Paraffin wax is a white or colorless soft solid derived from petroleum, coal, or oil shale that consists of a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules containing between 20 and 40 carbon atoms. It is a saturated hydrocarbon (alkane) with a crystalline structure, characterized by its low reactivity, low toxicity, and relatively low melting point typically ranging from about 46°C to 68°C. Paraffin wax is odorless and tasteless in its refined form and is insoluble in water but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. It is widely used in candles, food-grade coatings, cosmetics, packaging, rubber processing, electrical insulation, and as a moisture barrier in various industrial and consumer applications.
How About the Price?
Key Influence Events
Data source: UN Comtrade monthly trade statistics (https://comtradeapi.un.org/public/v1/preview/C/M/HS?period=202606&cmdCode=271220&partnerCode=0&flowCode=X&includeDesc=true) | Last updated: 2026-09-24
Price Trajectory, latest 12 months (2025-07 to 2026-06)
The monthly customs export unit value for HS 271220 moved from USD 1,921/ton in 2025-07 to USD 1,850/ton in 2026-06 (-3.7% across the window). The window high was USD 1,921/ton in 2025-07 and the low USD 1,662/ton in 2025-12. Three-month averages put the latest quarter +3.7% against the previous one, which is classified here as bullish.
The same panel reported USD 583.3 million of export value on 327,671 tonnes over the twelve months, an average of 27,306 tonnes a month. These are customs returns for the stated HS heading, so they capture the traded mix of that heading rather than a single quoted grade.
Supply-side factors
- Fixed reporting panel of 14 economies: CAN, CZE, DNK, DEU, GRC, HUN, MYS, NLD, POL, PRT, IND, SWE, EGY, USA. The panel is constant in every month of the window, so month-to-month movement is not a composition effect.
- Monthly unit value range over the window: USD 1,662 to USD 1,921/ton.
- Latest month, 2026-06: USD 1,850/ton, +5.6% against the previous month, on 26,795 tonnes.
Demand-side factors
- Volatile but stable demand from the candle and packaging markets, supporting the wax market (mentioned in 2021 and 2026).
- Global paraffin wax market valued around USD 6.3–6.36 billion in 2021 and 2025, indicating consistent end-use consumption.
- Crude oil price recovery indirectly supporting slack wax availability and demand dynamics (early 2021).
Related market pages on this site: Bitumen, Petroleum Coke, Crude Oil market analysis.
Basis: these are customs unit values for the stated HS heading, not quoted spot, contract or assessed prices, and no paid price assessment is used or redistributed on this page. Every figure can be re-checked at the API links listed at the end of this page. Coverage note: HS 271220 covers paraffin wax containing less than 0.75% oil; other waxes fall under HS 271290.
Top Countries Production Capacity
| Property | Typical Value / Range | Unit | Grade / Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 46 – 68 | °C | Varies by grade |
| Melting Point (Fully Refined) | 58 – 68 | °C | Fully Refined (FRP) |
| Melting Point (Semi Refined) | 52 – 62 | °C | Semi Refined (SRP) |
| Melting Point (Scale Wax) | 46 – 54 | °C | Scale Wax / Crude Wax |
| Oil Content (Fully Refined) | ≤ 0.5 | % wt | Fully Refined |
| Oil Content (Semi Refined) | 0.5 – 1.5 | % wt | Semi Refined |
| Oil Content (Scale Wax) | 2.0 – 10.0 | % wt | Scale / Slack Wax |
| Color (Saybolt) | +25 to +30 | Saybolt units | Fully Refined (white) |
| Kinematic Viscosity at 100°C | 3.0 – 5.0 | mm²/s (cSt) | Typical range |
| Density at 15°C | 0.880 – 0.915 | g/cm³ | All grades |
| Flash Point (COC) | ≥ 200 | °C | Minimum, all grades |
| Congealing Point | 46 – 65 | °C | Varies by grade |
| Penetration at 25°C | 10 – 25 | 0.1 mm (dmm) | Hard grades ≤ 15; soft grades up to 25 |
| Carbon Number Range | C20 – C40 | — | Normal alkanes predominant |
| Odor | Odorless | — | Fully Refined (food/cosmetic grade) |
| Food Grade Compliance | Meets FDA 21 CFR 172.886 / 178.3710 | — | Food / Cosmetic grade |
Data Sources
Price, volume and capacity figures on this page are computed from the public sources listed below; no subscription assessment data is used or redistributed.
- UN Comtrade monthly public trade statistics — HS 271220, exports, by month (2025-07 to 2026-06): 2025-07, 2025-08, 2025-09, 2025-10, 2025-11, 2025-12, 2026-01, 2026-02, 2026-03, 2026-04, 2026-05, 2026-06
- Fixed reporting panel for this series: CAN, CZE, DNK, DEU, GRC, HUN, MYS, NLD, POL, PRT, IND, SWE, EGY, USA. The exact API calls are the per-month links above.
Who are the Top Players?
| Company | Headquarters | Key Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Sinopec | Beijing, China | Jingmen, Hubei |
| PetroChina | Beijing, China | Fushun, Liaoning |
| Sasol | Sandton, South Africa | Sasolburg, Free State, South Africa, Hamburg, Germany, Brunsbüttel, Germany, Marl, Germany, Linz, Austria, Birkenhead, UK, Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA |
| ExxonMobil | Spring, Texas, USA | |
| HF Sinclair | Dallas, Texas, USA | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| Nippon Seiro | Tokyo, Japan | Tokuyama, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Tsukuba, Japan, Thailand |
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