Brazil Jan-March caustic soda consumption rises 1%

12 April 2011 18:06  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Brazil consumed 605,171 dry metric tons (dmt) of liquid caustic soda from January to March, up 1% from 599,126 dmt consumed during the same period in 2010, the country’s association of chlor-alkali industries, Abiclor, reported on Tuesday.

Brazil’s domestic production of liquid caustic soda between January and March was 314,885 dmt, 15.2% lower than the 371,369 dmt produced during the same period in 2010, Abiclor said.

Liquid caustic soda imports were 299,069 dmt in the first three months of 2011, up 23.7% from 241,836 dmt imported between January and March in 2010. The US was Brazil’s principal source with 251,243 dmt exported to Brazil this year, corresponding to an 84.0% share of imports.

Major markets consuming liquid caustic soda in Brazil in 2011 are paper and cellulose with 73,457 dmt, chemical/petrochemical with 49,144 dmt and metallurgy with 38,919 dmt.

Demand for caustic soda in Brazil remained strong, in line with a robust economy and active private and public construction, sources said. However, the power outage affecting large areas of Brazil in early February hurt production and drove the increase in imports.

Caustic soda producers in Brazil include Braskem, Carbocloro and Dow Brasil.

For more on caustic soda visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Ron Coifman
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