n-Butanol & 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EH)

Oxo alcohols for acrylates, acetates, glycol ethers and plasticizers

n-Butanol (HS 2905.13) and 2-ethylhexanol (within HS 2905.16) are the two main oxo alcohols, made from propylene and synthesis gas, and they sell to different buyers. n-Butanol goes into butyl acrylate for emulsion polymers in latex coatings, into butyl acetate for coating resins, into butyl glycol ethers for cleaning fluids, paints and inks, and directly as a solvent in surface coatings, adhesives and agriculture. 2-Ethylhexanol goes mainly into plasticizers for PVC (DOP, TOTM and DOTP, the last made by reacting 2-EH with terephthalic acid) used in wire and cable, automotive parts, flooring and hoses, and into 2-ethylhexyl acrylate for coatings and adhesives, with smaller uses in diesel and lubricant additives and mining chemicals. n-Butanol is UN 1120, Class 3 flammable liquid, packing group III, with a flash point of 35 °C; 2-ethylhexanol has a flash point of 81 °C. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 2905.13 total about USD 490 million: South Africa USD 125 million and 0.13 million MT, Taiwan USD 117 million and 0.09 million MT, Malaysia USD 83 million, the USA USD 61 million and Germany USD 53 million. Under HS 2905.16, octanol and its isomers including 2-EH, exports total about USD 1.35 billion: the USA USD 233 million and 0.18 million MT, Korea USD 162 million and 0.14 million MT, Taiwan USD 158 million, Indonesia USD 148 million and 0.12 million MT, Germany USD 146 million, China USD 124 million and the Netherlands USD 123 million.

The buyer is an acrylate, acetate or glycol ether plant, a plasticizer producer, a coatings or adhesives maker or a distributor. Plants take chemical-tanker parcels under the IBC Code; converters and distributors take 20-24 MT ISO tanks, IBCs and drums in containers. Pricing is per MT on contract or spot basis against ICIS, Platts and Argus oxo-alcohol assessments. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers n-butanol and 2-EH from South African, Taiwanese, Malaysian, US, German, Korean, Indonesian, Chinese and Dutch producers' offtake and trader parcels, against the producer's certificate of analysis, SGS or Intertek inspection at load for bulk, the safety data sheet, a certificate of origin and REACH registration confirmation for EU imports, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms. Send the product, volume, delivery form and discharge port.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.