Alkylene oxides market

Alkylene oxides are some of the basic petrochemicals produced by direct or indirect catalytic oxidation of olefins such as ethylene, propylene and butylene from the steam cracker. Alkylene oxides include three basic products; ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide acting as an intermediate in various petrochemical synthesis process. The applications of alkylene oxides vary according to the product type. The major application of alkylene oxides is manufacturing of alkylene glycols such as monoethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol and butylene glycol from their respective alkyl group.

Market Dynamics:

The global alkylene oxides market growth is driven by the rising demand for ethylene and propylene glycols for production of polyester resins such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) for various end-use applications. For instance, on May 2017, Russian Joint Stock (JS) Company Polyester Plant Ivanovo started construction of a new 200 Kilo Tons polyester plant, with an investment of around US$ 420 million. The PET polymer will be used to manufacture polyester yarn for the textile industry. The construction is set to complete by 2020.

Government regulations regarding the usage of non-biodegradable plastics and consumption of fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas has negatively affected the alkylene oxide market growth. For instance, on April 29, 2017, Regulation (EU) 2017/752 was published by the European Commission (EC) which amends the regulation for plastic materials intended for contact with food in its official journal.

Market Outlook:-

On the basis of product type, the global alkylene oxides market is segmented into ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide. The propylene oxide segment is estimated to witness rapid growth during the forecast period compared to the ethylene oxide segment. The increasing demand for polyurethane products is expected to favor growth of the propylene oxide segment during the forecast period. For instance, according to a report titled ‘The Economic Benefits of the U.S. Polyurethanes Industry 2017’ published by the American Chemistry Council, in October 2018, revenue generated by the polyurethanes industry in the U.S was US$ 37.9 bn in 2017, out of which, polyurethane products accounted for a revenue of US$ 20.5 bn.

On the basis of end use, the market is segmented into plastics & polymers, cosmetics & personal care, chemical & pharmaceutical, detergents, others (antifreeze agents, etc.). Among these, the cosmetics & personal care segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period owing to high acceptance of glycol-based cosmetic products among consumers.

On the basis of region, Asia Pacific is expected to account for the highest market share in terms of value in the global alkylene oxides market during the forecast period (2020-2027), owing to the booming plastics & polymer industry in the region. For instance, due to increasing demand for bottle-grade PET, China Prosperity (Jiangyin) Petrochemical started a new 600 Kilo Tons PET plant in Jiangsu Province in May 2017.

Key Players:-

Key players in the global alkylene oxides market are LyondellBasell Industries, Dow Chemical Company, Royal Dutch Shell, BASF SE, Huntsman Corporation, Asahi Glass Company, Sumitomo Chemical Company, SKC Co., Repsol, S.A., Tokuyama Corporation, PCC Rokita, Oltchim, PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim, INEOS Oxide, and Tianjin Dagu Chemical Co.

Market Taxonomy:-

On the basis of product type, the global alkylene oxides market is segmented into:

• Ethylene Oxide
• Propylene Oxide
• Butylene Oxide

On the basis of application, the global alkylene oxides market is segmented into:

• Ethylene Oxide
  • Monoethylene Glycol
  • Di & Tri- Ethylene Glycol
  • Polyethylene Glycol
  • Ethanolamine
  • Ethoxylates
  • Others (Polyether Polyols, etc.)
• Propylene Oxide
  • Polyurethane
  • Propylene Glycol
  • 1,4-Butanediol
  • Others (Glycol ethers, etc.)
• Butylene Oxide
  • Butylene Glycol
  • Surfactant
  • Fuel & Lubricant Additive
  • Solvent
  • Others (Stabilizer, etc.)

On the basis of end-use, the global alkylene oxides market is segmented into:

• Plastics & Polymers
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Chemical & Pharmaceutical
• Detergents
• Others (Antifreeze Agents, etc.)

On the basis of region, the global alkylene oxides market is segmented into:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • U.K.
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • France
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • ASEAN
  • Australia
  • South Korea
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East
  • GCC
  • Israel
  • Rest of Middle East
• Africa
  • North Africa
  • Central Africa
  • South Africa