnarounds at the upstream Propylene Oxide facilities which trimmed its accessibility, thereby hampering the production of both Mono-Propylene Glycol and Di-Propylene Glycol. Squeezed supply of the industrial grade Propylene Glycol from China, resulted in regional shortfall of the product. The quarterly demand from the anti-freeze sector remained well supported from the Aviation Industry as the region experienced chilly winters. In the Indian market, the Propylene Glycol prices witnessed slight decrement in the first half of Q4, then constant increment throughout the quarter maintained an average price USD 1275/MT and is estimated to rise in upcoming months.
Europe
The European Propylene Glycol market faced tightness in Q4 mainly because of reported shortage of the feedstock Propylene Oxide as its volumes were heard getting diverted towards the polyols production. Sudden spike in the product prices across the Asian markets and seasonal hurricanes in the US surged trade enquiries from the European region. Demand for Di-Propylene Glycol from the fragrance sector remained healthy and the pharmaceuticals sector witnessed an enormous spike for combating the spreading of the COVID-19 virus. Demand for Mono-Propylene Glycol from the anti-freeze sector surged during winters despite grappling to combat uncertainties due to the second lockdown imposed across Europe because of new COVID variant. This led to panic regarding securities of supply despite appreciable demand outlook.
North America
During the first half of Q4, Propylene Glycol demand tightened due to moderate weather conditions throughout the US and travel restrictions due to surging COVID-19 cases. Early in Q4, supply in the US Gulf region was impacted by the production issues reported at the manufacturing facilities. In October, LyondellBasell declared force majeure at its upstream Propylene Oxide facility in Pasadena (Texas) which significantly impacted the production of Propylene Glycol and other downstream products in the region. Some facilities which were damaged by ‘Hurricane Laura’ in late August were heard getting repaired by the mid of Q4, thereby soothing of product supply late in the quarter. By the end of Q4, major players observed considerable improvement in the demand from the antifreeze sector due to winter season. However, demand remained pressured compared to the previous year.
How we can help
ChemAnalyst addresses the key problematic areas and risks associated with chemical, petroleum and petrochemical business globally and enables the decision-maker to make smart choices. It identifies and analyses factors such as geopolitical risks, environmental risks, raw material availability, supply chain functionality, disruption in technology and so on. It targets market volatility and ensures clients navigate through challenges and pitfalls in an efficient and agile manner. Timeliness and accuracy of data has been the core competency of ChemAnalyst, benefitting domestic as well as global industry in tuning in to the real-time data points to execute multi-billion-dollar projects globally.
Services
Market Analysis
Company-wise installed capacity, production volume and plant operating efficiency is captured directly from manufacturers. Import and Export volume is captured from government sources and demand for Acrylonitrile is calculated considering the production, import, export and inventory-levels on the country and regional level markets.
Pricing Analysis
Acrylonitrile price is correlated with the price trend of crude oil, demand-supply gap, Propylene and with movement across the downstream derivatives such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) etc.
Company Profile
Basic details and information on financial performance of leading global players in the Acrylonitrile market is presented in a visually captivating manner. Expansion plans and the company’s strategy is also captured to understand the vision and mission of the company to help understand the areas where companies need to focus more.
News & Deals
Daily updates on industry-specific and product-specific news, exclusive primary-based news capturing plant shutdowns/outages/closures, capacity expansions, operating rates, insights on demand-supply situation, awarding of technology licenses, new product launch and deals specifying mergers and acquisitions, strategic investments and disinvestments, to help players capitalize on market opportunity.
Methodology
ChemAnalyst gathers information through primary research surveys conducted with various Propylene Glycol manufacturers, spread across the domestic and international market, suppliers, and dealers/distributors to gain insights into value-chains and demand-supply scenario to assess the market situation. Thorough study of company’s annual reports and secondary sources such as exhaustive search on credible paid databases, including our internal database is done to verify the information. All the collected information is analyzed, evaluated, and presented in chronological order to depict a meaningful and clear picture of the concerned market.
Our dedicated team of industry experts comprehensively monitors and analyzes various aspects of the Global Propylene Glycol market. The team analyzes various industrial segments, strategic viewpoints and provides an analysis of the industry’s performance in the long run. This would enable our clients in efficiently plan their future investments, mitigate risk, understand the cost dynamics and strike out a balance amidst market volatility.
Critical examination of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the global supply chains and shift in demand patterns with change in buying behavior of consumers across the globe.
Several ongoing development projects across industries are tracked, followed by the details of major projects in the development stage, which can positively or negatively influence Global Propylene Glycol market.
Pricing is captured through exhaustive primary interviews with domestic and international manufacturers, suppliers, traders and importers and customers on weekly, monthly, and yearly basis.
Finally, region-specific markets for Propylene Glycol are analyzed and region-wise demand pattern is tracked.
About
Propylene Glycol is a viscous, colorless, odorless synthetic liquid substance having molecular formula C3H8O2. Its less volatility and miscibility in a broad range of solvents, such as water, acetone, chloroform etc. makes Propylene Glycol an important petrochemical product with vast range of applications in polymer and food Industries, as an antifreeze, pharmaceuticals etc. Industrially, Propylene Glycol is mainly produced from Propylene Oxide using non-catalytic, high-temperature process (200deg Celsius – 220 deg. Celsius) and catalytic method (150 deg. Celsius – 180 deg Celsius) in the presence of ion-exchange resin. Small amounts of 20% Propylene Glycol, 1.5% of di-Propylene Glycol and polypropylene Glycols (PPG) are also generated by-products. Propylene Glycol is majorly available in the industrial (PGI) and U.S. Pharmacopeia grade (USP).
