Current situation of domestic HFO-1234yf projects

According to China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report issued by CCM in July, The current situation that some refrigerants, such as difluorochloromethane (R22), will be banned from using in the air conditioning industry because of their destruction to the ozone layer, will increase the market demand for 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf), a new type of air conditioning refrigerant. HFO-1234yf has huge market prospects because of its environmental protection performance. Its ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global warming potential (GWP) are just 0 and 4 respectively.

Changshu 3F Zhonghao New Chemical Materials Co., Ltd. (3F Zhonghao) is the first enterprise of China which has produced HFO-1234yf. Arkema (Changshu) Fluorine Chemical Co., Ltd. (Arkema Changshu) has announced its intention to invest in the HFO-1234yf project, whichwill be completed by the end of 2013. Moreover, Zhejiang Quhua Fluorine Chemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Zhejiang Juhua Co., Ltd. (Zhejiang Juhua), has invested in the research and development of the HFO-1234yf project.In June 2010, Shanghai 3F New Material Co., Ltd. (3F) approved its subsidiary-3F Zhonghao, to construct the HFO-1234yf project in cooperation with DuPont Company, the chief HFO-1234yf provider of the world. In H2 2012, 3F Zhonghao's HFO-1234yf project started operations and has generated enormous profits for 3F Zhonghao.

3F may expand its production capacity for HFO-1234yf because it believes that the current situation is conducive to the development of its new refrigerant project. The restriction of domestic R22 use will increase the demand for environmentally friendly refrigerant for the refrigerator and air conditioning industries. Moreover, the recovery of export markets will help 3F improve its operating conditions. For instance, the US may replace 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a) in 2-3 years, which may increase the demand for HFO-1234yf.

Arkema Changshu invested USD88.89 million in the construction of the HFO-1234yf project mainly because it believes that the market demand for HFO-1234yf of the global market will increase sharply. It started to be constructed in May 2013 and will be completed at the end of 2013.

Arkema Changshu is one of the largest investment companies of Total Group in China. Its main products include hydrogen fluoride (HF), difluorochloromethane (R22) and organic fluorine chemicals. Due to the high expense and strict restriction of HFO-1234yf production technology protection, in Dec. 2011, Juhua invested USD1.29 million in the research of the 4th generation of fluorine refrigerant products, including HFO-1234yf and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropylene (HFO-1234ze). Juhua believes that the project will increase its influence and social status in the domestic fluorine chemical industry if it succeeds in the research of the new refrigerant technology.

At present, which refrigerant will be the most suitable one for air conditioning systems is still unclear. Volkswagen and Daimler AG announced that HFO-1234yf involves a hidden danger of combustion as an air conditioning refrigerant. Volkswagen will research using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant for air conditioning systems. Meanwhile, Daimler AG has recalled those vehicles using HFO-1234yf as the air conditioning refrigerant. But, General Motors Corporation does not think it is a problem.

Table of Contents of China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report 1307:

Market review of fluorite in H1 2013

Do-Fluoride's HF project obtains government subsidy of USD1.68 million

Current situation of domestic HFO-1234yf projects

Domestic market price of R22 decreases continually in June 2013

Jiangxi Shilei's fluorine chemical project makes progress

Market review of AlF3 in H1 2013.

Fluorine material research centers increase domestic enterprises' competitiveness.

Zhonghao Chenguang's PTFE project passes the approval process

Progress of Jiangxi Bailian's fluorine chemical project

Sichuan Huangming's LiFP6 project makes progress.

Gansu Peilin extends its fluorine chemical industrial chain

Import and export analysis of fluorine chemicals in China in May 2013

China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report, a monthly publication issued by CCM on 20^th, covers the sectors on policy & legislation, company dynamic, supply & demand, price update, etc. of China’s fluoride material market. You can keep pace with the latest dynamics through its timely, complete and professional report.

About CCM

CCM is dedicated to market research in China, Asia-Pacific Rim and global market. With a staff of more than 150 dedicated highly-educated professionals, CCM offers Market Data, Analysis, Reports, Newsletters, Buyer-Trader Information, Import/Export Analysis, and Consultancy Service. 

For more information, please visit http://www.cnchemicals.com.

Guangzhou CCM Information Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
17th Floor, Huihua Commercial & Trade Mansion, No.80 Xianlie Zhong Road, Guangzhou 510070, China

Tel: 86-20-37616606

Email: econtact@cnchemicals.com

Domestic price of R134a to remain stable in Dec. 2012

In Nov. 2012, the price of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a) reached USD4,019/t, remaining stable month on month and up by 5.04% compared with that in Sept. 2012, about USD3,826 (the lowest price this year). The price increase of R134a since Sept. 2012 was mainly influenced by the increasing production cost and improving demand from automobile industry, according to CCM’s December Issue of China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report.

                                                          

First, the production cost of R134a has been continuously increasing. Trichloroethylene (TCE) and anhydrous hydrofluoric acid (AHF) are the main raw materials of R134a. From Oct. 2012, both the prices of TCE and AHF kept increasing. The price of TCE in Nov. 2012 reached USD900/t, increasing by 10.17% compared with that in Sept. 2012. On the other hand, the price of AHF has also been continuously increasing from Oct. 2012 and reached USD1,119/t in Nov. 2012, increasing by 7.11% compared with that in Sept. 2012.

Second, domestic demand for R134a from automobile industry continuously increased. As the substitute of dichlorodifluoromethane (R12), HFC-134a has become the most widely applied middle to low-temperature refrigerant with environment friendliness, mainly used in vehicle air conditioning. According to the statistics from China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), the output and sales of automobile in Nov. 2012 increased by 10.99% and 11.52% respectively month on month.

It is estimated that the price of R134a will remain stable in Dec. 2012.

 

Firstly, the production cost of R134a will keep stable. Influenced by the declining price of liquid chlorine, the main raw material of TEC, the price of TEC will drop in Dec. 2012. However, thanks to the price increase of fluorite (the raw material of AHF production), the price of AHF will keep advancing.

 

Secondly, the demand for R134a from automobile industry will keep stable. According to the CAAM, Dec. is the traditional sales peak of private cars in China, so the sales of automobile in Dec. 2012 will keep upward. However, the working days in Dec. 2012 is less than those of last month, thus it's estimated that the output of automobile will keep stable in Dec. 2012.

Source: China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report 1212

http://www.cnchemicals.com/Newsletter/NewsletterDetail_241.html

Main content of China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report 1212:

Domestic fluorite price keeps rising in Nov. 2012

Domestic price of R134a to remain stable in Dec. 2012

China's industrial and commercial refrigeration industry becomes first to phase out HCFCs

Ratio of substandard canned refrigerants of automobile in Guangdong area reaches 12.5% in Q3 2012

Befar Group plans to construct R125 production line with capacity of 11,000t/a

OCI Materials to further entrench its worldwide dominance in NF3 supply

Domestic price of AlF3 rises in Nov. 2012

3F Wanhao to construct 20,000t/a F142b production line

Domestic price of PTFE tends to be weak in Dec. 2012

Jiangsu Guotai intends to construct 300t/a LiPF6 production project

Mingxi County to be one of industrial bases of domestic fluorine fine chemical in 2015

Import and Export analysis of fluoride chemicals in China in October 2012

China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report, a monthly publication issued by CCM on 20th of every month, covers the sectors on policy & legislation, company dynamic, supply & demand, price update, etc. of China’s fluoride material market. It will help you follow the dynamic throughout the whole value chain immediately.

About CCM

CCM is dedicated to market research in China, Asia-Pacific Rim and global market. With a staff of more than 150 dedicated highly-educated professionals. CCM International offers Market Data, Analysis, Reports, Newsletters, Buyer-Trader Information, Import/Export Analysis all through its new proprietary product ValoTracer. For more information, please visit http://www.cnchemicals.com.

Guangzhou CCM Information Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
17th Floor, Huihua Commercial & Trade Mansion, No.80 Xianlie Zhong Road, Guangzhou 510070, China

Tel: 86-20-37616606

Email: econtact@cnchemicals.com

Average Price of Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride Remains Low in China

Domestic average price of AHF was about USD1,253/t in April 2012, down 2.93% month on month. Actually, its price has been decreasing continuously for eleven months since June 2011 when its price was USD1851/t, according to CCM’s May Issue of China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report.

There was three reasons contributed to the price decrease. First, the price of fluorite, a key material of AHF, decreased after July 2011 and fluctuated from USD310/t to USD360/t during the end of 2011 till April 2012. Second, affected by the fatigued market of downstream products, especially the fluoride refrigerants and fluoropolymers, the demand and consumption of AHF declined after the second half of 2011. Third, domestic AHF witnessed oversupply currently, and thus manufacturers of AHF competed with each other intensely.

 

In a word, the previous boom of fluoride industry has been calm down. There was a policy, A notice about adopting comprehensive measures on the control over mining and production of refractory clay and fluoride, issued by General Office of the State Council on Jan. 2, 2010, restricting Chinese fluorite mining volume and causing speculation in fluoride industry which leads to price increase of all products. At the same time, great demand from domestic and oversea markets for fluoride products also brings about price increase. However, the previous boom of fluoride industry seems to have vanished. The prices of the main downstream products for AHF such as aluminum fluoride, R22(Difluorochloromethane), PTFE(Polytetrafluoro ethylene) and R134a(1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane), remain low and some of their manufacturers were bearish on the market.

Forecast shows that if there is without any new supportive factors and merely depends on the weak demand of current market, the future price of AHF will not raise in the next two months.

The average price of fluorite was about USD343/t in April 2012, up 0.93% month on month.

The average price of HCFC-22 was about USD1,987/t in April 2012, down 6.45% month on month.

The sagging demand of HCFC-22, one of the largest consumption of AHF, affects the most on the price decrease of AHF. According to the seasonal peak demand of fluoride refrigerants, the price of HCFC-22 should have been raising after March 2012, but actually the price was decreasing. The unexpected price decrease makes fluoride refrigerant manufacturers reduce their production-operating rate and their raw material purchase of AHF. In conclusion, lower demand of HCFC-22 directly leads to the lower price of AHF.

The average price of HFC-134a was about USD6,905/t in April 2012, down 0.25% month on month.

The previous rebounded price of HFC-134a seems to be sagging again. The price of HFC-134a had a little increase from Dec. 2011 to March 2012, mainly due to the price increase of trichloroethylene, another raw material of HFC-134a, in the recent few months. However, the market of HFC-134a is still not so optimistic and thus will not help AHF price to recover.

The average price of PTFE dispersion resin was about USD19,607/t in April 2012, down 6.53% month on month.

Generally speaking, AHF lacks supportive factors for its price now, so its price will probably keep low in the next two months.

Source: China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report 1205

http://www.cnchemicals.com/Newsletter/NewsletterDetail_241.html

Main content of China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report 1205:

Yinyi Mining in the process of fluorite resources intergration

Hubei Xingfa to develop comprehensive utilization of phosphate ore

Sinochem Lantian expands its HFC-125 production capacity

Shanghai 3F and its subsidiary plan to purchase 70% share of Jiangsu Zhongrun

Dongyangguang Fluorine invests on HFC-32 and HFC-125 with 20,000t/a respectively

Lee & Man's 50,000t/a AHF production lines start to construct

Average price of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride remains low in China

Kureha to construct 5,000t/a PVDF production line in June 2012 

Meilan's application for HCFC-142b as raw material for 3,000t/a PVDF has been approved by FECO 

China realizes PCTFE large-scale production

BYD extends its lithium-ion battery industry chain toward upstream

Import and Export analysis of fluoride chemicals in China in March 2012

China Fluoride Materials Monthly Report, a monthly publication issued by CCM International on 20th of every month, covers the sectors on policy & legislation, company dynamic, supply & demand, price update, etc. of China’s fluoride material market. It will help you follow the dynamic throughout the whole value chain immediately.

About CCM International

CCM International is dedicated to market research in China, Asia-Pacific Rim and global market. With a staff of more than 150 dedicated highly-educated professionals. CCM International offers Market Data, Analysis, Reports, Newsletters, Buyer-Trader Information, Import/Export Analysis all through its new proprietary product ValoTracer. For more information, please visit http://www.cnchemicals.com.

CCM International Ltd.
Guangzhou CCM Information Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
17th Floor, Huihua Commercial & Trade Mansion, No.80 Xianlie Zhong Road, Guangzhou 510070, China

Tel: 86-20-37616606

Email: econtact@cnchemicals.com

Source: http://www.cnchemicals.com/PressRoom/PressRoomDetail_w_1078.html