Germany spot HCl prices down €35-40/tonne on improved supply
05 June 2009 15:20 [Source: ICIS news]
LONDON (ICIS news)--German hydrochloric acid (HCl) spot prices have decreased by up to €35-40/tonne ($49-56/tonne) on the back of improved supply and weak demand, market sources said on Friday.
Sources said spot material was currently available on the German market at €60-65/tonne FD (free delivered).
These prices were down from spot indications at €100/tonne FD in early/mid-May, they added.
The fall in spot numbers was attributed to an improvement in supply.
BASF Elastogran’s toluene diisocyanate (TDI) facility in
Sources said that other producers also had excess material available at present.
Producers were holding higher stocks levels due to a number of public holidays over the past month which allowed inventories to build up due to deliveries being halted on those days, they said.
They added that demand had dropped off, particularly from the steel sector, a major consumer in
This situation was in stark contrast to the market a month ago when availability was described as tight due to the closure at BASF and other production issues, which saw spot prices at €100/tonne FD, sources said.
In addition, while for most of the year HCl supply has constricted at a faster rate than demand due to cutbacks in isocyanate and chlorine derivative production, sources said that demand had now caught up.
HCl is a by-product of isocyanate and chlorine derivative production.
The main end-uses of HCl are steel pickling/metallurgy, pulp and paper, chemical treatment and water treatment. Other applications include neutralisation, electronics, pharmaceutical manufacture, food processing and oil refining.
($1 = €0.71)
To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect
By: Rebecca Clarke
+44 20 8652 3214
For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.
Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.
| ICIS news FREE TRIAL |
| Get access to breaking chemical news as it happens. |
| ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX) |
| ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX). Download the free tabular data and a chart of the historical index |
Related Articles
- 27 Mar 09 13:09 No impact on HCl seen from Brunsbuttel MDI closure
- 30 Oct 09 16:40 Bayer seeks €5/tonne increase for Europe HCl in 2010
- 02 Oct 09 17:09 HCl deliveries continue from Perstorp’s Le Pont-de-Claix site
- 11 Sep 09 16:47 Benelux HCl market tightens on plant maintenance shutdown
- 26 Jun 09 17:56 Europe HCl demand levels decline, putting market in balance
- 17 Jun 09 18:08 US Watson to acquire Arrow Group and grow generics biz
- 09 Jun 09 16:30 Bayer shuts Dormagen TDI unit for turnaround amid tight supply
- 12 May 09 16:29 PPG to invest $6m to upgrade US HCI plant
- 06 May 09 10:58 Spain’s Ercros to close chlor-alkali plants
- 24 Apr 09 17:20 Europe HCl remains tight on continued cutbacks
- 27 Mar 09 16:48 US HCl suppliers target hikes of $40-50/short ton for Q2
- 13 Feb 09 17:12 European HCl spot prices rising on tight supply
- 23 Jan 09 23:59 Europe HCl prices rise for 2009 on tight supply
Latest News
- 20 Jun 13 06:34 China’s Lanzhou Petchem shuts MEK plant on feedstock shortage
- 20 Jun 13 06:00 VIDEO - ICIS Asia Lunchtime Bulletin 20 June 2013
- 20 Jun 13 05:44 On-purpose technology can fill up by-product shortages: Booz & Co
- 20 Jun 13 05:28 Shale boom causing disruptions in by-product supply, prices
- 20 Jun 13 05:00 NOON SNAPSHOT - Asia Markets Summary