Construction chemicals: Feedstocks
From ethylene oxide to cement: what building chemicals are made of
What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.Admixtures are made from ethylene oxide and acrylic acid (PCE), naphthalene and formaldehyde (SNF) or pulp lignin. Building products use cement, sand, polymer powders, bitumen, epoxy, polyurethane and silicone. Raw materials are typically a large share of cost, so producers with access to EO derivatives and strong pass-through hold margins.
Inputs per tonne
| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cem Cement | about 0.3-0.4 t per t tile adhesive or repair mortar (indicative) | binder in mortars and adhesives; host for admixtures | not published | indicative |
| Oil Crude oil | not published | polymer feedstocks | the largest raw material cost for admixtures (indicative) | indicative |
| Ethylene oxide (via PEG macromonomer) | about 0.25-0.4 t per t of 40% PCE solution (indicative) | side chains of PCE | not published | ethylene oxide tile; indicative |
| Acrylic acid | about 0.03-0.06 t per t PCE solution (indicative) | backbone of PCE | not published | acrylic acid tile; indicative |
| Tm Timber | not published | low-cost plasticiser | not published | indicative |
Who is low-cost, and why
Producers near ethylene oxide derivative supply (China, Korea, the Middle East and India's EO producers) make PCE cheapest. In finished products, cost is decided by local formulation, freight and distribution rather than chemistry.