Resorcinol production continues to grow, with rubber being the largest application area

Resorcinol is also known as 1,3-benzenediol, resorcinol, etc. Its chemical formula is C6H6O2. It mostly appears as a white needle-like crystalline powder or flakes at normal temperature and pressure, and is accompanied by a certain odor. , soluble in ethanol, water, ether and other liquids. Resorcinol easily releases toxic gases when the temperature is high, and can trigger a chemical reaction and cause an explosion when in contact with strong oxidants. Resorcinol has certain bactericidal properties and can reduce swelling and remove bacteria.

After years of development, the preparation process of resorcinol has gradually matured and can be roughly divided into m-phenylenediamine hydrolysis method, m-dihalobenzene hydrolysis method, benzene sulfonation alkali fusion method, m-dicumyl oxidation method, etc. Among them, the benzene sulfonation alkali fusion method is the traditional method for producing resorcinol in my country. This method has high production costs, easily produces a large amount of wastewater, and causes serious environmental pollution, and may be gradually eliminated; the m-phenylenediamine hydrolysis method With its advanced technology, high yield, and low production cost, it may become the mainstream production technology in the industry in the future.

As an important fine chemical raw material, resorcinol is widely used in rubber, wood adhesives, medicine, ultraviolet absorbers, dyes and other fields. At present, rubber has become the largest application field of resorcinol, accounting for 56.7%; followed by wood adhesives, accounting for 16.9%; dyes rank third, accounting for 8.2%.

Due to the gradual implementation of environmental protection policies, rubber and dyes are highly polluting industries, and the operating rates of enterprises have been affected to a certain extent, and the demand for resorcinol has gradually declined. However, with the continuous advancement of science and technology, other functions of resorcinol are gradually being discovered, and the application fields are gradually broadened. Resorcinol can be used to make dermatological drugs, intestinal bactericides, etc. due to its bactericidal properties. In addition, resorcinol can also be used as a preservative in cosmetics and ointments. As the demand structure of the resorcinol market gradually changes, pharmaceutical and other fields will continue to increase their share of the overall market.

According to the “Resorcinol Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report 2023-2027” released by the Industrial Research Center, With the gradual advancement of my country’s preparation technology and the gradual commissioning of large-scale production facilities, resorcin production has shown a trend of increasing year by year. From 2017 to 2022, my country’s resorcinol production increased from 28,100 tons to 47,300 tons, with an average annual compound growth rate of 10.98%.

From the perspective of import and export, my country’s import and export scale of resorcin is relatively small. Due to the impact of the epidemic, my country’s import and export volumes of resorcin have declined. According to data released by the General Administration of Customs, in 2022, my country’s cumulative import volume of resorcin was 2,400 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 33.33%; the export volume dropped to 8,800 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 27.27%.

Industry analysts said that at present, my country’s resorcinol market is highly concentrated and has formed an oligopoly market structure. The major resorcinol companies in my country include Zhejiang Hongsheng, Sichuan Hongguang, Wuhai Shilian, Shandong Kesheng, Hubei Keyue, etc. Among them, Zhejiang Hongsheng has the largest market share, reaching 54.82%. As China’s production capacity structure gradually upgrades, the integration and merger of resorcin companies accelerates, and the market gradually moves closer to leading companies. The concentration of the resorcin market is expected to be further improved in the future.