What is driving China's benzyl alcohol demand growth and how is the supply landscape evolving?

What is driving China's benzyl alcohol demand growth and how is the supply landscape evolving?
China's benzyl alcohol market is expanding steadily, with domestic sales rising from roughly 78,000 tonnes in 2018 to about 98,000 tonnes in 2023, a CAGR of 4.6%. Global demand is projected to grow at 5.5% annually through 2028, reaching 239,000 tonnes. The epoxy resin sector dominates consumption, accounting for around 73% of downstream use, driven by coatings, electronics, and wind power composites. Supply is highly concentrated among Green Home, Wuhan Organic, and Colin Bolen, the latter being the only producer using the toluene oxidation route, offering chlorine-free, greener product. Capacity utilization was only about 63% in 2021, suggesting ample headroom. The personal care segment is also rising as benzyl alcohol gains traction as a preservative and anti-dandruff active in premium shampoos.