Chemical Profile

26 November 2001 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

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HYDROGEN CYANIDE   November 26, 2001

PRODUCER	CAPACITY*
Aventis, Institute, W. Va. (P)	15
BP Chemicals, Green Lake, Tex. (B)	100
BP Chemicals, Lima, Ohio (B)	45
Cyanco, Winnemucca, Nev. (P)	48
Cytec Industries, Fortier, La. (P)	65
Degussa, Theodore, Ala. (P)	76
Dow, Freeport, Tex. (P)	40
DuPont, Beaumont, Tex. (B)	60
DuPont, Memphis, Tenn. (P)	220
DuPont, Orange, Tex. (P)	320
DuPont, Victoria, Tex. (P)	400
FMC, Green River, Wyo. (P)	33
Novartis, St. Gabriel, La. (P)	90
Rohm and Haas, Deer Park, Tex. (P)	200
Solutia, Alvin, Tex. (B)	150
Sterling, Texas City, Tex. (B)	75
Total	1,937

*Millions of pounds per year of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) as primary product (P) and as a by-product of acrylonitrile production (B). Most product is consumed captively, usually on the production site or adjacent to it. The Aventis Animal Nutrition plant in Institute, W. Va., was formerly owned by Rhone-Poulenc. Aventis was formed in December 1999, by the merger of Rhone-Poulenc and Hoechst. In November 2001 Aventis SA signed an agreement with the private equity company CVC Capital Partners for the sale of its Animal Nutrition business. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2002. The Novartis Crop Protection plant in St. Gabriel, La., was formerly owned by Ciba-Geigy. Novartis was formed in 1997 by the merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz. In July 2001 Sterling Chemical Holdings and certain of its US subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Entities included in the filing included the company's manufacturing facilities in Texas City, Tex., Pace, Fla., and Valdosta, Ga. Canada has no production of HCN, and Mexico's HCN production totals about 55 million pounds annually as a by-product from acrylonitrile plants operated by Pemex. Profile last published 11/23/98;this revision, 11/26/01.

DEMAND
1999: 1.605 billion pounds; 2000: 1.615 billion pounds; 2004: 1.838 billion pounds.
There is no apparent foreign trade in HCN.

GROWTH
Historical (1995-2000): 1.7 percent per year; Future: 2.7 percent per year through 2004.

PRICE
Historical (1995-2000): High, 60c., 99.5 percent, tanks, works; low, 60c., same basis. Current: 60c., same basis.
HCN is usually consumed at its point of production or sold as an "over the fence transfer." A list price of 60c. has been in effect since 1990.

USES
Adiponitrile (for nylon 6/6), 47 percent; acetone cyanohydrin (for methyl methacrylate), 27 percent; sodium cyanide, 8 percent; methionine, 6 percent; chelating agents, 2 percent; cyanuric chloride, 2 percent; miscellaneous, including nitrilotriacetic acid and salts, 8 percent.

STRENGTH
HCN's largest consumer is adiponitrile, used to manufacture nylon, and demand has remained strong and is growing at 2.9 percent annually. This is because demand for nylon is steady, and its market is tight. Noteworthy is nylon's penetration into new applications, particularly in the automobile industry. Here, nylon is replacing metal components beneath the hood. The second largest application sector is methyl methacrylate, used primarily for the manufacture of polymethylmethacrylate resins. This, too, is remaining relatively strong in the weakening economy. Annual growth for HCN here is projected at 2.5 percent.

WEAKNESS
The declining price of gold has led to a decline in sodium cyanide demand in the mining industry in the western US, the chemical's primary driver. Offsetting this mining demand in the US, somewhat is trade. The US has been a strong net exporter of sodium cyanide since 1986. In 1999, 51 percent of production was exported. Overall, however, HCN's consumption in sodium cyanide is declining, about 1 percent annually.

OUTLOOK
Overall demand for HCN continues to grow at above the growth in gross domestic product at a rate of about 2.7 percent. This is chiefly due to the relatively strong performance of nylon 6/6 and methyl methacrylate going into consumer end products. Strong exports of adiponitrile and sodium cyanide continue to be key growth factors for HCN. Use of HCN in the production of cyanuric chloride is not expected to grow as triazine herbicides, cyanuric chloride's largest outlet, remain under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency, and cyanazine is scheduled to be phased out.

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