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Indonesia and the Philippines are the leading global exporters of lauric acid, accounting for the majority of supply due to their domestic coconut oil feedstock advantage; major importers include the United States, Germany, and China, which rely on imported lauric acid for surfactant and oleochemical manufacturing. Trade volumes have remained relatively stable over the past three years, with modest upward pressure on lauric acid prices reflecting tightening supply margins amid steady demand from personal care and detergent sectors.
Recent Market Intelligence Report on Lauric Acid
1. Price Trends
- Recent Quotations:
- July 27, 2026: Shandong Hanyue Chemical Co., Ltd. (Malaysian Coco Palm brand, Jinan City, Shandong Province) quoted RMB 18,500/ton (99% purity); Shandong Qiangsen Chemical Co., Ltd. (imported, Zibo City, Shandong Province) quoted RMB 16,800/ton; Nantong Zhonghe Chemical New Materials Co., Ltd. (imported, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province) quoted RMB 17,000/ton.
- July 28, 2026: Shanghai Lanyan Cosmetics Co., Ltd. (imported, Baoshan District, Shanghai) quoted RMB 17,000/ton (99.5% purity, ex-factory price).
- July 24, 2026: Ait (Zhejiang) Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. (Malaysian BASF, Zhejiang Province) quoted RMB 18,000–18,500/ton; Shandong Hanyue Chemical Co., Ltd. (Malaysian Coco Palm brand, Jinan City, Shandong Province) quoted RMB 18,500/ton.
- July 21, 2026: The mainstream reference price for imported lauric acid in the East China market stood at RMB 17,900–18,300/ton—up RMB 600/ton week-on-week and up RMB 2,450/ton (16%) from the June low.
- Historical Volatility:
- First half of 2026: Lauric acid prices rose sharply then retreated—driven by cost and supply dynamics in January–March; pulled back in April–May due to weak upstream and downstream demand; rebounded in June. The April peak reached RMB 20,300/ton; the early-June trough hit RMB 15,300/ton; the mainstream negotiation price on June 30 stood at RMB 16,500–17,000/ton.
- November 2025: Prices rebounded from a low of RMB 15,000/ton.
2. Supply-Demand Dynamics
- Supply Side:
- Domestic spot supply remains relatively tight; new shipments are expected to arrive at ports by month-end, yet persistent inverted domestic–international price spreads continue pressuring cost structures.
- New fatty alcohol production capacity coming online in 2026, coupled with rising demand, is expected to constrain lauric acid output—maintaining a tight supply-demand balance domestically.
- Demand Side:
- Downstream fatty alcohol markets’ sustained demand for palm kernel oil provides indirect support for lauric acid demand.
- In June, surfactant manufacturers—key downstream users of fatty alcohols—entered the market to build inventory, driving increased lauric acid transaction volumes.
3. Cost Drivers
- Raw Material: Palm Kernel Oil
- For H2 2026, palm kernel oil prices are projected to rise in Q3 and exhibit a “weak-then-strong” pattern in Q4, influenced by biodiesel policy developments, producing-region weather conditions, and new fatty alcohol capacity additions.
- Rising palm kernel oil prices provide robust cost support for lauric acid.
4. Regional Price Differentials
- East China Market: Mainstream reference price was RMB 17,900–18,300/ton on July 21—representing the national price high.
- Shandong Market: Quotations ranged from RMB 16,800 to RMB 19,500/ton, reflecting significant variation attributable to brand and source differences (e.g., Malaysian Coco Palm commands premium pricing).
- Jiangsu Market: Nantong Zhonghe quoted RMB 17,000/ton—below the East China mainstream level.
- Shanghai Market: Shanghai Lanyan quoted RMB 17,000/ton—aligned with Jiangsu’s level.
Analysis & Assessment
1. Reasons for Price Resilience:
- Strong performance of palm kernel oil—the key raw material—provides firm cost support.
- Tight domestic spot supply persists; although new imports are arriving by month-end, inverted domestic–international price spreads restrict import profitability, preventing full alleviation of supply pressure.
- Growing downstream demand for fatty alcohols exerts upward pull on lauric acid demand.
2. Logic Behind Regional Price Differentials:
- The East China market leads nationally in pricing due to active trading activity and concentrated demand.
- Shandong’s pricing dispersion reflects brand prestige and quality differentiation (e.g., Malaysian Coco Palm consistently trades at a premium over generic imported material).
- Jiangsu and Shanghai quotations closely track cost levels—indicative of intense regional competition.
Outlook
1. Short-Term (1–2 months):
- Lauric acid prices are likely to remain range-bound at elevated levels, with the mainstream trading band expected at RMB 17,000–18,500/ton.
- Should palm kernel oil prices sustain their upward momentum, lauric acid may breach RMB 18,500/ton.
2. Medium-Term (3–6 months):
- Average H2 2026 price is forecast at ~RMB 17,850/ton—up 0.64% year-on-year versus H1 2026.
- Price peaks could revisit RMB 20,000/ton (approaching the April 2026 high), though a reversion to the second-half 2025 low (~RMB 15,000/ton) is unlikely.
- Key watchpoints include the ramp-up timing of new fatty alcohol capacity and weather-related impacts on palm kernel oil production in origin countries.
Lauric acid is a white, crystalline solid at room temperature with a faint, soapy odor and low volatility; it melts at approximately 44–46 °C and boils at 298–300 °C at atmospheric pressure. It is a saturated medium-chain fatty acid (C12:0) and classified as an organic chemical intermediate. Industrially, it serves primarily as a precursor in the production of lauryl sulfate surfactants (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate), esters for cosmetics and lubricants, and amides for corrosion inhibitors and fabric softeners. Its principal application areas include personal care products, detergents, industrial cleaning formulations, and specialty polymers.
1. lauric acid Used for the preparation of alkyd resins, as well as wetting agents, detergents and pesticides2. Used for peeling vegetables and fruits with a maximum amount of 3.0g/kg.3. Used as defoamer; GB 2760-86 provides for the spices allowed to use; used for the preparation of other food grade additives.4. lauric acid is widely used in the surfactant industry and can be, according to the classification of surfactants, divided into cationic, anionic, non-ionic and amphoteric type. The surfactants types of dodecanoic acid are listed in the attached table of this item. Some surfactants of the derivatives of dodecanoic acid and dodecanol are also antiseptics, such as dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (geramine), dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium bromide (bromo-geramine) and dodecyl dimethyl (2-phenoxyethyl) ammonium bromide (domiphen bromide). The dodecyldimethyllammonium-2,4,5-trichlorophenolate in these derivatives can be used as citrus preservative. Dodecanoic acid also has many applications in plastic additives, food additives, spices and pharmaceutical industries.
Colorless needle-like crystals. Soluble in methanol, slightly soluble in acetone and petroleum ether.
This chemical is included in Fine Chemicals. See more about what is Lauric acid and Lauric acid SDS information.
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