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This section provides an overview for caprolactam as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 caprolactam manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked caprolactam companies as of December, 2024: 1.Domo Chemicals, 2.Junsei Chemical Co.,Ltd., 3.Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited.
Table of Contents
Caprolactam, abbreviated as ε-caprolactam, is a type of lactam, which is a cyclic amide. It is a key intermediate in the manufacture of Nylon 6, a widely used synthetic resin and fiber.
The primary use of caprolactam is in the production of Nylon 6 through ring-opening polymerization. About 60% of global Nylon 6 demand is for fiber applications, including clothing, tire cords, and carpets. The remaining 40% is for resin applications in engineering plastics and films. Caprolactam is also utilized in synthesizing copolyamides by copolymerization with other monomers.
Caprolactam appears as white, leaf-like crystals. It is hygroscopic, deliquescent, and soluble in water, ether, ethanol, benzene, chloroform, and dimethylformamide. Upon heating or combustion, it decomposes, producing nitrogen oxides and ammonia, and reacts vigorously with strong oxidizers. Caprolactam hydrolyzes to ε-aminocaproic acid and has a melting point of 156°F (69°C), boiling point of 512.6°F (267°C), and flash point of 257°F (125°C).
Caprolactam, also known as 6-hexanolactam, lactam ε-aminocaprolactam, lactam 6-aminocaproic acid, and lactam 6-aminohexanoic acid, is a cyclic structure derived from ε-aminocaproic acid. Its molecular formula is C6H11NO, with a molecular weight of 113.16 g/mol and a density of 1.01 g/cm³.
Caprolactam is synthesized via various methods, most commonly by the Beckmann rearrangement of cyclohexanone oxime, derived from benzene, phenol, or toluene. The fuming sulfuric acid used in this process produces significant ammonium sulfate as a byproduct.
Alternative synthesis methods include a gas-phase Beckmann rearrangement using high-silica MFI zeolite catalysts, which does not produce ammonium sulfate byproducts. This method is efficient with zeolites containing low alumina content. Another method involves the cyanuric chloride-catalyzed Beckmann rearrangement, which eliminates the need for toxic nitrosyl chloride and is more efficient than previous methods, producing minimal waste products.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Kanto Chemical Co. Inc., founded in 1944 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a reagent manufacturer with overseas affiliates in other countries, including China, France, USA, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Its product portfolio includes analytical reagents, ionic liquids, Iodine compounds, ultra-pure chemicals, and water analysis kits. The company is also developing regenerative medicine and genetics reagents and has over 50,000 products. It has several certifications, including ISO 9001, acquired in 1994, making it the first Japanese company in the reagent industry. Other certifications are ISO 14001, ISO 13485, and ISO/IEC 17025.
Junsei Chemical Co. Ltd., established in 1948 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of chemical reagents and chemical products, including commissioned synthesis of chemical products. Some of the products it makes include Sodium chloride solution, concentrated glycerin, calcium chloride, ascorbic acid, and nitric acid. The chemical products have a wide range of applications and can be used in pathological examination, as food additives, for analysis, and in the pharmaceutical industry. All its plants, including its research institute, are ISO4001 and ISO9001 certified, while its Saitama and Ibaraki plants are equipped with buildings that comply with GMP.
Kishida Chemical Co. Ltd., established in 1924 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, is a manufacturer of reagents and high-purity chemicals and also does drug discovery support activities. Its product portfolio includes fine chemicals, research chemicals, ionic liquid, organic micro-analytical reagents, and chemical reagents for analysis. The products support several industries, including reagent business, battery material, drug discovery, and life science. The company is ISO 14001 certified and supplies several companies worldwide, including Meterion Advanced Chemicals Inc., Acros Organics, ChemBridge Corporation, Decon Laboratories, and InerBioScreen Ltd.
Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited, founded in Vadodara, Gujarat, in 1962 is a manufacturer of Fertilizers and Chemical products. The company's product portfolio includes water soluble fertilizers, sulfur based products, seeds, soil conditioners, and micro nutrients. The company serves markets including Medical, Agriculture, Consumer Goods, Industrial Manufacturing and Construction. The company also provides services including national distribution, product selection, customized services, farmer training program, technical support and customer service.
Merck, started in 1668 and based in Darmstadt, Germany, is a supplier of solutions and services for research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical and biotechnological drug therapies. The company serves the life science industry and has a broad portfolio of 300,000 products, including biopharmaceutical manufacturing, industrial microbiology, reagent, life science research, and water purification products. It is available in 66 countries, brings together six brands, and has several ISO certifications, including ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 13485, and ISO 50001.
UBE Corporation, established in 1897, is a Japanese manufacturer and supplier of chemical and machinery solutions, headquartered in Minato City, Tokyo and Ube, Yamaguchi. The company offers a range of chemicals for various industries and daily applications including electrolytes and separators for lithium-ion batteries and nylon resins for engineering plastics. UBE also offers gas separation membranes, polybutadiene rubber, and fine chemical products. The company's subsidiary, UBE MACHINERY CORPORATION, Ltd., supplies various machinery, including die-casting and extrusion machines, injection molding machines, and industrial machines, like ceramic machines and water screening equipment. These products find applications in various industries, including automobile and energy.
Nacalai Tesque Inc., founded in 1846 and headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a manufacturer of research chemicals, fine chemicals, diagnostics, and the related instruments. Some of its products include cytokines, nucleic acid electrophoresis, cell dissociation reagents, and sialic acid-related products, and it also offers custom and bulk service for bulk reagents and cell culture media. The company has more than 50 domestic distributors and several worldwide, including Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, Europe, and Africa. It is ISO 9001 and ISO 9002 certified, while the Kyoto South brand and Tesque factory are ISO 14001 certified.
Domo Chemicals is a chemicals and materials manufacturer and distributor that was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. The company manufactures and distributes an extensive range of chemical and material solutions that include Polyamide 6/6.6 chemical intermediates, Polyamide 6/6.6 base polymers, engineered materials, performance fibers, fertilizers, and petrochemical products. Domo Chemicals caters to industries such as automotive, agriculture, and electronics. Its products include PA6 (Polyamide 6) (381), PA66 (Polyamide 66) (207) and (PA66 + PA6) blend (5). The company also provides specialized services like custom formulation and technical support.
Founded in 1981, Central Drug House Ltd. serves the scientific community via manufacturing and marketing a library of over 9,000 products to laboratory fine chemicals and dehydrated culture media with emphasis on purity and service. Examples are acids & bases, adsorbents, disinfectants, indicator papers, oils, and solvents. CDH provides bio chemicals, research chemicals, laboratory reagents, various solvents, stains & indicators, and dehydrated culture media. CDH is ISO 9001 certified and CDHs’ products are in compliance with specifications of IP, BP, USP, and EP standards.
Founded in Mumbai, India in 2006, Otto Chemie Pvt. Ltd. is an ISO 9001:2015 & GMP certified chemical manufacturing company and distributor. Otto Chemie serves customers in many industries including agriculture and food processing, pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, cement, as well as educational and R&D industries. Product offerings include antibiotics, amino acids, vitamins, detergents, ionic liquids, materials science compounds, labware, oil, metal & ceramic science compounds and tools, oils, reagents, solvents.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Domo Chemicals |
26.9%
|
| 2 | Junsei Chemical Co.,Ltd. |
12.4%
|
| 3 | Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited |
10.0%
|
| 4 | KANTO CHEMICAL CO.,INC. |
9.5%
|
| 5 | Otto Chemie Pvt. Ltd |
9.0%
|
| 6 | Central Drug House |
8.5%
|
| 7 | UBE Corporation |
7.5%
|
| 8 | Kishida Chemical Co.,Ltd. |
7.0%
|
| 9 | Merck |
5.0%
|
| 10 | nacalai |
4.5%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the caprolactam page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
4 | 57.1% |
|
India
|
3 | 42.9% |
