The most recent research report released by Global Industry Analysts Inc.: Soda Ash: A Global Strategic Business Report, provides a comprehensive review of the soda ash markets, recession trends, curr…
The most recent research report released by Global Industry Analysts Inc.: Soda Ash: A Global Strategic Business Report, provides a comprehensive review of the soda ash markets, recession trends, current market trends, competitive scenario, key growth drivers, product overview, recent industry activity, and profiles of major/niche global and regional market participants. The report gives annual sales estimates and projections for the soda ash market from 2007 to 2015 for the following geographic markets: US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Key end-use segments analyzed include glass (container glass, flat glass, fiberglass, and other glass), chemicals, soaps & detergents, pulp & paper, fluegas desulphurization, water treatment and miscellaneous. A seven-year (2000-2006) historic analysis is also provided for additional perspective. The global economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 had a negative impact on the worldwide soda ash market, as the market is strongly dependant on gross domestic product growth rates, with a significant drop in demand across various end-use segments, including glass and chemicals. This decrease was more pronounced in matured markets, with some relief coming from developing markets such as China and India. According to the report, Asia-Pacific is the largest and fastest growing regional market for soda ash worldwide, and, lifted by the large-scale production of glass in countries such as China and India, is expected to retain its dominance in the global soda ash market. Consumption of soda ash in Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 3.6% from 2007 to 2015, with Europe and the US being the other leading markets for soda ash. Glass is both the largest and fastest growing end-use segment of soda ash in the world. Boasting a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 2.3% in the 2007-2015 period, consumption of soda ash in the glass end-use segment is expected to remain strong in the near future, pushed by increasing production of container glass, flat glass and other forms of glass in China, India, and other low-cost production areas. The chemicals segment is the second largest end-user of soda ash. As prices of raw materials continue to affect synthetic soda ash manufacturers, profitability of natural soda ash producers has been effected by freight charges: 20-25% of the price of natural soda ash exported from the US to Europe and Asia is for deep shipping costs. Production of soda ash from natural deposits is influenced strongly by increasing cost pressures. Economic growth in China and other developing countries is causing an increase in demand for raw materials. Increased shipping prices have been caused by the greater iron ore imports raking up a major part of global shipping fleet, and, these increases in shipping prices, is therefore expected to further raise prices of the US soda ash exports. Major players profiled in the report include Brunner Mond Group, Ciech Chemical Group, FMC Corporation, General Chemical Industrial Products Inc., GHCL Ltd., Hubei Shuanghuan Chemical Group, Joint Stock Company Soda, Nirma Ltd., OCI Chemical Corporation, Penrice Soda Holdings Ltd., Searles Valley Minerals, Shandong Haihua Group Co. Ltd., Soda Sanayii A.S., Solvay S.A., Tangshan Sanyou Group Co. Ltd., Tata Chemicals Ltd., among others.