Asia leads the global capacity additions among the regions and its caustic soda capacity is expected to increase from 60.89 mtpa in 2020 to 65.68 mtpa in 2025 at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 1.5 %. Within Asia, China, which accounts for more than half of the region’s capacity additions, is expected to lead the global caustic soda capacity additions, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘Global Caustic Soda Industry Outlook to 2025 – Capacity and Capital Expenditure Forecasts with Details of All Active and Planned Plants’, reveals that caustic soda capacity is poised to see considerable growth by 2025, potentially increasing from 98.54 million tons per annum (mtpa) in 2020 to 105.50 mtpa in 2025, registering a total growth of 7%.

Amareswari Kanaparthi, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, says: “China leads the capacity additions in the region with a capacity of 2.66 mtpa by 2025. Majority of the additions will be from a planned project Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Company Baicheng Caustic Soda Plant, with the capacity of 0.80 mtpa by 2025.”

GlobalData identifies India as the second highest country in terms of capacity additions with a capacity of 2.04 mtpa by 2025. Majority of the capacity additions will be from an announced project, Lords Chloro Alkali Alwar Caustic Soda Plant, with a capacity of 0.74 mtpa by 2025.

The US will be the third highest country in terms of capacity additions where the entire capacity additions will be from one planned and one announced project Shintech Plaquemine Caustic Soda Plant 3 and Formosa Plastics Corporation Point Comfort Caustic Soda Plant, with the capacity of 0.66 mtpa and 0.56 mtpa, respectively, by 2025.

Xinjiang Zhongtai Chemical Co Ltd, Lords Chloro Alkali Ltd and Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd will be the top three companies globally in terms of planned and announced capacity additions over the outlook period.