Chlor-alkali Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Chlor-alkali Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The chlor-alkali market was valued at 244,214.46 kilotons in 2020, and it is expected to reach 288,961.55 kilotons by 2026, registering a CAGR of 3.11% during the forecast period (2021-2026).

COVID-19 has negatively affected the demand for chllor-alkalis in 2020. According to the ILO study, the global textile trade collapsed in the first half of the year. Exports to the major buying regions in the European Union, the United States, and Japan fell by up to 70%. At the same time, manufacturers’ supply chains were disrupted, with shortages of cotton, cloth, and other necessary materials. Additionally, the paper and pulp industry also witnessed a contraction in 2020, owing to reduced demand for paper and packaging. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a downturn in the production of coated and uncoated paper for journals, schools, and offices, which leads to the decrease in demand for chemicals such as chlor-alkali used in paper production.

Key Highlights

• In the short term, the major factor driving the growth of the market is the high demand for caustic soda and its derivatives.
• Caustic soda is used to manufacture products in industries like paper and pulp, soap and detergents, and textiles and in the synthesis of many organic and inorganic chemicals. Therefore, the product has high demand, which is expected to boost the market studied.
• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the largest market due to the large-scale production and consumption of chlor-alkali products and their derivatives.

Key Market TrendsThe Chlorine Segment is Expected to Drive the Market Growth

• Chlorine occurs naturally but not in its elemental (gas) form (as Cl2). Chlorine and caustic soda/sodium hydroxide are produced by passing an electrical current through brine (common salt dissolved in water). This process is called chlor-alkali. The chlorine and sodium hydroxide produced in this process are widely used in the chemical industry. In chlorine production, the three raw materials used are salt, water, and electricity. As a result, three products can come out, chlorine, caustic soda, and hydrogen.
• Chlorine is one of the more abundant chemicals produced by the industry. Chlorine has many industrial uses, including making bulk materials like bleached paper products, plastics, such as PVC, and solvents like tetrachloromethane, chloroform, and dichloromethane. It is also used to make dyes, textiles, medicines, antiseptics, insecticides, and paints.
• Chlorine kills bacteria as it is a disinfectant. It is used to treat drinking water and swimming pool water. Another major use of chlorine is in organic chemistry. It is used as an oxidizing agent and in substitution reactions. 85% of pharmaceuticals use chlorine or its compounds at some stage in their manufacture.
• Additionally, clinical uses of chlorine in healthcare facilities include hyper chlorination of potable water to prevent Legionella colonization, chlorination of water distribution systems used in hemodialysis centers, cleaning of environmental surfaces, disinfection of laundry, local use to decontaminate blood spills, disinfection of equipment, decontamination of medical waste prior to disposal, and dental therapy. Moreover, owing to the pandemic, the demand for chlorine in water treatment is expected to grow excessively in the forthcoming years.
• Chlorine helps provide safe and abundant food by protecting crops from pests disinfecting food-contact surfaces, destroying E. coli, salmonella, and a host of other foodborne germs. Chlorine is also used to manufacture fast processors that power smartphones, tablets, and computers. Additionally, chlorine is also used to manufacture residential and commercial air conditioning refrigerants, hybrid car batteries, and high-performance magnets.

China is Expected to Dominate the Global Market

• In the Asia-Pacific region, China is the largest economy in terms of GDP. The country witnessed about 6.1% growth in its GDP during 2019, even after the trade disturbance caused due to its trade war with the United States. The economic growth rate of China in 2020 was initially expected to be moderate as compared to the previous year. However, due to the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, the economic growth contracted to some extent, and it is expected to witness recovery in 2021.
• The Chinese textile industry is the largest in the world in terms of production and exports. The textile industry in China is also booming with increasing investments and government support from the 13th Five Year Plan. Investment in the country’s textile industry has been increasing due to cheaper electricity rates, transportation subsidies, and lower raw cotton prices.
• In addition, through the Belt & Road initiative, the country saw an in-flow of huge investments, both domestic and foreign, mainly focusing on increasing production capacity and exports of textiles and apparel. This, in turn, increases the demand in the chlor-alkali market.
• China is a hub for chemical processing, accounting for a major chunk of the chemicals produced globally. The growth in the country accounts for half of the growth of the global chemical market. The chemical market in China is growing at 4-5% annually compared to the ~3% growth in the rest of the world.
• There are numerous chemical plants lined up for construction for the next five years in the country. For instance, in July 2020, Nouryon announced its plans to construct a TBHP/TBA manufacturing plant in China, with an annual capacity of 35,000 ton of TBHP/TBA. The new hydroperoxide facility is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021. Hence, all such chemical plants lined for development are likely to significantly add to the demand in the country’s market over the forecast period.
• In China, the per capita consumption of toilet/bathing soaps is 4 kilograms, which is one of the largest across the world. In addition, the consumption of soaps and detergents witnessed a sharp increase in the country as a result of the hygiene awareness due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This consumption is expected to propel the demand for chlor-alkali in the coming years.
• Furthermore, according to the International Aluminum Institute, China is one of the largest producers of alumina across the globe. As of December 2020, China manufactured about 6,230 thousand ton of alumina, which increased by about 5.2% from the previous year. Such an increase in production may boost the demand in the market over the forecast period.
• Overall, the market for chlor-alkali is projected to witness healthy growth in the country over the forecast period, even though the market remained affected in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Competitive Landscape

The overall chlor-alkali market is partially fragmented in nature, but the market concentration differs from product to product. There have been regular changes in the nameplate production capacities of chlor-alkali products by the leading manufacturers in the past few years, which influenced the market shares. Some of the major players in the market include Olin Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Solvay, Ciner Resources Corporation, and Westlake Chemical Corporation, among others.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support

Companies Mentioned
 
Alfa Aesar
Jubilant Life Sciences Limited
KOEI Chemical Co. Ltd
Lonza
Merck KGaA
National Analytical Corporation
Resonance Specialties Limited
Shandong Luba Chemical Co. Ltd
Vertellus

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