Phenol

Cumene-route phenol for bisphenol A, phenolic resins and chemical synthesis

Phenol (HS 2907.11) is made mainly by the cumene or Hock process: benzene is alkylated with propylene to cumene, cumene is oxidised to cumene hydroperoxide, and the hydroperoxide is cleaved into phenol and acetone in equal molar amounts. That co-product link is why phenol and acetone plants sit side by side and why their markets move together; bisphenol A consumes phenol and acetone at roughly two to one. Bisphenol A is the largest phenol derivative and feeds epoxy resins and polycarbonate; phenol-formaldehyde resins are the other long-standing outlet, with chemical synthesis behind them. Phenol is toxic and corrosive to skin. It is shipped molten as UN 2312, phenol, molten, or as a solid as UN 1671, phenol, solid, both Class 6.1, packing group II; its flash point is 79 °C. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 2907.11 total about USD 1.39 billion: the USA USD 228 million and 0.19 million MT, Thailand USD 199 million, Saudi Arabia USD 195 million and 0.20 million MT, Finland USD 165 million and 0.14 million MT, Singapore USD 126 million and 0.13 million MT, Korea USD 96 million, China USD 83 million and Taiwan USD 68 million.

The buyer is a bisphenol A or polycarbonate plant, a phenolic resin producer, or a chemical synthesis plant. Bulk moves as heated liquid in chemical-tanker parcels under the IBC Code and in heated ISO tanks; smaller users take solid phenol in drums. Pricing is per MT on contract or spot basis against ICIS, Platts and Argus assessments, often read against benzene. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers phenol from US, Thai, Saudi Red Sea (Rabigh), Finnish, Singaporean, Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese producers' offtake and trader parcels, against the producer's certificate of analysis, SGS or Intertek inspection at load, the safety data sheet, a certificate of origin and REACH registration confirmation for EU imports, on FOB, CFR and CIF terms. Send the form (molten or solid), volume, end use 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.