Cumene or
isopropyl-benzene is a flammable organic compound. It is an aromatic
hydrocarbon-based liquid with a boiling point of 305.6 Fahrenheit. It is used
industrially as a base chemical to create cumene hydroperoxide in order to
produce two commercially essential chemicals, phenol and acetone. For cumene
production, recently developed zeolite catalyst-based technology is the most
widely used. However, some facilities still use older methods, which include
technologies based on aluminum chloride and solid phosphoric acid catalyst.
Analysts forecast
the Global Cumene
market will grow at a CAGR of
4.29 percent over the period 2013-2018.
The Report recognizes
the following companies as the key players in the Global Cumene Market: Axiall
Corp Ltd., INEOS Group Holdings SA, Shell Corp LLC. and Sinopec Group Ltd.
With INEOS and
Sinopec forming a JV to create the largest integrated cumene and phenol/acetone
production facilities in China, the consumption of cumene in the region will
increase significantly. Also, the increasing capacity for cumene through the
Aromatics industry will be favorable for the Cumene market.
Covered in this Report
The Global Cumene
market can be divided on the basis of application into two segments:
Phenol/Acetone and Others.
Global Cumene Market
2014-2018, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs
from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions;
it also covers the Global Cumene market landscape and its growth prospects in
the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors
operating in this market.
According to the
report, growing demand for phenol will be a major driving force for the Global
Cumene market during the forecast period. With the increase in global
commercial demand for phenol end products such as BPA, phenolic resins, and
polycarbonate, the global consumption of cumene is expected to increase as it
is the raw material for phenol.
Further, the report
states that volatility in the prices of feedstock such as benzene and propylene
as a result of constantly changing crude oil prices is a major challenge for
cumene manufacturers. Political instability in Iraq, an OPEC member, is the
major macroeconomic factor affecting crude oil prices globally. This in turn
acts as a hindrance to the growth of the Global Cumene market.
