MARKETS Glycerol Output Beats Records Domestic production rose to 246 million pounds last year; imports reached 16.8 million pounds LAST
YEAR,
production
of
domestic
crude glycerol, together with synthetic glycerol from propylene, hit an all-time high. On a 1 0 0 % basis, the total was 246 million pounds, compared t o the previous peak of 228 million in 1955 (Table I ) . Estimates are that about 145 million pounds of glycerol were produced last year as a co-product of soap-making, in fat splitting, a n d in fatty alcohol production; 101 million pounds were derived from porpylene. In 1956, t h e output of soap declined not more than 6%. This suggests that the drop in natural glycerol production in the U . S. i s leveling off, according to E . Scott Pattison, manager of the Glycerine Producers Association. Pattison told t h e meeting of the Association of American Soap and Glycerine Producers: "Of course, if the longawaited detergent bar ever succeeds in giving toilet soap severe competition, another drop would be in the cards." The domestic disappearance of glycerol is calculated a t 236 million pounds for 1 9 5 6 - j u s t slightly above t h e 1955 level. In recent years, the disappearance of glycerol has increased at an average rate of about 2% a year. Today, C . P . glycerol in carload lots is selling for 28.5 to 29 cents a pound. Its price change in recent years runs contrary to the inflationary trend of most industrial chemicals. Glycerol is available today, says Pattison, at a price 15% lower than a t any time since early 1950, while in t h e same period the general price index for chemicals has gone u p 1 1 % . Furthermore, h e says, the glycerol supply has become increasingly crisis-proof, as demonstrated by the recent Middle East situation. • Glycerol Imports. A significant factor in 1956 w a s t h e continued importation of crude glycerol into the U. S., despite its rising supply and ready availability in this country. On a 100% basis, imports totaled about 16.8 million pounds, mainly from Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, Indonesia, and India. At t h e same time, exports of refined glycerol from the U. S. amounted to about 10 million pounds. T h e net import balance of about 7 million pounds in 1956 compared to a n e t figure of 17 million for 1955. 104
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I n the U . S., imported crude glycerol has been offered for as low as 16 cents a pound delivered. Glycerol production in less highly industrialized countries is increasing rapidly because of increasing demand for soap. New soap plants with efficient glycerol recovery facilities are being built. Indonesia, as a result, is now becoming a major world supplier of crude glycerol. At the same time, these areas have n o t made sufficient advances industrially to become large-scale users of glycerol—at least for the present. The situation abroad is comparable t o that in t h e U. S. in the 1920's. Discussing specific applications, Pattison indicates that the glycerol industry h a s maintained its output, although probably not its percentages in the competitive picture, with t h e development of more specialized polyols and modified alkyd formulations. As a humectant and plasticizer in tobacco and cellophane, it continues to hold its own. Used as mono- a n d diglycerides in emulsifiers a n d food additives, glycerol has made good gains. Explosives, however, a r e another story. Demand for glycerol in this field has declined because of the substitution of glycol and t h e trend toward the use of ammonium nitrate rather than nitroglycerine in mining. Some newer materials have also been replacing glycerol in t h e toilet goods field. "For t h e future," says Pattison, "the
Table 1.
Glycerol Supplies
(Millions of pounds)
1940 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956
Domestic Output 157.8 172.5 156.82 207.77 195.84 193.85 225.51 211.35 187.90 215.00 207.09 228.00 246.00
Imports 7.57 7.68 20.23 3.06 6.39 18.52 23.78 14.61 15.30 35.38 14.43 25.00 16.80
pressure will certainly be on to hold and extend all of glycerol's markets, particularly in the field of surface coatings. Possibilities of research will seem brighter as t h e need t o 'go fundamental' grows. The idea that the problems of glycerol disposition will all be solved passively by the decline in soapmaking is no longer tenable. The approach to n e w markets will b e positive and realistic, as n e w producers turn more and more to t h e characteristics of the product itself for their faith in its future." • Detergent Volume Up. The past year was satisfactory for both soaps and detergents, said E . B. Osborn, AASGP president in his address to the convention. During t h e first nine months there was a poundage gain of 9 % and a dollar increase of about 7%. When it is realized that gross national product at the same time was up 5.7% over 1955, it must be concluded that the industry h a d a good year. Liquid synthetic detergents are extending their remarkable gains, and their sales for the period were u p 80 and 5 0 % , respectively, over 1955. Sales for the nine months amounted t o 194,872,000 pounds. Sales of all detergents were 2,064,507,000 pounds, o r 6 7 % of the soap detergent market. Osborn called attention to substantial new production of fatty acids from a relatively n e w source—the fractionation of tall oil. T h e Fatty Acid Producers' Council operates on t h e theory that its chemical products merit ever widening use, hence the companies producing these materials have become members of t h e council. European Development. Demand for pure fatty acids and for tailor-made blends of acids has increased i n Europe, according to R. H. Potts, Armour and Co. Manufacturers there, it was said, have revived their interest i n separation of fatty acids through fractional distillation. Molecular distillation is being practiced by several plants in England, France, and Germany, for the production of vitamins, fractions, pure monoglyceride, etc. Europe has more plants for the manufacture of fatty alcohols than we have. O u r tonnage may be greater but the number of plants in Europe has led to more diversified production methods. While fatty acid alcohol sulfates, Igepons, amides, and t h e like are mostly of European origin, they have not replaced soap in Europe to t h e extent that they have in t h e United States. Production of petroleum-based detergents is on the increase, and new plants have been built i n England, Belgium, France, and Holland. More are planned. Despite small budgets and lack of capital, research in petroleum chemicals or fat chemicals is not lagging in Europe.
