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Green and Eco Chemicals – A $100+ Billion Dollar Opportunity?

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The global chemicals market is worth about $4 trillion and the commodity chemicals is about 80% of this. That leaves 20% for non-commodity, specialty chemicals. (For those looking for a definition and explanation for specialty chemicals do have a look at this brief report) It is the specialty chemicals sector, which according to estimates is a $800 billion + market worldwide.  But what is really exciting is that there is a significant pressure on this sector to go green. Whether it is about specialty chemicals for construction, or for cosmetics, there is a significant movement towards making the supply chain, especially the raw materials, as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

The range for industrial specialty chemicals is quite wide, with some prominent sectors given below:

Agri   chemicals Polymers & resins
Construction chemicals Surfactants
Lubricants Industry specific chem – electronic, textile, oilfield…
Additives – Stabilizers, Plasticizers, Lubricant   Additives, Flame Retardants, Anti-oxidants, Corrosion   Inhibitors, Biocides, Emusifiers & Surfactants Color   Pigments & Dyes, Coatings

Low Hanging Opportunities – Consumer end user segments – In the short term, significant demand for eco-friendly consumer chemicals can be seen for the following sectors, and these will hence be the segments that see early growth:

  • Eco cosmetics – deodorants, perfumes, cosmetics
  • Eco detergents and Eco cleaning products
  • Food ingredients and additives
  • Consumer packaging – especially bioplastics

Companies in this Sector include Daimler, a leading supplier of green chemicals, q33offers Eco-Green Carpet Care & Upholstery Cleaner, a fast-acting, all-natural, cleaning formula that penetrates stains in carpets and upholstery using cutting edge green chemistry.

Companies such as Nike have   designed and implemented a more environmentally-friendly rubber for its footwear created with benign accelerators, vegetable oils, and modified processing chemicals and methods without compromising performance. Partnerships with manufacturers in their supply chain allowed Nike to address process changes required by the new rubber formula collaboratively.

Excerpts above have been adapted from EAI (www.eai.in). If you are an entrepreneur/company interested in exploring opportunities in this emerging segment, please follow this link – http://www.consult.eai.in/green-chemicals

Source: http://www.eai.in/blog/2014/02/green-and-eco-chemicals-a-100-billion-dollar-opportunity.html#sthash.k8u1exWx.dpuf

 

Castor seed Prices Could Decline due to Selling Pressure from Bear Operators – February, 2014

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According to Reuters, castor seed future March contract will decline owing to selling pressure from bear operators.

As of February 7th 2014, on the Rajkot Commodity Exchange castor seeds ready price are quoted at ₹3,882.50 a quintal (₹ 38.9/kg or USD 625/ton)

On the NCDX, castor seeds with a expiry date of March 20, 2014 as of February 10th is being traded at ₹ 4138 a quintal (US$ 665/ton), the previous close was at ₹4077 a quintal (US$ 655/ton)

Studies indicate that the castor oil prices as of February 7, 2014  in Rotterdam is about US$1700/ton (Source: oilworld.ru)

As per the solvent extractors unit of India, castor oil is being exported at ₹830 for 10 kg (US$ 1337/ton). As of January 2014, the castor oil prices have risen by Rs 50 to Rs 9350-9450 per quintal(US$ 1500 – 1521/ton) on increased offtake by consuming industries (Source: Business Standard)

As of February 10th 2014, the castor deoiled cake is ₹4300/ton (US$69/ton)

Profit Booking Crushes Castor Seed Prices – February, 2014

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Despite good demand in spot market, castor futures decreased on the back of profit booking by traders.The following are the details:

On the NCDEX, castor seed February contract declined to ₹4083 a quintal (₹ 40.8/kg or US$655/ton )

On the Rajkot Commodity Exchange castor seed March contract declined to 4,040 a quintal. (₹40.4 Kg or $650/ton)

Castor oil remained steady while spot price gained on tight supply. Castor oil remained flat at ₹810 for 10 kg (US$ 1295/ton)

As per the Bombay commodity exchange on 5th February, the price of the castor deoiled cake is 4300/ton (US$69/ton)

Source:

http://www.bce.net.in/
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/profit-booking-crushes-castor-seed/article5657285.ece
http://www.ncdex.com/MarketData/LiveFuturesQuotes.aspx

 

 

 

 

Castorseed Futures Rise Despite Limited Buying

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Castor seed futures rose despite limited buying by market participants, while spot castorseed dropped due to poor demand.

On the Rajkot Commodity Exchange, castorseed March contracts increased by Rs 41 to Rs 4,362/quintal. RCX spot castorseed declined by Rs 55 to Rs 4,090/quintal.

On the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange , castorseed January contracts moved up by Rs 63 to Rs 4,365 , with an open interest of 10,850 lots. NCDEX February contracts gained by Rs 67 at Rs 4,428 , with an open interest of 185,090 lots.

About 12,000-13,000 bags of castorseed arrived in Gujarat and prices fell by Rs 10 to Rs 825-840/20 kg.

Around 3,000-3,100 bags arrived in Saurashtra and prices declined by Rs 10 to Rs 760-805/20 kg.

A Rajkot-based commodity trader said that prices in the futures market increased despite interest being lower.

Source:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/commodities/castorseed-futures-rise-despite-limited-buying/article5582031.ece 

Castor Price Volatility – Price drop 12% on weak export demand

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At the spot market, castor price had reached to Rs 920-925 per 20 kg bag But soon after that, castor seedprices started declining as demand for export came down and now it is being traded at Rs 800-810 per 20 kg. Prices, therefore, have decreased nearly 12 per cent or Rs 110 per 20 kg .

On the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), the castor seed contract for February 2014 went down by about 16 percent during a week. NCDEX February contract was traded on Rs 4,248 per quintal on Friday while it closed on Rs 5,056 per quintal a week ago.

Delayed and lower sowing on account of unfavorable weather conditions has hampered production. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, the two largest castor growing states, witnessed shortage of rainfall during the sowing period. Globally too, castor supplies are likely to remain tight. Sowing area was lower this year by 35-40 per cent, coupled with decline in estimated yield due to inconsistencies in the monsoons in major growing regions.

Traders estimate total availability at 1.4 million tonnes this year, as compared with 2.4 million tonnes in the previous year.

Castor Seed Output in India to Decline 40%

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Castor seed output in India is likely to decline by 40 per cent this year on lower acreage and unfavourable climatic condition in major producing states at the beginning of the sowing season.

Traders estimate total availability at 1.4 million tonnes this year, as compared with 2.4 million tonnes in the previous year. The crop sown in September is harvested through picking of seed in five–six trenches, the first of which begins in January.

Sowing area was lower this year by 35-40 per cent, coupled with decline in estimated yield due to inconsistencies in the monsoon in major growing regions. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, the two largest growing states, witnessed shortage of rainfall during the sowing period.

“Farmers could not sow castor seed even in their usual area, resulting in lower acreage. Yield is also expected to remain lower. Consequently, castor seed output is estimated to remain lower this year,” said Manoj Agarwal, director, Shivam Oil Mills, a Palanpur-based (Gujarat) edible oil producer and retailer.

Read more from – http://bit.ly/1lbWIBz

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Toyota Develops Castor Derived PA11-based Plastic Alloy with High Impact Strength

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Toyota Boshoku Corporation, premier manufacturers of automotive interior systems, and Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc.,have developed an original technique to realize a bio-based plastic alloy with top-class impact strength. The bio-based plastic alloy (bio-alloy) is made from polyamide 11 (PA11), a 100% bio-based resin originating from plants and synthesized using castor oil extracted from Ricinus Communis (castor bean plant) as a raw material, and polypropylene (PP) derived from petroleum-based resin.

The performance of this high impact bio-alloy surpasses polycarbonate alloys.

The impact strength of the bio-alloy was achieved by controlling the phase structure of PP and PA11 at the nano level through a “salami structure*2” mixture (dispersion) resulting in the world’s first “salami in co-continuous phase structure*2”. To improve the chemical characteristics (affinity) of raw materials, a special reactive compatibilizer was added to the raw materials and a molten blended technology was carried out to lead to a chemical reaction. By utilizing this technology, Toyoto has achieved an impact strength bio-alloy that is 10 times greater than that of PP conventionally used in car interior decoration parts and 13 times greater than that of bio-based plastic (PP/PLA).

See more: http://bit.ly/1krmukZ

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DSM’s EcoPaXX polyamide 410 in Salomon’s Snowboard Bindings

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In Singapore, DSM announced another application for its EcoPaXX polyamide 410, with the adoption of this high performance bio-based engineering plastic for Salomon’s snowboard bindings made by Amer Sports. Next year, Amer Sports will debut a new range of high-end Salomon bindings for snowboards that for the first time are made from DSM’s EcoPaXX bio-based polyamide 410.

Until now, Salomon snowboard bindings have been made in polyamide 6 or 66, but the new series has improved sustainability and equal or better performance, most importantly at low temperatures.

“The EcoPaXX bindings have been on test in real-life conditions at Salomon for a year, and have performed extremely well,” says Henri Rançon, Advanced R&D Manager for snowboard bindings and boots at Salomon. “They suffered no damage at all, so we are very confident EcoPaXX is the right material for the job”

More on the story: http://www.dsm.com/corporate/media/informationcenter-news/2013/11/2013-11-04-high-performance-at-low-temperatures-leads-ecopaxx-from-dsm-to-success-in-salomons-snowboard-binding.html

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Castor-Oil Stocks Seen Declining 16% Amid Reduced Indian Supply

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Stockpiles of castor oil, used as a laxative and a lubricant in race-car engines, are set to drop 16 percent by the end of September as lower supply from India forces demand rationing, Oil World said.

Global production will slide to a four-year low of 624,000 metric tons in the 2013-14 season through Sept. 30 from 648,000 tons a year earlier, the Hamburg-based oilseed researcher wrote in a report today. Ending inventories will fall to 97,000 tons from 116,000 tons, it showed.

India grows more than three-quarters of the world’s castor seed, and farmers in the country were discouraged from sowing after a record 2011-12 crop pushed down prices, Oil World said in May. China is the biggest importer of castor oil, followed by the European Union and the U.S.

“For the supplies in 2013-14, it will be decisive to what extent the sharply lower plantings in India will be offset by a recovery of yields,” Oil World said. “We assume a setback in Indian production and exports of castor oil, necessitating also some rationing of import demand.”

Read the entire story from: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-03/castor-oil-stocks-seen-declining-16-amid-reduced-indian-supply.html

Bioplastics in the Automotive Market

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The recent high cost of petro-based feedstock and polymers coupled with advances in new technologies like biotechnology, nanotechnology, green chemistry and material science have set the pace rolling for the revival of bio-based materials.Now, automotive companies are making a major effort to reintroduce plant-based plastics as a way of reducing their reliance on foreign oil and improving their environmental footprint.

Lightweighting’ is a hot topic for the automotive industry and the main reason why plastics have continuously been used to substitute heavier materials such as metals. Beyond the benefits of reduced weight, the future lies in choosing the most resource efficient plastics, i.e. bioplastics. Besides these evident advantages, e.g. biobased performance polymers (biobased polyesters/biobased polyamides) feature all the performance criteria important to high quality car components.

Prominent companies  and their efforts in bioplastic automotive car parts manufacturing

  • A front-runner in adopting bioplastics is Japanese car manufacturer Toyota which uses bioplastics such as biobased polyesters, biobased PET, and PLA-blends in its production process
  • Italian manufacturer Fiat is another major player in the automotive industry relying on biobased plastics. Fiat used castor oil-derived long chain polyamides to replace their fossil based equivalent in more than one million vehicles; the company plans to further increase this number.
  • Faurecia and Mitsubishi Chemical have announced a joint programme for developing a bioplastic based on biobased PBS that can be used in mass-production for automotive interior parts, such as door panels, trim and strip, structural instrument panels, air ducts, door panel and console inserts.
  • In 2011, BASF and Ford teamed up to develop a sustainable, plant-sourced castor oil-based foam product for the 2012 Ford Focus instrument panel

 

Read more : http://en.european-bioplastics.org/blog/2013/09/09/bioplastics-going-strong-in-automotive-sector/

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