Market Trends of Sodium Chloride Industry
The Chemical Production Segment to Dominate the Market
- Sodium chloride produces many chemicals, including organic and inorganic, and chlor alkali compounds, such as chlorine, soda ash, and caustic soda. These materials are then used to make various products, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), detergents, glass, dyes, and soaps.
- In addition to being utilized in the production of detergents and the metallurgical industry, sodium carbonate (soda ash) is employed in producing heavy chemicals, including phosphates, silicates, and glass. Limestone and sodium chloride, both of which are inexpensive and widely accessible, are used in the Solvay process. Ammonia and carbon dioxide turn salt and limestone into sodium carbonate.
- In the first half of 2023, about 3,628,468 tonnes of chlorine were produced in EU-27 countries, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. However, this was a 19.4% decrease in production volume compared to the first half of 2022. In September 2023, an increase of 2% was observed in chlorine production volume over September 2022.
- According to the report, most chlorine produced was used in the PVC, EDC/VCM application, accounting for approximately 31.6%, followed by isocyanates and oxygenates (30.8%) and inorganics (12.7%).
- According to the US Census Bureau, the value of construction in 2023 was USD 1,978.7 billion, 7% above the USD 1,848.7 billion spent in 2022. It, in turn, enhanced the demand for PVC products and polyurethane-based construction industry materials, such as rigid foam insulation panels.
- Furthermore, caustic soda is used in the Kraft process, which converts wood into wood pulp and is still the dominant method in paper manufacturing. According to the Chlor-Alkali Industry Review, 2,422.5 kilotons of caustic soda were produced in EU-27 countries, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom till September 2023, with organics accounting for the major share.
- Therefore, based on the factors mentioned above, the chemical products segment is expected to dominate the market in the coming years.
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Asia-Pacific to Dominate the Market
- Asia-Pacific dominated the global market share, with rising demand from the chemical industry. China is a hub for chemical processing, accounting for most chemicals produced globally.
- According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the country generated over 39 million metric tons of sodium hydroxide, which is used to make chemicals, water treatment, and metal processing. In addition to industrial use, sodium hydroxide is commonly found in domestic cleaning detergents.
- According to the statistics presented by Invest India, the production of major chemicals in India decreased to 53.54 lakh tonnes during 2023-24 (up to August 2023), with over 54.32 lakh tonnes produced during the corresponding period of 2022-2023. However, the production of organic chemicals up to August 2023, as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, recorded an increase of 4.52%.
- Sodium chloride also serves its purpose in various applications in the pharmaceutical industry. It is used in manufacturing APIs and other products, such as dialysis and infusion solutions, injections, saline drips, and oral rehydration salts.
- According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the Indian pharmaceutical industry is expected to reach ~USD 130 billion by 2030. The country is the largest producer of vaccines worldwide, accounting for around 60% of the total vaccines globally. Additionally, the country ranks third across the globe for pharmaceutical production by volume.
- With the ever-increasing demands in the different sectors related to the sodium chloride market in one way or another, the market for the same is expected to be dominated by Asia-Pacific.
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