Cheap Imports End. What’s Next for U.S. Caustic?

January 30, 2024 Overseas imports brought welcome competition to the U.S. Sodium Hydroxide market in 2023, but as we transition into the new year, it appears this source of relief may be going away. Market prognosticators feel that we may have reached the bottom, as price increases are being tabled by U.S. Chlor-Alkali producers. Will […]

Propylene Glycol Prices (May) Have Hit Bottom

November 30, 2023 The past year has been an overall good year for the Propylene Glycol market. Slowdowns in housing, automotive, and other markets have led to considerable (welcome) price softening, beginning in the fall of 2022. Besides market shifts, imported product was being offered at highly competitive, discounted rates. More recently, price drops in […]

Euro Imports Compete, Drive Caustic Prices Down

July 28, 2023 Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda) pricing has been climbing steadily over the past few years, as U.S. producers shuttered capacity to drive prices up amidst widespread margin erosion. No real relief for the Caustic Soda market was in sight, barring some big decline in demand somewhere. Now, that demand destruction has come. Global […]

The Fed, a Fire, and Rising Acetone Prices

June 29, 2023 The Acetone market has had its ups & downs over the past few years. Most recently, prices have been rising. Why? This is mostly due to two things: the Fed and rising interest rates affecting the housing market, and a fire at a Shell plant in Texas. Let’s take a look at […]

Plant Fire a Problem for Potassium Permanganate

February 20, 2023 Potassium Permanganate, also called Permanganic Acid or “Pot Perm”, is a potassium salt with a dark purple color commonly used for water treatment. Despite it’s common usage, most “Pot Perm” used in the United States is supplied by just one producer, Carus. Carus is the only producer of Potassium and Sodium Permanganate […]

Sulfuric Acid Stabilizes for New Year

January 17, 2023 Some relief is in sight for the Sulfuric Acid market, as raw material Sulfur has been softening. Sulfur is produced as a by-product of refining crude oil, so lower demand for gasoline during the pandemic led to reduced crude oil refining and therefore reduced supplies of by-product Sulfur. Prices for this raw […]

Phosphoric & Phosphates Fueled by Rising Food Demand

November 30, 2022 A significant milestone was reached in recent weeks. The total world population passed 8 billion people. We’ve come a long way since 1980, when the total world population was just over 4 billion people. As world population growth accelerates, demand for food increases as well. Where there is demand for food, there […]

Chlor-Alkali Production Curbed by Capacity Rationalization

October 11, 2022 Production levels of Chlor-Alkali chemicals (Caustic Soda, Chlorine, Sodium Hypochlorite, and Hydrochloric Acid) were near normal at the start of 2022. As the year has progressed, however, markets have seen a steady round of increases as multiple producers have shuttered thousands of tons of capacity. Margin erosion is a primary motivator for […]

Update: Rail Strike Averted

September 16, 2022 Fortunately for our nation’s economy, the rail strike has been averted. Learn more in this article by Forbes: Rail Strike Averted After White House Brokers ‘Tentative’ Deal—Here’s What You Need To Know

CCI Supply Chains + Possible Rail Strike = ?

September 14, 2022 As many have seen on the news, there is a possibility of a national rail strike. If the negotiating parties are not able to reach an agreement or the government does not intervene, the strike would take effect beginning at 12:00am Friday, September 16. If a strike occurs, this would be the […]