[Industry Focus]：Analysis of the supply and demand pattern, price trend and growth potential of the m-cresol market, the overall trend in the future is good.

m-cresol, also known as m-methylphenol or 3-methylphenol, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C7H8O. At room temperature, it is usually colorless or light yellow liquid, slightly soluble in water, but soluble in ethanol, ether, sodium hydroxide and other solvents, and have flammability. This compound has a wide range of applications in the field of fine chemicals.

Pesticide field: m-cresol as pesticide intermediates and raw materials, through the production of pesticide m-phenoxybenzaldehyde, further used in the manufacture of a variety of pyrethroid pesticides, such as fomesafen, fenitrothion, metoprolol, permethrin and so on. In the field of medicine: m-cresol has a wide range of applications in the field of medicine. It can be used as a raw material for the production of a variety of drugs, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-cancer drugs, etc. In addition, m-cresol can also be used in the preparation of medical devices and disinfectants. Fine chemical field: m-cresol can be used to produce a variety of fine chemical products. For example, it can react with formaldehyde to produce m-cresol formaldehyde resin, which is an important pesticide intermediate and can be used to produce fungicides and insecticides. In addition, it can also be used to produce antioxidants, dyes, fragrances, etc. Other fields: m-cresol can also be used to prepare functional materials, such as ion exchange resins, adsorbents, etc.

the production process of m-cresol is mainly divided into two categories: extraction and synthesis. The extraction method is through the recovery of mixed cresol from coal tar by-products, and then through a complex separation process to obtain m-cresol. The synthesis law covers a variety of methods such as toluene chlorination hydrolysis method, isopropyl toluene method and m-toluidine diazo method, the core of these methods is to synthesize cresol through chemical reaction, and further separation of m-cresol.

At present, there is still a big gap in the production process of m-cresol in China compared with foreign countries. Although some progress has been made in the production process of m-cresol in China in recent years, there are still many deficiencies in the control of chemical reactions, the selection of core catalysts and process management. This leads to the high cost of domestic synthesis of m-cresol, and the quality is difficult to compete with imported products.

in the production process of m-cresol, separation technology is the key. Because the difference between the boiling points of m-cresol and p-cresol is only 0.4 ℃, and the difference between the melting points is 24.6 ℃, it is difficult to separate the ordinary distillation method and the regular crystallization method effectively. Therefore, the industry generally uses molecular sieve adsorption method and alkylation method for separation.

In the molecular sieve adsorption method, the selection and preparation of molecular sieve is very important. High quality molecular sieve can efficiently adsorb m-cresol, so as to achieve effective separation from p-cresol. At the same time, the development of new high-efficiency catalysts is also an important breakthrough in separation technology. These catalysts can improve separation efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and further promote the optimization of m-cresol production process.

The global production scale of m-cresol exceeds 60000 tons/year, of which Lanxess of Germany and Sasol of the United States are the largest producers of m-cresol in the world, with a production capacity of 20000 tons/year. These two companies are in the industry leading position in the production process, quality control and market development of m-cresol.

In contrast, the number of m-cresol production enterprises in China is relatively small, and the overall production capacity is relatively small. At present, China's m-cresol production enterprises mainly include Haihua Technology, Dongying Haiyuan and Anhui Shilian, etc. The production capacity of these enterprises accounts for about 20% of the global m-cresol production capacity. Among them, Haihua Technology is the largest m-cresol manufacturer in China, with an annual production capacity of about 8000 tons, but the actual output fluctuates due to various factors such as raw material supply and market demand.

the supply and demand situation of m-cresol market in China shows some volatility. Although domestic production of m-cresol has maintained steady growth in recent years, there is still a large supply gap due to production process restrictions and the growth of downstream market demand. Therefore, China still needs to import a large amount of m-cresol every year to make up for the lack of domestic market.

According to statistics, in 2023, China's production of m-cresol was about 7500 tons, while the import volume reached about 225 tons. Especially in 2022, affected by price fluctuations in the international market and domestic demand growth, China's imports of m-cresol exceeded 2000 tons. This indicates that the Chinese m-cresol market is largely dependent on imported resources.

the market price of m-cresol is affected by a variety of factors, including international market price trends, domestic supply and demand conditions, production process costs, and international trade policies. Over the past few years, the market price of m-cresol as a whole has shown an upward trend. The highest price reached 27500 yuan/ton, while the lowest price dropped to 16400 yuan/ton.

The international market price has a significant impact on the domestic price of m-cresol. Due to the large supply gap in China's m-cresol market, import prices often become the determinant of domestic prices. However, with the growth of domestic production and the improvement of the industrial chain, the dominance of domestic pricing has gradually returned. At the same time, the improvement of domestic production process and cost control also have a positive impact on market prices.

In addition, the implementation of anti-dumping policy also has a certain impact on the market price of m-cresol. For example, China's anti-dumping investigation on imports of m-cresol originating in the United States, the European Union and Japan has made it difficult for m-cresol products from these countries to enter the Chinese market, thus affecting the supply and demand pattern and price trend of the global m-cresol market.

as an important fine chemical intermediate, m-cresol has a wide range of downstream applications. In recent years, with the rapid growth of the downstream menthol and pesticide market, the market demand for m-cresol has also shown a trend of continuous growth.

As an important flavor ingredient, menthol has been widely used in the field of daily chemicals. With the pursuit of people's quality of life and the continuous expansion of the market of daily chemical products, the demand for menthol is also increasing. As one of the important raw materials for the production of menthol, the market demand for m-cresol is also increasing.

In addition, the pesticide industry is also one of the important application areas of m-cresol. With the improvement of environmental awareness and the rectification and upgrading of the pesticide industry, the demand for highly efficient, low-toxic and environmentally friendly pesticide products is increasing. As an important raw material for the production of a variety of pesticides, the market demand for m-cresol will continue to grow.

In addition to menthol and pesticide industry, m-cresol also has a wide range of applications in VE and other fields. The rapid development of these areas also provides a broad growth space for the m-cresol market.

Looking to the future, China's m-cresol market is facing many opportunities and challenges. With the continuous optimization of the domestic production process and the continuous expansion of the downstream market, the growth potential of the m-cresol industry is becoming more and more prominent. China's m-cresol industry is facing challenges, but also has broad prospects for development. By increasing technological innovation, expanding the international market, strengthening cooperation with downstream enterprises and obtaining government support, China's m-cresol industry is expected to achieve more stable and sustainable development in the future.