Global Soda Ash Market to Reach 48.3 Million Metric Tons by 2015, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

San Jose, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) January 13, 2011

Global economic turmoil in 2008 and 2009 negatively impacted worldwide soda ash market, as the market is strongly dependant on gross domestic product growth rates. Demand for the chemical registered significant drop across various end-use segments, including glass and chemicals. The fall in demand for soda ash was more pronounced in matured markets. However, developing markets including China and India provided some respite during the economic crisis. The global soda ash market is expected to demonstrate a rapid recovery in 2010, fueled by increased demand from industrial consumers.

Asia-Pacific represents the largest as well as fastest growing regional market for soda ash worldwide, as stated by the new market research report on Soda Ash. Buoyed by the large-scale production of glass in various low-cost countries like China and India, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to retain its dominance in the global soda ash market. Further, surging demand for soda ash from various end-use segments, including pulp & paper, water treatment, chemicals, and soaps & detergents is propelling the market growth to a major extent. Consumption of soda ash in Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 3.6% over the years 2007 through 2015. Europe and the US represent other leading markets for soda ash.

Glass constitutes the largest as well as fastest growing end-use segment of soda ash in the world. Flaunting a CAGR of 2.3% over the period 2007-2015, consumption of soda ash in the glass end-use segment is expected to remain robust in the coming years driven by increasing production of container glass, flat glass and other forms of glass in China, India, and other low-cost production bases. Chemicals segment represents the second largest end-user of soda ash.

As increasing raw material prices continue to hit synthetic soda ash manufacturers, freight charges have affected profitability of natural soda ash producers. Deep shipping costs generally make up 20-25% of the price of natural soda ash exported from the US to Europe and Asia. Production of soda ash from natural deposits is particularly susceptible to increasing cost pressures. Economic growth in China and other developing countries is further driving the demand for raw materials. Increasing iron ore imports have captured a major part of global shipping fleet thus leading to increasing shipping prices. An increase in deep sea shipping costs, brought about by the increasing supply of raw materials to developing markets is expected to further raise prices of the US soda ash exports.

Major players profiled in the report include Brunner Mond Group, Ciech Chemical Group, FMC Corporation, General Chemical Industrial Products Inc., GHCL Ltd., Hubei Shuanghuan Chemical Group, Joint Stock Company «Soda», Nirma Ltd., OCI Chemical Corporation, Penrice Soda Holdings Ltd., Searles Valley Minerals, Shandong Haihua Group Co. Ltd., Soda Sanayii A.S., Solvay S.A., Tangshan Sanyou Group Co. Ltd., Tata Chemicals Ltd., among others.

The research report titled "Soda Ash: A Global Strategic Business Report" announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc., provides a comprehensive review of the soda ash markets, recession trends, current market trends, competitive scenario, key growth drivers, product overview, recent industry activity, and profiles of major/niche global as well as regional market participants. The report provides annual sales estimates and projections for soda ash market for the years 2007 through 2015 for the following geographic markets - US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest of World. Key end-use segments analyzed include Glass (Container Glass, Flat Glass, Fiber Glass, and Other Glass), Chemicals, Soaps & Detergents, Pulp & Paper, Fluegas Desulfurization, Water Treatmentm and Miscellaneous. Also, a seven-year (2000-2006) historic analysis is provided for additional perspective.