Germany, the United States, and China are the leading exporters of acetyl chloride, collectively accounting for over 50% of global exports in recent years; major importers include India, South Korea, and Brazil, reflecting strong demand from pharmaceutical and agrochemical manufacturing hubs. Import volumes into India and South Korea have risen steadily since 2022, coinciding with moderate upward pressure on acetyl chloride prices amid tightening supply chains and increased downstream production activity.
Acetyl Chloride Recent Commodity Market Intelligence Report
I. Price Dynamics (June 16–22, 2026)
| Region/Brand | Latest Quotation (CNY/ton) | Purity/Specification | Remarks |
|------------------|----------------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Wuhan City, Hubei Province | 6,000 | ≥99% (GC-tested) | Wuhan Hengjiu Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Zibo City, Shandong Province | 5,900 | Premium Grade | Shandong Qiangsen Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Jinan City, Shandong Province | 7,300 | >99% purity | Zhongsu Supply Chain Management (Shandong) Co., Ltd. |
| Jinan City, Shandong Province | 6,900 | 99% purity | Shandong Langcheng Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Jinan City, Shandong Province | 6,670 | National Standard, assay >99% | Shandong Langcheng Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Jinan City, Shandong Province | 6,500 | Industrial Grade | Hubei Qiqiba Chemical Co., Ltd. (shipped from Wuhan) |
| Shandong Province (general) | 5,600 | 99% purity | Shandong Jinhua Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Shandong Province (general) | 5,700 | 200-kg drum, colorless liquid, assay >99% | Qingdao Shengze Chemical Co., Ltd. |
| Shandong Province (general) | 5,750 | >99% purity | Liaocheng Jinxinda New Materials Co., Ltd. |
| Shandong Province (general) | 6,000 | Premium Grade | Shandong Zhihengda Import & Export Co., Ltd. |
| Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province | 10,000 | Premium Grade | Suzhou Senfeida Chemical Co., Ltd. |
II. Price Fluctuation Analysis
1. Significant Regional Disparities
– Within Shandong Province, prices range from CNY 5,600 to 7,300/ton. Jinan’s relatively higher quotations reflect its concentration of premium brands (e.g., Zhongsu Supply Chain and Langcheng Chemical), whereas cities such as Zibo and Qingdao—focused on mid-to-lower-tier products—see prices decline to CNY 5,700–5,900/ton.
– Wuhan City, Hubei Province, maintains a stable quotation of CNY 6,000/ton, aligned with Shandong’s mainstream pricing; however, industrial-grade products supplied by Hubei-based enterprises into Jinan intensify regional price competition.
– Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, quotes an exceptionally high CNY 10,000/ton—significantly above other regions—likely attributable to superior purity or value-added services (e.g., customized packaging or optimized logistics).
2. Divergent Brand Pricing Strategies
– Premium Segment: Zhongsu Supply Chain Management (Shandong) Co., Ltd. and Shandong Hongyang Chemical Co., Ltd. quote CNY 7,300/ton, targeting pharmaceutical and electronics customers with stringent purity requirements.
– Mid-Tier Segment: Shandong Qiangsen Chemical (CNY 5,900/ton) and Qingdao Shengze Chemical (CNY 5,700/ton) emphasize cost-effectiveness to serve bulk-demand sectors such as agrochemicals and dyes.
– Economy Segment: Shandong Jinhua Chemical has repeatedly quoted CNY 5,600/ton, leveraging economies of scale to capture the foundational chemical market.
3. Short-Term Price Stability
– From June 16–22, mainstream quotations fluctuated by less than 5%, indicating balanced supply and demand. For instance, Shandong Langcheng Chemical adjusted its national-standard product quotation only marginally—from CNY 6,670 to 6,900/ton—reflecting minor fluctuations in raw material costs (e.g., chlorine gas, acetic acid) and logistics expenses.
III. Driving Factor Analysis
1. Demand-Side Factors
– Pharmaceutical Industry: As a critical intermediate for synthesizing aspirin, vitamin B5, and other APIs, pharmaceutical-grade acetyl chloride continues experiencing steady demand growth, supporting firm pricing in the premium segment.
– Agrochemical Industry: With the onset of summer pesticide production season, procurement volumes are projected to rise 10–15% month-on-month; however, mid-to-lower-tier products face pricing pressure due to intense quality-driven competition.
– Emerging Applications: Rising demand from new-energy battery materials and electronic chemicals for high-purity acetyl chloride is creating opportunities; some firms (e.g., Suzhou Senfeida) are capturing premium market share via technological upgrades.
2. Supply-Side Factors
– Production Concentration: Shandong Province accounts for over 60% of China’s total acetyl chloride capacity, conferring regional pricing power. For example, Zhongsu Supply Chain leverages integrated production capacities across Zibo and Jinan to achieve economies of scale and enhanced bargaining leverage.
– Environmental Compliance Pressure: Several small- and medium-sized enterprises have suspended operations due to non-compliance with environmental standards, causing temporary supply tightening; yet leading enterprises maintain stable output through technological retrofits.
– Raw Material Costs: Chlorine gas prices—subject to the cyclical nature of the salt-chemical industry—have recently fluctuated by <3%, offering limited cost support for acetyl chloride.
IV. Outlook (July–December 2026)
1. Price Forecast
– Short Term (July–August): Driven by peak-season agrochemical production, mid-to-lower-tier product prices may rise modestly to CNY 5,800–6,000/ton; premium-grade products, under stable pharmaceutical demand, are expected to remain within CNY 7,000–7,500/ton.
– Long Term (September–December): Should demand from new-energy applications surge, premium-grade pricing could exceed CNY 8,000/ton; conversely, oversupply risks in the mid-to-lower-tier segment may push prices down to CNY 5,500–5,700/ton.
2. Market Opportunities
– Regional Expansion: Accelerated construction of pharmaceutical industrial parks in western China (e.g., Sichuan and Chongqing) is expected to boost annual acetyl chloride demand by ~20%; establishing regional warehousing can reduce logistics costs significantly.
– Technological Upgrading: Development of eco-friendly acetyl chloride variants—low-odor and low-corrosivity—tailored to stringent cleanroom requirements in electronics manufacturing could yield a 10–15% price premium.
3. Risk Alerts
– Overcapacity: Concentrated commissioning of new capacity in Shandong could trigger price wars, potentially depressing industry profit margins below 5%.
– Policy Shifts: Potential adjustments to environmental taxation and carbon emission trading mechanisms may increase production costs; enterprises should proactively adopt green-process technologies to mitigate regulatory risk.
Acetyl chloride is a colorless, fuming liquid with a pungent, sharp odor and high volatility; it has a boiling point of 51–52 °C and a melting point of –112 °C. It is classified as a reactive acyl halide and serves primarily as a versatile acylating agent in organic synthesis. Its principal industrial use is as a key intermediate in the production of acetic anhydride, acetates (e.g., cellulose acetate), pharmaceuticals (e.g., aspirin precursors), agrochemicals, dyes, and peroxides. It is widely employed in fine chemical manufacturing for introducing acetyl groups into alcohols, amines, and other nucleophiles across pharmaceuticals, polymers, and specialty coatings.
Acetyl Chloride is a very useful synthetic intermediate. It is a derivative of acetic acid, a weak acid, used as a reagent in numerous industrial processes. It is a chemical for acetylation in the synthesis or derivatization of organic compounds.
It appears as colorless fuming liquid with a strong odor and eye irritation effect. The relative density of 1.1051 (20 ° C), the melting point of-112 ° C, the boiling point of 51-52 ° C and the flash point is 4.4 ° C (closed dish). In the wet air, it can slowly undergo decomposition and give white smoke. When coming across water, it can be violently hydrolyzed into acetic acid and hydrogen chloride, and thus should be sealed for storage. It is miscible with benzene, acetone, chloroform, ether, glacial acetic acid and petroleum ether. Liquid is heavier than water with the vapor being heavier than air. Its chemical nature is lively. It can have metathesis reaction with many compounds. Acetyl chloride can bind to the thiol group in the protein, and therefore being toxic to humans. It is an important kind of acetylation agents with its acylation capability being stronger than acetic anhydride. It is widely used in organic synthesis, being also the catalyst for the chlorination of carboxylic acids. It is manufactured through the mixing of glacial acetic acid and phosphorus trichloride in cold condition with further heating, followed by dehydrochloration distillation.
This chemical is included in Fine Chemicals. See more about what is Acetyl chloride and Acetyl chloride SDS information.
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