ICIS Pricing Launches its Weekly Asia Soap Noodle Report - the First and Only Weekly Price Benchmark Covering Standard Grades

SINGAPORE, February 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- ICIS pricing, the leading price reporting service for the global chemical industry, has added a weekly Asia Soap Noodle price report to its portfolio and now offers the most complete range of oleochemical reports in the market.

The report will bring transparency to the region's soap noodle market and help producers, buyers (bar soap producers and toll manufacturers), traders and other market players assess the market and gain insight into market sentiment.

The report introduces a benchmark which buyers can use to assess the value of customised soap noodle formulations based on the standard grade.

"The report adds strength to the current oleochemical reports portfolio. This report not only further extends our lead in the oleochemicals market but also allows us to provide a full picture of the entire market which will add value to our customers," said Christine Wong, ICIS Global Product Development Manager. "I have no doubt our reports will provide our customers with greater insight for decision making," Ms Wong continues.

The new ICIS pricing Asia Soap Noodle report covers the standard grade of 80/20 blend soap noodle spot prices in Southeast Asia (FOB), China (Ex-works) and India (Ex-works), including commentary on markets and prices in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and India. It also contains other soap noodle blends as they are traded (eg. 90/10, 70/30) while tracking the feedstock markets of Malaysian and Indonesian crude palm oil, crude palm kernel oil, palm stearin, Chinese palm oil, crude coconut oil and tallow. The report includes Southeast Asian exports to Asia, Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The end use for soap noodle is bar soap production. Bar soap continues to lead the market in Asia bath and shower sales, with an estimated 5.3million tons consumed in 2009 globally.

The world's largest soap noodle export market is in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia.

ICIS reports provide price assessments, intelligence and analysis of the factors driving chemical markets. The information they supply is used to underpin commercial contracts and support key business decisions throughout the world.

Request a sample copy of the ICIS Asia Soap Noodle report from ICIS pricing at http://www.icis.com/AsiaSoapNoodleReportTrial or by emailing csc@icis.com .

Notes to Editors:

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    Melvin Tang
    ICIS pricing
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