Aluminum Chloride Market Dynamics Report (Recent Commodity Market Intelligence)

I. Price Dynamics
1. Anhydrous Aluminum Chloride
- As of May 26, 2026, the Base Price Index from Echemi.com stood at RMB 5,533.33 per metric ton, unchanged from the beginning of the month. The annual price range was RMB 5,450.00–5,675.00 per metric ton, with a median value of RMB 5,562.50 per metric ton; current pricing remains at the mid-to-lower end of this range.
- Significant price variation exists within Shandong Province:
- Zibo City: National Standard market price for anhydrous aluminum chloride is RMB 5,300.00 per metric ton;
- Shandong Zhihengda Import & Export Co., Ltd.: Quoted at RMB 5,500.00 per metric ton;
- Dongying Longxing Chemical Co., Ltd.: Quoted as high as RMB 7,400.00 per metric ton (likely attributable to high-purity or specialty-grade product specifications).
- Quotations from other regions:
- Wuhan Hengjiu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Hubei): RMB 7,100.00 per metric ton (particle size 30–60 mesh);
- Shandong Jinwen Chemical Co., Ltd.: RMB 5,200.00 per metric ton (≥99.2% purity).

2. Aluminum Chloride Hexahydrate
- Henan Huiyi Hai Water Treatment Materials Co., Ltd.: RMB 830.00 per metric ton (99% purity);
- Wuhan Hengjiu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Hubei): RMB 1,300.00 per metric ton (aluminum content ≥95%).

II. Supply-Demand Status
1. Production and Demand
- In 2025, China’s aluminum chloride production reached 290,300 metric tons, while demand totaled 272,000 metric tons—indicating near equilibrium in the overall market. However, high-end products (e.g., ultra-high-purity aluminum chloride) remain reliant on imports.
- Export volume exceeds import volume: In 2024, exports amounted to 13,900 metric tons, primarily destined for Macau (23.9%), Vietnam (22.56%), Ethiopia, Cambodia, and other markets.

2. Downstream Applications
- Traditional sectors—including petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and water treatment—exhibit steady demand growth.
- Emerging sectors—such as new energy, electronic chemicals, and advanced new materials—are driving sustained demand for high-purity aluminum chloride, accelerating industry transformation toward higher value-added products.

III. Industry Trends
1. Policy Drivers
- The ‘Catalogue of Priority New Materials for First-Batch Application Demonstration (2024 Edition)’ lists ultra-high-purity aluminum chloride as a critical strategic material, providing policy support for technological upgrading across the industry.

2. Technological Advancement
- Clean production technologies have become a core development direction, gradually replacing traditional high-energy-consumption processes.
- Digitalization and intelligent technologies are being deeply integrated into production and management systems, enhancing operational efficiency and product quality.

3. Competitive Landscape
- The industry exhibits low concentration, with significant disparities in enterprise scale. Leading companies are expanding through mergers, acquisitions, and restructuring—simultaneously phasing out outdated production capacity.
- Key players include Hunan Hengguang Technology Co., Ltd., Shandong Kunbao New Materials Co., Ltd., and Shandong Dadi Jiangshan Chemical Co., Ltd., which hold competitive advantages in technology, scale, and customer resources.

IV. Price Drivers
1. Raw Material Costs
- Fluctuations in prices of key raw materials—including aluminum powder, aluminum ingots, and chlorine gas—directly impact production costs. Enterprises must mitigate risk via stable supply chain management and optimized inventory strategies.

2. Environmental Regulatory Pressure
- Strengthened environmental oversight by government authorities compels enterprises to adopt low-emission technologies, thereby increasing short-term production costs and potentially accelerating industry consolidation.

3. Demand Structure Shifts
- Growing demand for high-end products (e.g., electronics-grade aluminum chloride) provides pricing support, whereas intense competition among commodity-grade products exerts downward pressure on prices.

V. Analysis and Outlook
1. Short-Term Price Trend
- Prices for anhydrous aluminum chloride are expected to remain stable, fluctuating within the RMB 5,500–5,600 per metric ton range, supported by balanced supply-demand fundamentals and raw material cost stability.
- Aluminum chloride hexahydrate prices may rise modestly, driven by demand from the water treatment sector; however, fierce competition will constrain upward movement.

2. Medium- to Long-Term Trends
- High-End Transformation: Sustained growth in demand for high-purity aluminum chloride is likely to drive price appreciation and concentrate industry profits among leading enterprises.
- Green Transition: Stricter environmental policies will compel technological upgrades; widespread adoption of clean production technologies may reduce long-term operating costs, although substantial upfront investment could temporarily elevate prices.
- Export Opportunities: Rising demand in emerging markets—including Southeast Asia and Africa—may expand Chinese export volumes; however, evolving international trade policies warrant close monitoring.

3. Risk Warnings
- Sharp volatility in raw material prices, tightening environmental regulations, and shifts in overseas market demand may trigger significant price fluctuations.
- Accelerated industry consolidation poses heightened risks of elimination for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), necessitating proactive strategic planning—including technological upgrading and differentiation-focused competitiveness development.