Alcohol Ethoxylates Overview

Ethoxylates in general are primary non-ionic surfactants. They are the second-largest downstream sector of ethylene oxide (EO) after ethylene glycols.

Alcohol ethoxylates (AE), a key type of ethoxylates, is the second-largest commodity surfactant by market volume after linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and the largest non-ionic surfactant. It is also the largest downstream sector of fatty alcohols.

AE can be broadly classified into natural (oleochemical-based) and synthetic (petrochemical-based) grades. The synthetic AE market is limited in Asia, however, because of a lack of capacity in the region, unlike in Europe and the US. Natural-grade AE, also known as fatty AE (FAE), dominates in Asia because of the ample availability of feedstock fatty alcohols.

Ethoxylates are consumed in the home and personal-care, agrochemicals, textile, lubricant and paper industries. AE can be used directly as surfactants or as a feedstock for SLES production, the main workhorse of natural surfactants.

ICIS quotes ethoxylates prices in Asia.

Find out more about our Ethoxylates coverage

Reports for Alcohol Ethoxylates

Active Documents

Alcohol Ethoxylates Methodology Consultation 2021

Consultation

ICIS is implementing a process of rolling consultation on all of its pricing methodologies. This consultation paper is part of this formal process and covers all of the ICIS primary price points included in the alcohol ethoxylates weekly publications. The consultation asks both general questions about the suitability of the ICIS pricing methodology and questions […]

Alcohol Ethoxylates Methodology – 16 June 2021

Methodology

This is the ICIS pricing methodology for alcohol ethoxylates. ICIS quotes alcohol ethoxylates prices in Asia. ICIS continuously develops, reviews and revises its methodologies in consultation with industry participants. Previous versions of this methodology can be found under Archived Documents. For a copy of an archived methodology document, please email Consultation@icis.com To find out more, please […]