According to the International Trade Center (ITC), the global trade value of chlorine was estimated to be $180.543 million in 2018, and the value is observing a consistent growth of 1% (and 3% in volume) each year since 2014.[1] Chlorine is obtained by electrolysis of chloralkali, predominantly the electrolysis of sodium chloride solutions or brine. Thus, the augmented trade and demand for chlorine across the globe is significantly supporting the chloralkali market that was valued to be $91.126 billion as of 2018, and the application of Chloralkali in various industries is poised to witness a CAGR of 5.65% during the forecast period of 2019-2025.
The chemical industry is booming in countries of APAC such as India, China, Japan, and Korea. Furthermore, glass, alumina, vinyl, and water treatment sectors registered a growth in APAC, which is leading to an increased demand for chloralkali, due to its wide applications. The use of derivatives of chloralkali such as polyvinyl chloride plastics in advanced infrastructure solutions is further boosting the revenue generated in the APAC chloralkali market. In 2018, APAC had the maximum chloralkali market share of 5.65%.
Chloralkali Market Outlook:
Chloralkali processes involve use of chloralkali asbestos that is treated in a variety of electrolytic cells that include membrane cell, diaphragm cell, and mercury cell. The chemical has a broad range of applications such as the production of alumina, EDC/PVC, and organic & inorganic chemicals. It is also used in pulp & paper and water treatment industry.
Food and pulp & paper industries are the lucrative application segment of chloralkali. While caustic soda market leverages the demand from pulp & paper industry, the soda ash segment of the chloralkali market thrives on demand influx generated in the food & beverages industry. The application of chloralkali in the food and pulp & paper industries is projected to increase at a CAGR of 6.13% through to 2025.
Chloralkali Market Growth Drivers:
· The Demand Influx from the Soaps & Detergents Industry –
The growth prospects for the chloralkali market in the soaps & detergents industry can be measured by surfactants market with market size of $35.426 billion in 2018. Furthermore, the demand for surfactants is estimated to observe a CAGR of 5.38% over the forecast period of 2019-2025. Chloralkalis are used in the production of soaps & detergents. So, the soaps & detergents industry growth is boosting the demand for chloralkali or caustic soda, which is reflected in the growth prospects in the chloralkali market.
· The Application in the Water Treatment Industry –
There is an increasing requirement for the incorporation of water treatment plants in the chemical industries due to the environmental regulations by government worldwide. The water treatment industry offer opportunities for the vendors in the water treatment chemicals market. Chloralkali is majorly used for water neutralization, in case of low pH value. Chloralkalis such as sodium hydroxide raise the pH value of water and neutralize it without causing any hardness in the water. Increase in the number of water treatment plants is boosting the chloralkali market.
· Booming Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Market Creating Opportunities –
The PVC market is booming due to its various applications in manufacturing of PVC resins, PVC stabilizers, and PVC pipes. Chloralkali is used in manufacturing of PVC, the trade value of polymers of vinyl chloride and other halogenated olefins was accounted to be $20.48 billion in 2018, according to ITC.[2] A substantial part of this trade value was attributed to PVC trade, which had created opportunities in the chloralkali market.
Chloralkali Market Market Trends:
· Latest Development – Originally, the chloralkali process uses asbestos, mercury or fluorine-containing ion-exchange membranes. Recently, the chloralkali market has witnessed an innovation in which the process can be executed in a clean and membrane-free chloralkali process with decoupled Cl2 and H2/NaOH production.
· In September 2018, AGC announced that the organization will increase its production capacity of chloralkali and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in Southeast Asia. This expansion is much attributed to the augmented demand for chlor-alkali in APAC countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Chloralkali Market Market Dynamics:
· In February 2019, Grasim Industries – An Aditya Birla Group Company acquired the chloralkali business of KPR industries for a sum of $36m in order to position the company in the chloralkali market.
· In July 2018, AkzoNobel planned to upgrade its Rotterdam chloralkali plant and include a new production line due to an increase in demand for chlorine and caustic soda. The plant currently produces 630,000 tons/year of chlorine.
Chloralkali Market Challenges –
The biggest constraint in the chloralkali market is the regulations enforced by governments due to environmental concerns. Chloralkali utilizes asbestos and mercury, which have adverse effects on the environment. Recently, the US NGO Health Building Network (HBN) has warned that the continued usage of mercury and asbestos in the supply chain of PVC and other chlorine-based products, is a source of environmental pollution. Furthermore, in other countries such as in the Americas and Europe wherein the government is majorly focusing on environment issues, the vendors in the chloralkali market are facing the stringent restraint from the governments. However, the major market players such as DowDupont which has set an example by converting asbestos-based diaphragm technology to non-asbestos operations to align the production facility with the regional regulations. The future foresees vendors avoiding harmful production technologies and adopting the PFAS-coated (Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) membrane technology. Furthermore, the constant demand for PVC will always create a sustainable chloralkali marketplace.
Chloralkali Market Key Players Perspective –
The major players striving to capitalize on the demand influx in the chloralkali market are Solvay S.A., Akzonobel N.V., Axiall Corporation, Formosa Plastics Corporation, Hanwha Chemical Corporation, Nirma Limited, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Olin Corporation, Tata Chemicals Limited, Tosoh Corporation, Tronox Limited, and Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co. Ltd.
Chloralkali Market Research Scope:
The base year of the study is 2018, with forecast done up to 2025. The study presents a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape, taking into account the market shares of the leading companies. These provide the key market participants with the necessary business intelligence and help them to understand the future of the chloralkali market. The assessment include the forecast, an overview of the competitive structure, the market shares of the competitors, as well as the market trends, market demands, market drivers, market challenges, and product analysis. The market drivers and restraints have been assessed to fathom their impact over the forecast period. This report further identifies the key opportunities for growth while also detailing the key challenges and possible threats. The chloralkali market research report also analyses the application of chloralkali for myriad of purposes such as demand in manufacturing of PVC and application in pulp & paper, food & beverages, soaps & detergents, and other industries.
Chloralkali Market Report: Industry Coverage
The chloralkali market report identified the current trends, opportunities, and challenges in the industry along with a detailed depiction of strategies by the existing market players.
The report also analyzes the major geographic regions as well as the major countries in these regions. The regions and countries covered in the study include:
- North America: The U.S., Canada, Mexico
- South America: Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica
- Europe: The U.K., Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark
- APAC: China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong
- Middle East and Africa: Israel, South Africa, Saudi Arabia
Key Questions Addressed in the Chloralkali Market Report
Is the market demand for chloralkali growing? How long will it continue to grow and at what rate?
Which type of chloralkali presents the major growth opportunities?
Is there a possibility for change in the market structure over time?
Are additional developments needed for the existing product or services offerings or do the existing products meet the customer demands?
Do the key vendors look for partnerships to expand their businesses with respect to geography or product?
What are the short-term, long-term, and medium-term growth drivers for the market?
What are the short-term, medium-term, and long-term challenges for the market?
What are the short-term, medium-term, and long-term opportunities for the market?
Who are the top players/companies of the market?
What are the recent innovations in the market?
How many patents have been filed by the leading players?
What are the types of patents filed by the leading players?
What is our Vision 2030 for the chloralkali market?
A Few Focus Points Of This Research Are Given Below:
- Give a deep-dive analysis of the key operational strategies with focus on the corporate structure, R&D strategies, localization strategies, production capabilities, and sales performance of various companies
- Provide an overview of the product portfolio, including product planning, development, and positioning
- Discuss the role of technology companies in partnerships
- Explore the regional sales activities
- Analyze the market size and giving the forecast for current and future global chloralkali market during the forecast 2019–2025
- Analyze the competitive factors, competitors’ market shares, product capabilities, and supply chain structures
