Methanol: 2010 World Market Outlook And Forecast Recently Published by MCGroup.co.uk

27 Oct 2010 • by Natalie Aster

LONDON – Methanol markets have been reasonably balanced with new production capacities installed in China, Trinidad, Chile and some plant closures in North America and Europe for the last few years. At the same time the demand for methanol was strong enough despite the phase-out of MTBE in the US while the decline in car sales and housing construction industries caused a fall in demand for formaldehyde.

Global methanol consumption amounted for 40m tons in 2009 including 12m tones (30% of demand) for use in fuels (not including biodiesel), according to the research report. The large demand from China and key plants in the Atlantic basin prevented major firms from slashing prices keeping the US demand for methanol at relatively steady levels but there was a spike in seasonal demand from the oil and gas, antifreeze and windshield washer sectors. However, those price hikes were justified by the sluggish demand from the automotive and construction sectors.

The general slowdown in the European economies accounted for a 10% fall in methanol demand rooted mostly in the mature formaldehyde segment albeit showing a long-term potential to grow in other derivatives markets. However, there are generally high cost methanol manufacturing plants in Europe and, thus, an emerging tendency to import methanol from low cost regions such as the Middle East.

Formaldehyde, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and acetic acid are the largest derivates of methanol which is also used in fuel applications such as dimethyl ether (DME) and biodiesel, in direct blending into gasoline and manufacturing vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and such products as wood-based products: panels, flooring and furniture.

Within Alcohols, Acids and Esters Reports Package 2010, a newly updated market report “Methanol: 2010 World market Outlook And Forecast” has been recently issued at MCGroup.co.uk. The report provides a thorough methanol market analysis:

• General information (properties, applications, manufacturing processes);
• World market characteristics (capacities, production, consumption, prices, trade by region, future projects);
• Overviews of regional markets by country (European, Asian, American, Middle East, African, Oceanian markets).

The research is accomplished by a list of major methanol suppliers and profiles of leading producers. Methanol market perspectives till 2015 are given on global and regional basis.

Title: Methanol: 2010 World market Outlook And Forecast

Published: June, 2010

Pages: 233

Price: US$ 3,920.00

The research on methanol was worked out by Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd, an internationally recognized research agency, specializing in chemical industry.

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