Polyaluminium Chloride Price Trend and Forecast

Regional Price Overview

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Polyaluminium Chloride in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Polyaluminium Chloride Price Trend for the Second Half of 2023

Asia

The domestic Asian market of polyaluminium chloride struggled with the oscillations in the cost of feedstock aluminium chloride. The cautious nature of the consumers throughout the third and fourth quarters of 2023 led to an excessive rise in the level of inventories and weak fundamentals of the market. Also, the depreciation in the Asian economy and the fall in currency levels as compared to the US dollar further lowered the confidence of the investors.

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Although certain government initiatives worked in order to stabilize the cost of feedstock materials the pricing movement of polyaluminium chloride was yet to showcase any effect of these policies.

Europe

The shrinking coverage of the manufacturing sector amid excessive rise in the inventory levels projected a dim outlook for the polyaluminium chloride price trend. Even after reducing their operational rates, the fall in existent demand for the commodity led to an excessive rise in inventory levels. Furthermore, the stringent government initiatives in order to curb the rising pressure of inflation forced the banking sector to raise their interest rates, limiting borrowing activities and guiding the trajectory of polyaluminium chloride prices in a downward direction.

North America

The rising economic uncertainties and debt crises in the North American region kept the pricing patterns of polyaluminium chloride oscillating throughout the third and fourth quarters of 2023. Additionally, the decline in the number of new orders from the domestic and overseas players caused the inventories to shoot up and prompted the traders to take up destocking options and offer huge discounts on bulk purchases in order to stabilize the supply-demand equilibria of the market, declining the prices of polyaluminium chloride in the region.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Polyaluminium Chloride is estimated to work on the lines of limited support from the downstream industries and falling interest of the direct and indirect consumers.

Polyaluminium Chloride Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

In Asia, polyaluminium chloride prices were significantly influenced by the market dynamics of the aluminum and chlorine markets. The chlorine market faced several challenges, such as increasing inventory levels and sluggish downstream industry activities, along with challenging economic conditions. However, the aluminum market remained stable and even witnessed growth as COVID-related restrictions eased. This contributed to price fluctuations in polyaluminium chloride during the initial two quarters of 2023.

Europe

The European polyaluminium chloride market encountered difficulties due to the weak position of the chlorine industry. The fall in trade activities and reduced demand from end-user sectors played a substantial role in determining the trend of polyaluminium chloride prices in the first and second quarters of 2023. The rates of exports from France to other countries declined because of an excess supply of the product in the market, which negatively impacted the chlorine market and subsequently affected polyaluminium chloride prices.

North America

In North America, the prices of polyaluminium chloride experienced a decline in the first two quarters of 2023 due to diminishing feedstock prices. The chlorine market faced challenges with low demand and surplus supply. These conditions resulted in a poor number of sales and decreased trading activities, which had a negative impact on the polyaluminium chloride market.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Polyaluminium Chloride is estimated to trace a southwards journey as its demand from the downstream sectors does not seem to follow a growing trend.

For the First Quarter of 2022

Asia

Domestic mainstream quotations for industrial polyaluminum chloride were 2373.75 RMB/MT on March 29. The Chinese market had mostly stayed stable. Due to strict epidemic prevention and control measures in several sections of important industrial areas, manufacturers' output remained normal, spot inventories remained adequate, and downstream procurement volume did not dramatically improve. Transit of raw materials and finished products was impeded to some extent. The market for raw and domestic hydrochloric acid fluctuated, downstream demand remained consistent, and the market for upstream liquid chlorine climbed marginally.

For the Fourth Quarter of 2021

Asia

After October, the majority of Asian countries' HCl prices fluctuated in a limited range. The drop in demand for the chemical in India following the festive season had a direct impact on its cost. Due to constant demand, the PAC sector's pricing remained stable. In China, the price was somewhere around 2600 RMB/MT in November.

Europe

Following the limited product availability, market sentiment remained strong throughout Q4. Prices of feedstock HCl rose sharply at the start of November as availability of the basic ingredient Chlorine remained limited, with companies looking for the best deal to offset high energy costs.

Natural gas prices in Europe rose at an unprecedented rate, raising fears of a severe power shortage. Several European chemical companies raised their product pricing in response to sharp increases in energy prices. HCl prices were recorded at 125 USD/MT FOB Hamburg.

North America

HCl prices in North America increased significantly in early Q4, owing to a prolonged shortage of chlorine in the region. Oxychem's Chlor-Alkali plant's force majeure continued to affect HCl pricing in Q4. The Ex-Works price was assessed at 165 USD/MT. As a result, polyaluminium chloride prices increased as well.

For First, Second and Third Quarters of 2021

Asia

During the first quarter of 2021, the Asian HCL market was neutral. Because major Chinese manufacturers' inventory levels were lowered during the Lunar New Year holidays in China, prices rose in Q1 2021. In the Indian market, however, the average price of HCL fell by 10% due to adequate stock availability and lower demand from the downstream sector. Polyaluminium chloride prices in Asian markets were directly influenced by this price fluctuation.

HCL prices surged throughout the third quarter, owing to restricted feedstock availability and strong demand from downstream sectors in Q3 2021. Despite the supply chain interruption induced by port congestion, a small increase in HCl pricing was recorded in China due to the abundant availability of the commodity in this timeframe. In India, acid prices rose significantly, owing to strong demand from downstream industries in both the domestic and foreign markets.

Europe

HCl demand from downstream industries fell in the first quarter of 2021. Lower downstream consumption was one of the main explanations, notwithstanding an increase in COVID 19 instances across the region. This coincided with a decrease in the market's demand for PAC and related items. As a result, polyaluminium chloride prices dropped.

During the second quarter, the HCl market held steady. Throughout the quarter, demand for the feedstock increased somewhat, while supply remained tight enough to keep the price upswing going.

Throughout the third quarter, demand grew steadily, but supply remained tight, allowing the price increase to continue. The downstream sectors, such as PAC, were upbeat.

North America

Due to a persistent lack of feedstock chemicals and interrupted production activity, polyaluminium chloride prices rose dramatically across the region. Multiple hurricanes had already caused a severe shortage of HCl in Q4 2020, but devastating winter storms halted all manufacturing efforts again in Q1 2021.

HCl prices in North America remained stable in the second quarter, owing to constrained availability of the feedstock chlorine and improving downstream demand. Because of the severe shortage of chlorine in the United States as a result of the lengthy shutdown of major chlor-alkali plants, the price of practically all chlorine derivatives skyrocketed.

Prices of HCl soared by an order of magnitude in the third quarter, owing to a severe lack of chlorine in the region. As a result, polyaluminium chloride prices also witnessed an increasing trend. Chlorine is a necessary feedstock for the production of HCl, which is then used to make PAC. When Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast of the United States in late August, many chemical plants were still reeling from the effects of winter storm Uri.

Oxychem claimed force majeure at its chlor-alkali plant, severely disrupting chlorine supply in the region. The circumstances put even more pressure on the HCl market because many of the chlorine factories were already shut down at the time. As a result, the pricing trend of the chemical in this quarter was supported by restricted feedstock supply and strong demand from downstream sectors.

For the Year 2020

Europe

Due to the collapse of upstream isocyanate factories in various sites, the European region had a feedstock hydrochloric acid supply constraint in Q3 2020. In September 2020, HCl costs increased by 10% on a month-over-month basis. The rising cost of HCl resulted to an increase in the cost of PAC.

North America

Due to a significant decrease in feedstock supplies in Q3 2020, manufacturers lowered manufacturing rates. HCL demand from the oil and energy sector was stifled in the third quarter due to restrictions on its use in hydraulic and fracturing operations while the auto industry slowly recovered from the pandemic's impacts. Polyaluminium chloride prices rose due to a decline in its supply in European markets.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Polyaluminum Chloride. Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.