CEH Report
Table of Contents
Abstract
The three main chlorobenzenes—monochlorobenzene and ortho- and para-dichlorobenzene, account for 99% of the global chlorobenzenes market.
With the exception of high-performance polymers, markets for chlorobenzenes are mature. Demand for chlorobenzenes in the United States, Western Europe, Japan and China has been on the decline the past few decades as a result of the substitution of alternative chemistry in the production of such products as phenol, rubber chemicals and moth control agents. Growing environmental concerns over usage in herbicides and solvents have additionally contributed to the slow decline. Strong growth in China and growing global demand for p-dichlorobenzene have begun to slowly stabilize this trend. Overall demand in these regions will show little growth over the next five years.
The following graph provides a breakdown of chlorobenzene consumption by major region:
Monochlorobenzene represented about 56% of chlorobenzene consumption in the United States and 61% of consumption in Western Europe, but only 10% in Japan, where p-dichlorobenzene is a larger factor than in the other regions. China is the world’s largest manufacturer and consumer of monochlorobenzenes, accounting for 72% of total consumption in the four major regions.
Nitrochlorobenzene is the most significant end use for monochlorobenzene. Nitrochlorobenzenes are consumed as intermediates in the manufacture of dyes and pigments, rubber-processing chemicals, pesticides (e.g., parathion and carbofuran), pharmaceuticals (e.g., acetaminophen) and other organic chemicals.
o-Dichlorobenzene is a chemical intermediate consumed mostly for 3,4-dichloroaniline in the United States, South America and Western Europe and as an herbicide intermediate in Japan.
Worldwide, p-dichlorobenzene is used primarily as a raw material for polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) resins, for deodorant blocks for indoor air, and for moth control. Polyphenylene sulfide is a growing high-performance polymer that is produced only in the United States, Japan and China. PPS resin production has increased rapidly both in the United States and Japan over the past five years and is projected to continue to grow in all producing regions over the next five years.