The majority of furfuryl alcohol is used in the production of furan resins for foundry sand binders in the metal casting industry. Currently, furfuryl alcohol is used mainly in binders for the traditional furan no-bake system and in smaller quantities in furan hot-box, warm-box, and gas-hardened processes. In its main application, the foundry business, furfuryl alcohol competes primarily with phenol, the feedstock for phenolic resins.PAThe production and use of furfuryl alcohol is centered in China. Low-cost production in China forced most of the industry in North America, Western Europe, and Japan to shutter operations in the 1990s. China has also captured most of the foundry business. Little change is expected in the near future. Any growth in the global industry will depend on activity in China.PAChina continues to be the world’s largest producer and consumer of furfuryl alcohol, accounting for 80–85% of worldwide capacity and production and about 60% of global consumption in 2015. Since 2000, a number of foundries have relocated to China, which has led to increased domestic demand for furan resins, especially from the automotive, windmill, and machinery industries. However, it is expected that Chinese demand for furan resins in the heavy casting industry will grow at a slower rate in the near future, at about 3% annually on average.PAIn Other Asian countries (not including China and Japan), the market is expected to grow at about 2% annually, mainly in furan resins used in the shipbuilding, automotive, machinery, and electronic industries. Japan imports all its furfuryl alcohol requirements. Little growth is expected.PAIt is estimated that about 85–90% of worldwide demand for furfuryl alcohol in 2015 was used for the production of furan resins. The remaining applications include tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA), and use in solvents, flavor and fragrance chemicals, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. THFA is used mainly as a specialty solvent or chemical intermediate, with its primary end markets being agricultural chemicals, coatings, and cleaning solutions.

Summary 4

Manufacturing processes 6

Applications 7

Furan resins 7

Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol 8

Other 8

Supply and demand by region 9

United States 9

      Producing companies 9

      Salient statistics 9

      Consumption 10

      Furan resins 10

      Other 11

      Price 12

      Trade 12

      Imports 12

      Exports 14

Canada 15

      Consumption 15

      Trade 15

Mexico 16

Central and South America 17

      Producing companies 17

      Salient statistics 17

      Consumption 18

      Trade 18

Western Europe 20

      Producing companies 20

      Salient statistics 20

      Consumption 21

      Furan resins 22

      Other 24

      Price 24

      Trade 25

      Imports 25

      Exports 27

Central and Eastern Europe 28

      Producing companies 28

      Salient statistics 28

      Consumption 28

      Trade 30

Middle East 31

Africa 31

Asia 32

      Japan 32

      Producing companies 32

      Salient statistics 33

      Consumption 33

      Price 34

      Trade 35

      China 37

      Producing companies 37

      Salient statistics 38

      Consumption 39

      Price 40

      Trade 40

      Other Asia 41

      Producing companies 41

      Salient statistics 42

      Consumption 42

      Trade 43

      Imports 43

      Exports 44

Oceania 44

Bibliography 46

中国化工信息中心