Markets
INEOS Phenol products serve a wide range of application areas which improves significantly everyone‘s daily life. Learn more about the markets our products serve.
Adhesives
Acetone is used in a variety of adhesive applications, ranging from spray adhesives found in almost every DIY store, to glues used to adhere the sole to the shoe upper in the footwear industry.
Agro Chemicals
Both phenol and acetone are key raw materials for manufacturing herbicides and pesticides, such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and Monoisopropylamine (MIPA), products which help to protect crops and improve yields.
Automotive
Phenol and acetone find widespread use as key raw materials in the manufacture of polycarbonate, which is used throughout the automotive industry. Most headlamps, taillights, windows, sunroofs and various other car parts, including bullet-proof glass, contain our molecules. Our involvement with the Automotive industry doesn’t end there as Phenol is also the key raw material for nylon intermediates used in engineered thermoplastics and carpeting; whilst acetone is the key precursor for Methyl methacrylate (MMA)/ Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is also used for auto-glazing and as an exterior car coating, improving both the scratch and weather resistance of the final vehicle. All of these applications have replaced heavier and often less durable alternatives, enabling the weight of the vehicle to be reduced, increasing fuel efficiency and performance. We also offer Alpha Methyl Styrene (AMS) which is used as a modifier for heat resistant ABS with application in the automotive industry.
Chemicals
Phenol, acetone and Alphamethylstyrene (AMS) are widely used throughout the chemical industry as chain terminators, solvents, drying agents and intermediates in a variety of chemical processes.
Cleaning
Acetone is one of the most widely used solvents in the world today. From degreasing in industrial applications to cleaning the kitchen and bathroom floors, phenol and acetone are in many of the products used in homes and businesses today.
Coatings
Polycarbonate, produced from phenol and acetone, and Methyl methacrylate (MMA)/ Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), produced from acetone, are used universally by all the major automobile manufacturers to coat vehicle exteriors. These products offer vastly superior weather and scratch resistance compared to alternatives. Phenol and acetone derivatives are also used as coatings for electronic circuit boards and electrical wiring.
Construction
Our products are at the heart of every residential and commercial building project through a wide variety of applications in the construction industry from skylights, decorative glass, acrylic glass to plywood, oriented stand board (OSB) and structural beams.
Cosmetics
Phenol and acetone are used in bath, hair and skin care products to kill microorganisms, reduce body odour and cleanse the skin. Phenol is used for chemical skin peels and is in many sunscreen and lip balm formulations. Acetone is used in nail polishes, as well as nail polish removers.
Food
Phenol is the main ingredient in synthetic vanilla flavouring. Both phenol and acetone occur naturally in many everyday foods, such as fruit and vegetables. Phenol and acetone are often used as intermediates or solvents in the production of vitamins and other supplements, as well as in the packaging for food, vitamins and medications.
Home and electrical
Products made from phenol and acetone are in everything from the flat screen TVs in the living room to the iPhone and iPad on the counter, to the computer on the desk in the study. Alphamethylstyrene (AMS) is also used extensively in high-heat electronics, such as coffee machines, vacuum cleaners and toasters.
Leisure
Many products such as tennis racquets, bike helmets, golf equipment, skis, ski boots, sail boat hulls and sails, to name but a few, are made from phenol and acetone derivatives. Many of the sports that we enjoy everyday benefit from the improved performance made possible by phenol and acetone.
Medical and pharmaceuticals
Phenol is used in a wide variety of medical applications ranging from aspirin to throat lozenges and sprays. Phenol and acetone derivatives are also used in contact lenses, artificial joints, dentures and dental fillings, as well as many other applications.
Medical Technology
Phenol and Acetone are used in respiratory machines, blood management products, intravenous access components and vaccine development.
Packaging
Phenol and Acetone are used in a wide range of films and packaging for food and pharmaceuticals. These applications maintain quality, freshness and ensure the products are sterile thus improving shelf life and food waste.
Paint and ink
Phenol and acetone use is widespread in paints and inks. Acetone is used as a solvent in many paint applications and one of its main derivatives, Methyl methacrylate (MMA)/ Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), is the basis for acrylic paint. Phenol derivatives are used in laser and ink jet printers as a coating for the ink.
Pipes
Many pipes have phenolic or epoxy coatings to prevent corrosion. Both of these applications use phenol as the initial building block.
Rubber and tyres
Phenol is the precursor for the nylon intermediates caprolactam and adipic acid. Both are used to produce tyre cord for tyre manufacturers all over the world.
Textiles
Nylon is made from intermediates caprolactam and adipic acid, both of which are made from phenol. Both intermediates are used to make synthetic yarn for clothing and other textile applications. These products are used in many of the newer, high-performance sportswear and uniform ranges seen at the Olympics.