Benzene Consumption Market worth 53,432.9 Kilotons by 2018

Thursday 17 April 2014, Amsterdam

The Asia-Pacific – Biggest Market of Benzene

The Asia-Pacific is the most promising chemical market and is expected to be the same in the near future. The Asia-Pacific is the largest  benzene market, which consumed more than 45.0% of the total demand in 2012, and also for most of its derivatives that include ethylbenzene, cyclohexane, cumene, nitrobenzene, and alkylbenzene. The demand for benzene in the region is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of about 4.1% from 2013 to 2018. It is estimated that China and Japan were the biggest consumers of benzene in the region followed by South Korea in 2012, while, India is expected to be the fastest growing market of benzene. The continuous rise in the production of end products for use within the region and for exports, derives a huge demand for chemicals. A few of the reasons for the high growth in this region are growing population, vast economies–developed as well as developing, and favorable investment policies and government initiatives to promote industrial growth.


“Ethylbenzene –the Biggest and Cumene –the Fastest Growing” Benzene Derivative Markets

Benzene is a major feedstock to manufacture ethylbenzene, which was at the forefront in terms of volumetric consumption in 2012, mainly driven by the growing demand of styrene. Styrene is manufactured by employing ethylbenzene as a feedstock and the consumption growth of styrenic polymers is also accelerating the demand for benzene at a notable pace. Ethylbenzene demand is witnessed to be quite high in China, followed by the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. After ethylbenzene, is the cumene production segment which is also expected to be the fastest growing end-use segment with an estimated CAGR of about 5.1% from 2013 to 2018. Cumene is majorly employed to manufacture phenol and its co-product acetone, which are used in the production of phenolic resins, bisphenol A, caprolactam, alkylphenols, and other chemicals. Phenol consumption is growing at a considerable growth rate, which in turn is pushing the demand for cumene and hence driving the demand for benzene at a significant pace.