Chemical Industry - Prices & Statistics

Latest Price Reports

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Current Prices Lab Chemicals Plant, Equipment & Labour Production, Markets & Trade Energy Prices Metals & Minerals

Current Prices

Current prices for bulk industrial chemicals are reported in several trade journals. For example, ICIS Chemical Business (formerly Chemical Market Reporter) and Chemical Week report prices for about a dozen of the most common industrial chemicals. Follow the steps below to locate the most recent prices in each journal. The ICIS Chemical Prices, Student Edition website is also a good source for prices for several hundred selected chemicals from 2006-2008.

You can find articles about specific chemicals in Business Source Complete or ABI/Inform by searching the chemical name (dimethyl sulfoxide, polyvinyl chloride, etc.) or abbreviation (DMSO, PVC, etc.) with keywords such as "prices," "production," etc.

Prices for smaller quantities of chemicals can be found in online chemical catalogues. See the Lab Chemicals section for links.
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ICIS Chemical Prices, Student Edition
List of several hundred chemical prices from the August 28, 2006 issue of Chemical Market Reporter (now ICIS Chemical Business). Some prices were updated in 2007 and 2008.
Resin Prices
Current spot market prices for commodity plastic resins compiled by the Plastics Exchange and published in Canadian Plastics magazine. Prices are in U.S. dollars.
ICIS Chemical Business
Spot and contract prices for bulk chemicals in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Chemicals covered include ethane, naphtha, propane, butane, ethylene, MBTE, styrene, etc.

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "ICIS chemical business" in "SO Publication Name" AND "chemical prices" in "TX All Text."

ICIS also publishes in-depth profiles of industrial chemicals that include price trends, major producers and market data. To find the most recent profiles, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "ICIS chemical business" in "SO Publication Name" AND "chemical profile" in "TX All Text."
Chemical Week
Spot and contract prices for bulk chemicals in Europe and the U.S. Chemicals covered include ethane, naphtha, propane, butane, ethylene, MBTE, styrene, etc.

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "chemical week" in "SO Publication Name" AND "price report" in "TX All Text."

CW also publishes in-depth profiles of industrial chemicals. To find the latest profiles, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "chemical week " in "SO Publication Name" AND "product focus" in "TX All Text."

Chemical Suppliers & Catalogues

Chemical Suppliers and Catalogues

Prices for small quantities of chemicals (grams, milliliters, etc.) can be found in online chemical catalogues. For larger quantities, simply multiply the price and deduct a reasonable percentage (10-20) for the bulk discount.
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ChemBuyersGuide
Search hundreds of chemical suppliers worldwide.
ChemExper - Catalog of Chemical Suppliers
Contains over 200,000 chemicals, 10,000 MSDS and 10,000 IR spectra.
ChemIndustry
Directory of chemical suppliers. Search by chemical name or name fragment, formula or CAS number.
Find suppliers for over 8 million commercially available chemicals.
ICIS Global Chemical Suppliers Search
Search thousands of chemical products and services.
Speciality Chemicals Sourcebook, 3rd ed.
Synapse Information Resources, 2008
This handbook describes more than 4500 natural and synthetic trade name and generic chemicals that are used in the flavor and fragrance industry.
ThomasNet (Thomas Register)
Directory of North American manufacturers, distributors and service providers.
Scifinder
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1907 - present.
Print holdings: 1907 - 1999 (v. 1 - v. 131) in Stauffer Library storage.
Scifinder includes information for more than 900 suppliers and 26 million commercially available chemicals.

Production, Markets & Trade

Production, Markets & Trade

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Canada's Chemical Producers Canadian resource
Trade association representing Canadian chemical manufacturers. Publishes general statistics on revenue, investments, production and exports.
Canadian Chemical Industry Canadian resource
Industry Canada
Includes statistics on employment, production and trade. Divided into categories, e.g. "paints and coatings," based on North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes.
Chemical Economics Handbook
Published by SRI Consulting. Covers about 300 chemical products. Reports cost up to $5,000 each but abstracts are free.
Chemicals Industry Profiles
Executive summaries by regions, countries and products. Profiles include market overview, leading companies, demographics, competitive landscape and market segmentation. To find the most recent profiles, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "chemicals industry profile" in "SO Publication Name."
EPA Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) System
Database of chemical substances produced or imported in amounts greater than 25,000 pounds.
European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic)
Reports and statistics on the European chemical industry. Includes statistics on world chemical production, sales and exports.
Facts & Figures of the Chemical Industry
Published annually in late June or early July in Chemical & Engineering News. Finance, employment, production and trade statistics are included. Most recent edition published in July 4, 2011 issue.
Guide to the Business of Chemistry 2011
Ref HD9651.4 .G85 2011
Published by the American Chemistry Council, a trade association. Includes financial, R&D, employment and trade statistics for the U.S. chemical industry. Also provides an overview of global markets.
ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies
Published irregularly in ICIS Chemical Business. Includes data for companies with annual sales greater than $2.5bn. Most recent edition published in Sept. 15, 2008 issue. Available for download as a PDF.

Industrial Organic Chemicals, 2nd ed.
TP 247 W59 2004
Contains historical production statistics and price information for many types of industrial organic chemicals.
Kirk-Othmer contains historical and recent production statistics for the chemical industry and many industrial chemicals. Data is sourced from government reports, academic studies, market research reports and company information.
Mergent Industry Reports
Factiva
  1. Go to the Factiva database
  2. Go to the Sources section and type: Mergent Industry Reports
  3. Click on the title to select it
  4. Change date search to "in the last year"
  5. Type keywords in the text search box, e.g. "chemicals", "pharmaceuticals", etc.
  6. Click on the Run Search button to view a list of reports
U.S. Economic Census
Compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau every five years. Contains company, employment and production statistics for all industries.

Plant, Equipment & Labour Costs

Plant, Equipment and Labour Costs

Several trade journals publish current plant and equipment costs. For example, Chemical Engineering, which is available in Academic Source Complete, publishes the Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) and Marshall & Swift Equipment Cost Index. Follow the steps below to locate the most recent cost data in each journal. Other resources are listed below.

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Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI)
Chemical Engineering magazine publishes the Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI), Marshall & Swift Equipment Cost Index and Current Business Indicators for the chemical industry. To find the most recent data, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Academic Search Complete.
  2. Search "chemical engineering" in "SO Journal Name" AND "economic indicators" in "TX All Text."
Oil & Gas Journal
Includes monthly and quarterly "Nelson-Farrar" cost indexes for refinery construction and operation, chemicals, labor and equipment. To find the most recent indexes, follow these steps:

  1. Go to ABI/Inform.
  2. Search "oil & gas journal" in "Publication title" and "indexes" in "Citation and abstract."
Pipeline & Gas Journal
Publishes "Pipeline Construction Scorecard" that reports international pipeline construction activity. Data includes length, cost, location and estimated completion date. To find the most recent scorecards, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Business Source Complete.
  2. Search "pipeline & gas journal " in "SO Publication Name" AND "scorecard" in "TX All Text."
Canadian Plastics Buyer's Guide
Ref. TP986 A1 C3t 2009
Directory of products and services for the plastics industry published annually.
Ludwig's Applied Process Design for Chemical and Petrochemical Plants, 4th ed.
Knovel Library
Includes cost estimation methods for chemical plants, equipment and supplies.
Rules of Thumb in Engineering Practice
TA153 .W66 2007
Includes capital cost data and difficult-to-find installation factors for hundreds of pieces of equipment. See Appendix D for capital cost guidelines.
Labor Productivity and Costs Indexes
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Indexes labour productivity and costs in all sectors of the chemical industry. Organized by NAICS code.
Occupational Employment and Wages for Chemical Engineers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Includes current data on employment, wages and regional profiles.
U.S. Manufacturing, Mining and Construction Statistics
U.S. Census Bureau
Includes estimates for employment, plant hours, payrolls, capital expenditures, cost of materials, shipments, energy consumption and inventories. Industries organized by NAICS code.

Energy Prices & Statistics

Energy Prices & Statistics

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Bloomberg Energy Prices
Current prices for oil, gasoline and natural gas.
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Statistical Handbook Canadian resource
Current and historical information on drilling, reserves, production and other data.
CNN Money - Commodities
Up-to-the-minute prices on light crude, heating oil, natural gas and unleaded gas.
Crude Oil Prices Canadian resource
Natural Resources Canada
Weekly and daily price data.
Energy Information Administration
U.S. Department of Energy
Wealth of information and data on petroleum, gas, coal and other forms of energy.
Fuel Focus Canadian resource
Natural Resources Canada
Consumer website providing weekly prices for diesel, gasoline, furnace oil and propane.
International Energy Agency
Statistics and data related to coal, gas, oil and other forms of energy.
Oil Market Report
International Energy Agency
Global oil statistics published with a two-week delay.
Simmons & Company International
Independent investment bank serving the energy industry. Upstream and downstream energy statistics, including daily oil and gas prices and weekly API production statistics.
Wall Street Journal
Current prices for gasoline, oil and natural gas.

Metals & Minerals

Metals & Minerals

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London Metal Exchange
Current market prices for non-ferrous metals, steel and plastics.
MEPS International
Leading supplier of steel market information. Includes price and production data up to two months ago.
Metal Industry Indicators
U.S. Geological Survey, Dept. of the Interior
Monthly newsletter that analyzes and forecasts the economic health of five metal industries: primary metals, steel, copper, primary aluminum and aluminum mill products.
Minerals and Metals Commodity Reviews Canadian resource
Natural Resources Canada
Annual reports on metals and minerals dating back to the 1990s. Includes production and trade statistics, company information and international data.
Steelonthenet.com
Iron and steel information portal. Includes market price, raw material cost, and production data, plus plant information and trade statistics.
Wall Street Journal
Current prices for copper, gold, palladium, platinum and silver.