Epoxy resins: Feedstocks

Three-quarters BPA and ECH, so integration wins

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.

Epoxy is about three-quarters BPA and ECH by mass, so its cost is set by phenol, acetone and chlorine. Integration decides competitiveness: Chinese and Taiwanese makers with their own phenol, BPA and ECH, and Grasim with its own chlorine and caustic, have the lowest costs. Non-integrated resin makers are price takers.

Inputs per tonne

Input	Quantity per tonne	Role	Share of cost	Source
Oil Crude oil	about 0.67 t per t LER (stoichiometric)	aromatic backbone	about 50% of cash cost (indicative)	BPA tile; stoichiometry
NaCl Salt	about 0.54 t per t LER (stoichiometric)	glycidyl (epoxide) groups	about 30-35% (indicative)	chlorine tile; stoichiometry
NaCl Salt	about 0.24 t NaOH per t (stoichiometric)	dehydrochlorination	about 5% (indicative)	caustic soda tile; stoichiometry
PO Palm oil	about 0.6 t per t LER via GTE ECH (indicative)	bio-based ECH feed	varies	glycerine tile; indicative
Amine and anhydride hardeners	about 0.15-0.5 t per t resin at the formulator (indicative)	curing	outside resin cost	indicative

Who is low-cost, and why

Integrated Chinese producers set the floor: China LER sold at about $1,940/t in late 2025 against about $2,080/t US export and about $4,940/t Europe export (Intratec). Thai, Korean and Taiwanese plants sit in the middle. Europe is the high-cost region, which is why the EU imposed duties.

Raw materials on the commodity table

Oil Crude oil NaCl Salt

What it is made into

Product	Note
Pnt Paints and coatings	over 40% of epoxy
Adh Adhesives and sealants	structural adhesives
Con Construction chemicals	floors, anchors, grouts