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Challenges to a mature industry: Marketing and economics of oleochemicals in Western Europe
Author(s) -
Richtler H. J.,
Knaut J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02678762
Subject(s) - fatty alcohol , organic chemistry , petrochemical , raw material , chemistry , fatty acid , alcohol , pulp and paper industry , engineering
Basic oleochemicals are produced by splitting and further reactions of oils and fats: fatty acids, glycerine, fatty acid methyl esters, fatty alcohols and amines. The last two are included in the list of oleochemical raw materials, primarily because of their importance in the preparations of further derivatives. The wide range of derivatives of oleochemical raw materials such as fatty alcohol ethoxylates, fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, quaternary ammonium compounds and soaps are summarized. Oleochemicals such as fatty alcohols and glycerine from oils and fats have equivalents on the basis of petrochemicals. Using the customary terminology, petrochemical products are referred to as “synthetics.” The are included in the present discussion because in the application of oleochemical raw materials the origin of the material is often less important than the structure. Oleochemistry can be regarded as a mature branch of chemistry, with many applications for its products, but with few completely new fields. The challenge and the opportunities for oleochemistry today lie in the changing economic and ecological conditions. Availability and price development of oils and fats are discussed with particular reference to European conditions, for these are the prerequisites if oleochemicals are to be competitive and are to improve their chances in the marketplace. The importance and development of the oleochemical raw material fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters, glycerine, fatty alcohols and amines are considered on the basis of historical data. In considering future developments of oleochemicals, the capacity, demand and the possible influence of petrochemistry or crude oil is discussed. The highly developed oleochemical raw materials industry is a flexible supplier of medium‐to long‐chain fatty alkyl groups. These facts, together with the well organized supply lines for raw materials and the considerable potential of these renewable raw materials, could provide the necessary conditions for the oleochemical raw materials industry to fulfil its future tasks on a larger scale. This could arise, for example, due to the partial substitution of petrochemical surfactants, if this should become necessary as a result of developments in the price and availability of crude oil, or on grounds of ecological factors.