Inorganics

Position for Growth in the Fast-changing
Chlor-Alkali, Vinyls, Soda Ash, and Bleaching Chemicals Markets

Inorganic chemical markets are complex. You need to make informed decisions but don’t have time to analyze such an elaborate market. We provide global and regional outlooks and price reports that deliver a comprehensive view of world markets for Chlor-Alkali, Vinyls, Soda Ash, and Bleaching Chemicals. You will also receive access to our industry experts and price database.

Inorganics Strategic Insights

Trade Disputes

The impact of trade disputes on the Chinese and global economies and associated uncertainties regarding Chinese environmental policy

  • How does it impact demand growth?
  • How does it impact Chinese investment decisions?

 

Acetylene-based PVC catalysts

Mercury impact for both cell conversion and acetylene-based PVC catalysts to meeting Minamata Convention requirements in signatory nations

  • Which producers will convert from Mercury cell units at remaining assets and which ones will close?
  • Will additional acetylene-based PVC assets ever be built and will existing ones be allowed to continue operating?

Repositioning

Repositioning of caustic pricing as necessary to support reinvestment

  • Can PVC values rise in relation to other plastics or will caustic have to carry the full increase for the ECU value?
  •  What impact will higher caustic prices have on consuming industries? How much will the demand be impacted by rising pricing?

Near-Term Solutions


Global Chlor-Alkali Provides Full Market Coverage of the Global Chlor-Alkali Value Chain.

The global Chlor-alkali industry is undergoing significant restructuring in response to volatile energy markets and demand growth exceeding capacity growth. Regional production economics including supply and demand balances turn on the key issues, such as geopolitical conflicts, availability of chlorine, shifting technology profiles and access to competitive power and salt. With this rapidly evolving landscape, stakeholders need objective analyses based on completed, accurate data to make sound business decisions.

Global Chlor-alkali gives you unrivaled insights, analysis, data and forecasting for the world’s Chlor-alkali markets: supply and demand data and projections, near-term price, cost and margin forecasts, trade analyses, and access to our proprietary price database and our team of highly experienced market experts.


Access Reliable Analysis and Insights and Accurate Data for the World’s Vinyl Markets with Global Vinyls.

Global Vinyls brings you unrivaled coverage of the world’s EDC, VCM and PVC markets. Each month, clients receive extensive price, cost and margin data for multiple product grades, including the analysis, data and insights regarding production, supply, demand and trade for all major world regions. The vinyls research experts located in the three continents communicate regularly with the major industry sources to collect industry-specific data and transform it into valuable insights and forecasting advice.


Global Soda Ash Delivers Comprehensive Monthly Market Reports on the World’s Soda Ash Markets.

The world soda ash markets are evolving in response to strong demand growth, volatile energy markets, logistics challenges and market participant shifts. Catalysts for change include carbon emission reduction targets, geopolitical issues and demand growth. Dependence on a volatile energy market for critical feedstocks adds another layer of complexity.

In the face of rapid change and uncertainty, Global Soda Ash report provides clients unbiased, accurate data, and analysis to formulate careful investment and planning decisions. Our practice integrates consultants with our North American, European, and Asian soda ash market specialists to bring you the latest updates on the global soda ash industry. Clients receive monthly reports containing price, cost and margin data and forecasts and regional analysis of key market indicators, along with a mid-monthly data supplement.


Access the Authority on Sodium Chlorate, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Sodium Hydrosulphite Market Dynamics and Prices.

Global Bleaching Chemicals delivers monthly, in-depth market analysis and data covering these three chemicals and the markets that consume them in all major global regions.

Expert research analysts around the globe deliver comprehensive market analysis and insights for sodium chlorate, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hydrosulphite markets in North America, South America Europe, and Asia. Whether buying, selling, or researching the market, these monthly reports are your best source for bleaching chemical prices and market analysis.

Long-Term Solutions

  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost, and margin are updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments
  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost, and margin are updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments
  • Long-term supply-demand database updated bi-annually
  • Real-time global capacity database
  • Detailed country-level trade grids updated bi-annually
  • 10-year forecasts for the price, cost, and margin are updated quarterly
  • Upside and downside sensitivities
  • Strategic market assessments

Talk to an expert

Inorganics Global Team

Hazel Kreuz

Hazel Kreuz Vice President, Global Inorganics Team Lead Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Hazel Kreuz serves as the Vice President of Global Inorganic Chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics, which includes Chlor-alkali chemicals, Vinyls, Bleaching Chemicals, and Soda Ash.

Ms. Kreuz brings four decades of chemical industry experience to the Chemical Market Analytics Inorganic chemicals insights team. She joined the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in 2016 as Chlor-alkali Chemicals Global Service Lead. Ms. Kreuz was promoted to her current role leading the Global Inorganic chemicals insights team in April 2019. She leads twenty analysts that analyze, forecast, and report on chlor-alkali chemicals, vinyls, bleaching chemicals, and soda ash from five global locations.
Ms. Kreuz has a background in petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals; she held a range of functional roles in several companies prior to joining Chemical Market Analytics. Hazel began her career in ethylene oxide and glycols manufacturing with Union Carbide Corporation; she also held ethylene oxide derivatives, HS&E, risk analysis, financial analysis, and marketing management positions with Union Carbide. She was a recipient of Union Carbide Corporation’s prestigious Chairman’s Award for the development of the Corporations’ Episodic Risk Management System, which Arthur D. Little praised as “elegant and sophisticated”.


Hazel moved to the inorganic chemicals world joining Canadian Occidental, which subsequently became Nexen Petroleum, and then Canexus, where she held management positions in chlor-alkali chemicals and sodium chlorate marketing, strategic planning, and investor relations. She returned to the US chemical market, joining Huntsman Corporation and serving as global marketing manager for mining chemicals, pulp & paper chemicals, and water treatment chemicals in the Performance Products division.
Hazel holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA.

 

Eddie Kok

Eddie Kok Executive Director, Global Vinyls Service Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Eddie Kok is Executive Director of the Inorganics Group at Chemical Market Analytics

Eddie has global responsibility for the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. He has more than 20 years of experience in the chemical industry, holding broad responsibilities including regional sales, marketing, business development, and product management. Eddie joined Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI) in 2004 as a consultant. Eddie has responsibility for providing market coverage and analysis for the chlor-alkali and vinyls market in Asia. Eddie has a good grasp of the global chlor-alkali and vinyls sector dynamics and is the go-to person for data and market intelligence in Asia.

Before CMAI, at IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics), Eddie broadened his responsibility and assumed the team leader role for the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. Over the years, he has worked on numerous chlor-alkali and vinyls projects around the Asia-Pacific region, providing analytical and planning support to clients.

Eddie holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Campbell University, North Carolina, United States.

Nick Kovics

Nick Kovics Vice President, Global Chlor-Alkali Service Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Nick Kovics is the Vice President at Chemical Market Analytics.

Mr. Kovics leads the global chlor-alkali market advisory team and holds specialized expertise related to pulp-bleaching chemicals including sodium chlorate and hydrogen peroxide.

Nick Kovics brings 25 years of chemical industry experience to the Chemical Market Analytics Inorganic chemicals insights team. He joined Chemical Market Analytics in 2017 as Global Bleaching Chemicals Global Service Lead. Mr. Kovics went on to lead the Global Lithium & Battery Materials team before being promoted to Chlor-alkali Chemicals Global Service Lead in 2020.

Mr. Kovics has a varied background having worked in upstream energy, new energy, and electrochemical. He held a range of functional roles in several companies prior to joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics). Nick began his career in the oil service sector with Schlumberger Canada cementing and hydraulic fracturing services. Nick transitioned from oil and gas to new energy and spent a decade in the hydrogen fuel cell sector with Ballard Power Systems. Nick’s career continued in the electrochemical sector when he joined Canexus and held positions in chlor-alkali chemicals and sodium chlorate marketing.

Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, an MBA, and is a Canadian Certified Professional Accountant.

Angel Fernandez

Angel Fernandez Director, Chlor-alkali Research EMEA Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Angel Fernandez is the Director of global bleaching chemicals at Chemical Market Analytics

Angel joined the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics) in 2021 and leads the Global Market Advisory Service for Bleaching Chemicals as part of the Inorganics Global Business Team. He brings 17 years of experience in trading, shipping, market research, and analysis for the chemical industry

Angel started his career in the chemical industry with BP Chemicals, followed by five years at Sojitz UK where he was involved in the trading and shipping of aromatics, solvents, and methanol.

Prior to joining the IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics), he spent 10 years researching and analyzing oxo alcohols, plasticizers, and chlor-alkali markets at a market data provider. Angel holds Masters Degrees in Chemistry and International Relations.

Marguerite Morrin

Marguerite Morrin Executive Director, Global Soda Ash Chemical Market Analytics

Marguerite Morrin is the Executive Director at Chemical Market Analytics.

Marguerite has covered all chlor-alkali, vinyls, and related products in the chemicals industry. Her primary focus today is on soda ash. She has also participated in many single-client consulting studies on soda ash and chlor-alkali/vinyls. Ms. Morrin was responsible for launching the Global Soda Ash Service in 2008 and she is the lead consultant in soda ash, who presents many conference papers on the subject.

She joined Chemical Market Associates Inc. (CMAI) in 1990, initially as an analyst in olefins. Since 1994 she was involved in the analysis of the chlor-alkali product area and helped to build and develop this sector within CMAI, which later became part of IHS Markit base chemicals business (now known as Chemical Market Analytics). Ms. Morrin graduated from University College Dublin, the Republic of Ireland, with a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Chemistry and she also holds a Diploma in Business Studies from University College Dublin.

 

Henry Warren

Henry Warren Director, EMEA Chlorine & Vinyls Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS

Henry Warren is the Director of the Inorganics Group at Chemical Market Analytics.

Mr. Warren is an integral member of the Vinyls Market Advisory Service. He performs market analysis of the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry and its precursors – ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM). He is a key contributor to the annual World Analysis – Vinyls and the in-depth monthly vinyls service.

For most of his career, he has covered hydrochloric acid, chlorinated solvents, caustic potash, and caustic soda, but his focus has continued to center on vinyls. He joined Chemical Market Analytics when it acquired Harriman Chemsult, a highly regarded consultancy specializing in the chlor-alkali and vinyls segment.

Mr. Warren has a degree in economics and he entered the field of chemical market analysis in 1996, analyzing feedstocks and several polyolefin value chains in Europe, North America, and Latin America. Along with the stakeholder relationships he has built over several decades, his in-depth understanding of the industry contributes to the unparalleled level of insight that Chemical Market Analytics brings to this sector.