Chemical Profile - Hydrofluoric acid

07 October 2002 00:00  [Source: ICB Americas]

If you're looking for a supplier or need to source other products, go to the OPDsearch.com database of purchasing information for chemicals and chemical services.

HYDROFLUORIC ACID   October 7, 2002

PRODUCER	CAPACITY*
Alcan Aluminum, Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada	34
DuPont, La Porte, Tex.	80
Honeywell, Geismar, La.	130
Honeywell, Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada	52
Industrias Quimicas, San Luis Potosi, Mexico	7
Quimbasicos, Monterrey, Mexico	6
Quimica Fluor, Matamoros, Mexico	94
Solvay Fluor Mexico, Juarez, Mexico	31
Total	434

*Thousand metric tons per year of commercial anhydrous and aqueous hydrogen fluoride (HF). Production is by reaction of acid-grade fluorspar with sulfuric acid. Honeywell acquired AlliedSignal in 1999. Through the AlliedSignal acquisition, Honeywell also gained a 49 percent share in Quimbasicos, Monterrey, Mexico. At Quimica Fluor, Matamoros, Mexico, capacity was expanded by 8,000 metric tons in 2001. DuPont sold its 33 percent stake in Quimica Fluor in 2000. Solvay Fluorides purchased Norfluor, Juar'z, Mexico, in 2000. HF capacity was previously expanded by 6,000 metric tons in 1997. Alcan Aluminum in JonquiŠre, Qu'bec, Canada, and Industrias Quimicas in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, produce HF for captive consumption in the production of aluminum fluoride. Profile last published 6/2/97; this revision, 10/07/02.

DEMAND
2000: 349,000 metric tons; 2001: 350,000 metric tons; 2005: 364,000 metric tons. Demand equals production plus imports, which were 131,000 metric tons in 2000 and 112,000 metric tons in 2001, less exports, which were 3,000 metric tons in 2000 and 3,000 metric tons in 2001.

PRICE
Historical (1996-2001): High, 65 cents per pound, list, aqueous 70 percent, bulk, frt. equald.; low, 62 cents, same basis. Current: 65 cents, same basis.

GROWTH
Historical (1996-2001): 0.6 percent per year; Future: 1.0 percent per year through 2005.

USES

Fluorocarbons, 57 percent; aluminum production, 14 percent; alkylation catalyst, 3 percent; metal etching, 3 percent; uranium fuel processing, 3 percent; miscellaneous, 20 percent.

STRENGTH
The loss of the majority of foam-blowing, solvent-cleaning and other non-refrigeration markets for fluorocarbons resulted in a decrease in hydrofluoric acid demand between 1990 and 1994. This situation was somewhat relieved around 1998 as increasing amounts of hydrogen-containing chlorofluorocarbons (e.g., HCFC-141b) were manufactured as transitory replacements. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons contain higher amounts of fluorine on a weight-percent basis than chlorofluorocarbon products, and therefore consume greater quantities of hydrofluoric acid per unit of production. Hydrofluoric acid demand will again be impacted by the mandated phaseout of HCFCs in the US, including HCFC-141b in January 2003. In response, producers are introducing HFC replacements that consume even more HF on a per-pound basis. Honeywell received Environmental Protection Agency approval for its HFC blowing agent and refrigerant, HFC-245fa, which replaces HCFC-141b. The company commissioned an HFC-245fa unit at Geismar, La., in August 2002. Hydrofluoric acid used for petroleum alkylation has been strong, driven by high refinery operating rates.

WEAKNESS
Shrinking demand in foam blowing is the fluorocarbon industry's major weakness in North America, and this adversely affects demand for hydrofluoric acid. Though HFC replacements have been developed, which require hydrofluoric acid to produce, these replacements are more expensive and non-fluorocarbon alternatives are taking over much of the market. Hydrofluoric acid's use in the electronics sector as an etchant is down, along with the slowed economy.

OUTLOOK
The hydrofluoric acid market is growing slowly with projected annual growth of about 1.0 percent through 2005. Demand will likely be uneven because of the HCFC phaseout and the rate at which alternatives will be adopted. HF plant operating rates have slipped from the mid-80s a couple of years ago to the low- to mid-70s at the present time. This situation is anticipated to persist through the forecasted period.

ICIS Copyright © Reed Business Information 2009

< previous article(VIDEO - ICIS news Europe Lunchtime Bulletin 30 October 2009)

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.