Titanium Dioxide is important and essential chemical in plastic field. The biggest application of titanium dioxide – TiO2 in plastic is to produce White masterbatch.
Recently, in the First Quater of 2021, price of Titanium Dioxide has increased continually that bring many dificulties and obstacles for plastic producers.
Let’s find more about the market and situation below.
Updated to Q1 2021
Take an overview on those main market of Titanium dioxide
I. Asia
Snug supply from Q4 2020 could continue into Q1 2021. The shortage of containers in China is also a major concern for market players and many were facing delays in shipment, which could exacerbate the snug supply situation. As a result, buyers outside of China could still be seeing relatively limited spot availability. During the Lunar New Year holiday period, production at some plants could halt for maintenance works.
In China, producers are expecting demand to pick up in March. Outside of China, the demand situation depends on the coronavirus situation. While some countries see more success in the containment of the virus and are restarting their economies, others may still be imposing lockdown measures in an ongoing battle against the pandemic. Such uncertainties prompted buyers to take a cautious stance and they are expected to buy on a need-to basis, as seen in 2020.
China, the main resource of Titanium dioxide suppy in Asia has recorded to increase price of Titanium dioxide week by week. The rising amount can get to hundreds of USD each time.
II. Europe
Supply could tighten in Q1, as European suppliers have switched to more domestic, over import, sourcing, due to the tight and bullish Asia sentiment, compounded by the spiking sea freight costs.
Consumption is expected to increase in Q1, amid preparations for the next coatings season, continued downstream recovery, and if Asian imports remain economically uninteresting. There may, however, be instances of diluted demand in Q1, following the particularly strong DIY season in 2020 and Brexit-related stock provisions in the UK at the end of 2020, although this may be offset by the lack of competition from Asian imports.
III. US
US TiO2 supply during Q1 is expected to remain broadly balanced with demand as producers adjust pigment production for the start of the paint-blending season in the latter part of the period. A shortage of 1-gallon paint cans emerged in H2 2020 on strong interest from the do-it-yourself (DIY) paint sector, and that backlog may continue until coronavirus vaccines are able to be rolled out more widely.
In Q1, TiO2 demand from downstream architectural coatings, led by residential builds, is expected to gain momentum, especially just ahead of the spring coatings season. The automotive, packaging and do-it-yourself (DIY) sectors will continue to see healthy demand at least through the first half of 2021, especially if coronavirus vaccines are more widely implemented. Broad economic uncertainty, however, and unemployment levels will keep year-on-year Q1 demand volumes either below or flat with previous norms.x
Source: ICIS