Propylene Glycol is a colorless, odorless, viscous organic compound, soluble in a broad range of solvents, including acetone, chloroform, and water. It is a vital polymer feedstock and is produced from propylene oxide. In terms of capacity, Asia-Pacific leads followed by North America, Europe, and the Middle East. North America. US has a production capacity of 900 Kiloton with Monument Chemical, Dow Chemical, Huntsman, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) having production capacities in the country. Dow Chemicals and LyondellBasell together account for over 75% of the country’s propylene glycol capacity. The average net exports of propylene glycol in the US from 2016 to 2023 were 115 Kiloton with a rise of 7%. Germany is the largest exporter with average net exports of 280 Kiloton from 2016 to 2023.
The propylene glycol industry has witnessed several capacity expansions in the past five years. Sadara started operations at its 70-kiloton propylene glycol facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia in 2017. Recently, Manali Petrochemicals (MPL) announced its final plan to increase the production capacity of Propylene Glycol from 22 Kiloton to 70 Kiloton. The company is planning to invest around Rs. 150 crores in two phases. In the first phase, MPL is planning to expand the capacity by 24 Kiloton, which will be completed in 18-21 months, and then by another 24 Kiloton in the second phase.
Currently, India imports around 70 Kiloton/year of Propylene Glycol from China, South Korea Singapore, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia.
The production of bio-based propylene glycol emits less GHG. The price fluctuations in the by-products of crude oil show the main advantage of bio-based products. Using plant-based ingredients in products including detergents and cleaners supports ‘green’ claims, including renewable, plant-based, and sustainable, further increasing the industry growth.
Bio-based propylene glycol is used in hydraulic fluids and fire-resistant brakes as a coolant in the transportation sector for engine cooling, as a raw material for de-icing planes, and as a heat transfer fluid for high-temperature applications.
The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed the first-ever catalytic process for converting plant-based raw material to produce bio-based propylene glycol.
Determining the impacts of the global Covid-19 pandemic remains a key question across different end-use applications and sectors as the global pandemic has altered most of the landscape and has had a negative impact on the global Propylene Glycol market.
In Prismane Consulting’s Propylene Glycol strategy report, we have analyzed the historical and current market situation of Propylene Glycol for different applications and sub-applications. The recent development in terms of capacities, expansions, and investments has been considered in the report. A specific section on the formation of business alliances and joint ventures in the Propylene Glycol production value chain has been included. The changing trend in end-use applications like Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Personal Care, Households, Paints & Coatings, Chemical and Industrial other details have been analyzed.
High doses of propylene glycol can lead to health impacts such as arrhythmia, seizures, agitation, and CNS toxicity. The World Health Organisation suggests that not more than 25mg per kilogram of weight of propylene glycol is to be taken. These health impacts because of the exposure to propylene glycol, are supposed to slow down the market growth.
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