Bio-based Raw Materials Being Used at Several Chemical Companies

The annual reports of several large, global chemical companies were searched to identify bio-based raw materials being used by those companies.  The following table identifies eight chemical companies, which identify in their annual reports, chemicals being made from bio-based raw materials:

 

company	chemicals being made from bio-based raw materials
akzo nobel	paints
arkema	polyamides
basf	surfactants
covestro	aniline; resins; wood hardeners; polycarbonate films
dow	polyolefin elastomers; plasticizers
dsm	polyethylene fibers; intermediates in flavors and fragrances production
evonik	surfactants; rhamnolipids
wacker	acetic acid; methanol

 

Finding bio-based raw materials to replace fossil fuels as the raw material for producing chemicals has become a high priority for many chemical companies.  Not only are chemical companies responding to social and political pressures to reduce fossil fuels a raw material, but the chemical companies are responding to their customers who are buying the chemicals.  For example, those customers that use the chemicals to produce personal care products are finding that their customers want products made from bio-based raw materials. 

Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert – May 2022

The purpose of this blog is to identify chemical and metal shortages reported on the Internet. The sources of the information reported here are primarily news releases issued on the Internet. The issue period of the news releases is May 2022. 

Section I below lists those chemicals and metals that were on the previous month’s Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list and continue to have news releases indicating they are in short supply. Click here to read the April 2022 Chemical and Metal Shortage Alert list. 

Section II lists the new chemicals and metals (not on the April alert). Also provided is some explanation for the shortage and geographical information. This blog attempts to list only actual shortage situations – those shortages that are being experienced during the period covered by the news releases. Chemicals and metals identified in news releases as only being in danger of being in shortage status are not listed. 

Section I. 

• Aluminum: Europe; production not keeping up with demand
• Construction materials:  United States and the European Union; production not keeping up with demand
• Pesticides: United States; supply not keeping up with demand 

Section II.   Shortages Reported in May not found on the Previous Month’s Lists 

• Chlorine: United States; supply not keeping up with demand
• Dye used in imaging for contrast: United States; production not keeping up with demand
• Fertilizers: Global; supply not keeping up with demand
• Helium: Global; production not keeping up with demand
• Neon: Global; production not keeping up with demand
• Polyethylene plastic for packaging: Switzerland; supply not keeping up with demand 

Reasons for Section II shortages can be broadly categorized as:  

• Mining not keeping up with demand: none
• Production not keeping up with demand: dye used in imaging for contrast, helium, neon
• Sources no longer available: none
• Insufficient imports:  none
• Supply not keeping up with demand: chlorine, fertilizers, polyethylene plastic for packaging