BASF on Friday announced it is raising its prices or ethyleneamines, and Lanxess recently said it would increase prices for trimethylol propane. Both are used in lubricants manufacturing.
BASF said it is elevating its prices worldwide, effective immediately or as existing contracts allow, by 100 (U.S. $147) per metric ton for ethylenediamine, and by 50/mt (U.S. $74) for aminoethylethanolamine, diethylenetriamine, piperazine and AMIX 1000.
The markups are due to the increased costs for raw materials and energy as well as the ongoing high demand situation, the Ludwigshafen, Germany-based company said.
The largest application area for ethyleneamines is in ashless dispersants for engine oils and in other lubricants, and in some dispersant-detergents for fuels. The lubricant additives function mainly to reduce formation of sludge and varnish deposits within internal combustion engines. The products are also used in manufacture of agrochemicals, surfactants for detergents, cleaning products and pharmaceutical active ingredients.
Lanxess said it is increasing prices for trimethylol propane by 250/mt (U.S. $368) in Europe and by U.S. $400/mt elsewhere because of a drastic rise in manufacturing costs. The primary factors behind this price increase are higher raw material and energy expenses, but rising logistics costs have also played a role, the Leverkusen, Germany-based specialty chemical company said in its Dec. 19 announcement.