- Market Overview
- Strategic Analysis
- Key Features
Market Overview
Duration: Short-term – 2-year price forecast and market outlook
Soda ash markets were extremely tight in 2022, and prices were at record high levels, but demand growth has gradually slowed over this year while the new supply has come on-stream, with most markets now being oversupplied. For glass manufacturing, which dominates world soda ash consumption, slow economic growth, high inflation rates and a housing crisis in China have combined to impact consumption negatively. Flat glass (28% of world demand) is driven mainly by the construction sector but also has an application in the automotive sector. In comparison, container glass (19% of world demand) is used in the retail sector for food and beverage containers. Meanwhile, environmental sectors, including primarily solar glass (8% of world demand) and lithium carbonate (3% of world demand), are and will continue to be critical drivers for soda ash demand.
Cost competitiveness for soda ash producers will increasingly be influenced by the energy transition, especially in West/Central Europe, as energy sources switch from fossil fuels to alternative fuel sources.
In addition, the market dynamics will also be influenced by the addition of more natural soda ash production, already coming onstream in Mainland China and the US, with further expansions on the horizon, widening the bottom of the global cost curve. Mainland China is the biggest soda ash producer in the world but has relied on synthetic technologies. This is about to change as it adds significant natural soda ash. The US has a large natural soda ash production base and has ambitious expansion plans.
Comprehensive monthly market price, supply, demand, and trade data and analysis for:
- Methanol
- MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether)
- Acetic acid and formaldehyde
Strategic Analysis
Duration: Short-term – 2-year price forecast and market outlook
The Global soda ash service provides clients with a comprehensive overview of the soda ash markets. The report includes cash costs and margin analysis for the US, China, West Europe and India, regional supply and demand balances for the same regions, and pricing and market commentary on these regions in addition to Africa/Middle East, Other Asia (outside of China and ISC) and South America as well as pricing data – both contract and spot – for each soda ash market of the world. This service focuses on the main supply and demand drivers and the challenges these markets are facing and provides detailed commentary on trade flow developments. As soda ash and its end-use sectors are generally energy-intensive products, this report also analyses the impact of natural gas and coal on soda ash production costs while also discussing changes in key raw material costs.
Key Features
Duration: Short-term – 2-year price forecast and market outlook
PRICES COVERED
Contract and spot price summary with a brief review of current market conditions.
- Soda Ash (Sodium Carbonate)
GLOBAL MONTHLY MARKET REPORT
This report delivers extensive commentary on regional soda ash markets, including a review of supply/demand conditions, price developments, operational issues, the evolution of cash manufacturing costs in key regions, and price and margin forecasts.
Publication Timing: Near mid-month
DATA SUPPLEMENT
This report includes quarterly soda ash supply/demand balances for China, the U.S., West Europe and India, quarterly urea and ammonium chloride supply/demand balances for China. It also includes capacity change listings for soda ash, flat glass, container glass, solar glass and lithium carbonate providing information on capacity expansions/closures scheduled for these industries. It also includes a soda ash freight rate grid which is updated quarterly. It includes various glass production statistics for China, Japan, the US, the European Union. This report also includes a summary of the latest Chinese domestic prices, commentary on spot export prices and any recent market news relating to China or other key regions.
Publication Timing: End of the month
MARKET FOCUS REPORT
These reports delve into additional research on crucial and current issues confronting the Soda Ash industry. Previous market focus reports for example included an analysis of the Impact of the Russian-Ukraine Conflict on the Global Soda Ash Market and another a summary of the latest financial results for some key soda ash producers and key producers in some allied industries. Market update reports with the latest weekly Chinese soda ash prices are also issued at times when markets are more volatile than usual.
Publication Timing: Periodic
ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
Personal telephone and/or email discussions, and meetings on the subject matter covered in the monthly report.
SUPPLY & DEMAND
Short-term production news updates, production statistics, long-term structural supply changes for all key regions and plant-by-plant operating schedule for China. End-use analysis across the diverse range of end-use sectors plus macro industry trend analysis.
Region
- Mainland China
- United States
- West Europe
- India
Chemical
- Soda Ash
TRADE
Trade statistics, global trade analysis, freight estimates, tariffs, and sanction tracking.
REGULAR WEBINARS
Each webinar will cover a review of events in North America, South America, Europe/Middle East/Africa, India Subcontinent (ISC) and Other Asia. Furthermore, each webinar will include commentary on relevant market events and topics relative to the specific time frame, such as global economic shifts, trade wars, etc. It will also give clients the opportunity to raise questions to the Subject Matter Experts.
Publication Timing: Periodic. Usually bi-annually