BASF on Thursday announced that effective immediately, or as existing contracts allow, it will raise its prices for ethanoloamines, ethyleaneamines and isopropanolamines worldwide by 50 to 100 (U.S. $60 to $130) per metric ton.
The company did not cite a specific reason for the latest price increase. Last November, BASF raised the prices by 100 (U.S. $130), citing increased costs for raw materials as well as costs for energy and logistics.
The products are intermediates used in the manufacture of lubricants, surfactants for detergents and cleaning products, agrochemicals, wood protectants, process chemicals for gas treatment, cement additives and active pharmaceutical ingredients. The largest application area for ethyleaneamines is in ashless dispersants for engine oils and in other lubricants, and in some dispersant-detergents for fuels.
In a study released last year, Cleveland-based market research firm Freedonia, predicted that U.S. ethyleneamines demand in lubricants will grow from 70 million pounds in 2005 to 82 million pounds in 2010, and to 95 million pounds by 2015. Demand for ethanoloamines, a 15 million pound U.S. market in 2005, is expected to reach just 17 million pounds by 2015.