Feasibility Report
Melamine
Melamine is an organic compound with the formula C₃H₆N₆. This white solid is a trimer of cyanamide, with a
1,3,5-triazine skeleton. Like cyanamide, it contains 67% nitrogen by mass, and its derivatives have fire
retardant properties due to its release of nitrogen gas when burned or charred. Its structure is as follows.
Believe it or not, melamine has been around since the 1830s. Just not in the form of plates,
cups, bowls, serving accessories, trays, and utensils. In 1834 a German scientist Justus von
Liebig created the unique colorless compound in its raw form. Organic-based, melamine is
composed of nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen. The molecular structure of melamine was first
published by A.W. von Hoffman in 1885. Its IUPAC name was suggested as 2/4/6-triamino
1/3/5- triazine. Not having a practical use for the compound, it sat idle for almost a hundred
years until the 1930s. In early production, first, calcium cyanamide was converted
into dicyandiamide, which was heated above its melting temperature to produce melamine. In
the early 1940s, Mackay discovered that melamine could also be synthesized from urea and
today it is produced industrially almost exclusively with this route.
The next question that arises is why we need melamine?
Why Melamine
According to the latest statistics, Pakistan imports 8290 Metric tons per annum of Melamine at
the total price of $ 8.7M and its demand is increasing every year. Here is the list of some
industries in Pakistan that are using melamine
1. Nimr (Pvt) Ltd.
2. Tableware Technology (Pvt) Limited.
3. Atlantic & Pacific International (Pvt) ltd
4. King melamine products.
5. Sunlight wood products (Pvt) Limited.
6. Dove melamine ware.
7. Prolific export concern.
8. Mehran metal ware trader.
9. Dar melamine ware.
10. Nizami international.
So due to the increase in demand for melamine, the problem is how we can cope with this
increasing demand and supply; the required amount of melamine to respective industries and
meet the melamine’s demand of the country.
As it is clear from the above-mentioned detail that melamine requirement is increasing every
year and this soaring demand for melamine, especially for the production of melamine-
formaldehyde resin since 2017, has created our interest to produce the melamine in Pakistan to
minimize the import of melamine and ultimately stabilize the economy of Pakistan. This project
can make Pakistan independent concerning melamine production.
Applications of melamine
1. Resin production
In one large-scale application, melamine is combined with formaldehyde and other agents to
produce melamine resins. Such resins are characteristically durable thermosetting plastic used in
high-pressure decorative laminates such as Formica, melamine dinnerware, laminate flooring,
and dry erase boards
2. Pigment yellow 150
Melamine is one of the major components in Pigment Yellow 150, a colorant in inks and plastic
3. Fabrication
Melamine also enters the fabrication of melamine polyclone, used as a superplasticizer for making
high-resistance concrete. Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde (SMF) is a polymer used as a cement
admixture to reduce the water content in concrete while increasing the fluidity and the workability
of the mix during handling and pouring. It results in concrete with a lower porosity and a higher
mechanical strength, exhibiting improved resistance to aggressive environments and a longer
lifetime
4. Fertilizers
The use of melamine as fertilizer for crops had been envisioned during the 1950s and 1960s because
of its high nitrogen content (2/3). However, melamine is much more expensive to produce than are
other common nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea. The mineralization (degradation to ammonia) for
melamine is slow, making this product both economically and scientifically impractical for use as a
fertilizer.
5. Fire retardant
Melamine and its salts are used as fire-retardant additives in paints, plastics, and paper
6. Molding Compounds
Melamine molding compounds can be produced by compression or injection molding and are used
to make dinnerware for the home, in foodservice, and institutional settings. They also have some
applications in circuit breakers, mixing bowls, small appliance housings, and cosmetic cases.
7. Coatings
Melamine-formaldehyde (MF) resins are used for surface coatings in automotive
applications, for metal containers, for metal furniture, coil coatings, and electric appliances.
8. Melamine Foams
Melamine foam is used as insulation, soundproofing material, and in polymeric cleaning products,
such as Magic Eraser.
9. Medicinal drug
Melamine derivatives of arsenical drugs are potentially important in the treatment of African
trypanosomiasis.
10. Thermosetting Property
Melamine resins are strongly thermosetting and can be moulded into a variety of products for our
daily life. The moulds are heat-resistant, odor- and tasteless as well as non-conductive. By adding
pigments to the resin, various colors and combinations thereof are possible. Final molding products
include household appliances, table- and dinnerware, utensil handles, electric sockets, and much
more.
11. Laminates
A decorative film layer (like wood grain, solid color, or pattern) impregnated with a melamine resin
that consists of melamine and formaldehyde (MF resin) is attached to a wooden substrate like
fiberboard or particleboard core materials. The resulting products are used in furniture,
countertops, walls, floors, and elsewhere. The contained melamine is adding properties like heat,
water, and chemical resistance to the end product. Also, antibacterial properties are included,
making melamine high-pressure or low-pressure laminates the ideal choice e.g., kitchen
countertops.
Chart Title
8% 29%
36%
8%
11%
8%
Adhesives Mouldings Coatings
High pressure laminates Low pressure laminates Others
Melamine production methods
Melamine can be produced by following three compounds
1. Dicyanamide (C2HN3).
2. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN).
3. Urea (NH2CONH2).
1. Melamine production from dicyanamide
Dicyanamide has the following structure
In this method, calcium cyanamide is first converted into dicyanamide and then
dicyanamide is heated at about 110-150oC in the presence of potassium hydroxide catalyst
and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether medium to produce melamine.
2. Production of melamine from HCN
This Process for the production of melamine starting from hydrogen cyanide and ammonia runs at
substantially atmospheric pressure in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst which comprises
of oxide of chromium and/or a metal of Group VIII of the Periodic System. Examples given of the
Group VIII metals are platinum, palladium, nickel, and cobalt.
A disadvantage of a process such as described in GB-803.195 is the low yield that can maximally be
obtained. Yields of the order of only 3% can be reached. However, if we use Group II element yield
will increase to 50%.
3. Production of melamine from Urea
The modern processes of melamine synthesis can be classified into two categories:
1. catalytic low-pressure process.
2. non-catalytic high-pressure process.
All processes are characterized by three process stages.
Synthesis Of M elamine
Recovery of Off-Gas
Recovery of M elamine
Low-pressure process
The LP process in the vapor phase is a catalytic process in which the decomposition of molten urea and
synthesis of melamine takes place in a fluidized bed reactor over a catalyst Al2O3. The effluent is
quenched with water and the resulting slurry is sent to a filter where insoluble impurities are removed.
Filtration followed by crystallization and drying to produce melamine crystals of purity above 99.8%
Reaction conditions; 10bar
Overall reaction
Reference: Synthetic Nitrogen Products by Gary R Maxwell
High-pressure process
The HP process in the liquid phase requires no catalyst, reaches similar purities as in LP, and consist of a
high-pressure section, in which molten urea is converted to Melamine in the reactor at 80-150 bar, and
380-450oC followed by quenching step and the recovering of the off-gas through a stripper. In the low-
pressure section hydrolyzer and filtration lead to a crystallization unit from which the melamine slurry is
dried and stored
Advantage of HP process over LP
The advantage of this process is that there is no concern regarding the catalyst and fines and
that the dry off-gas enables it to be easily integrated into the urea plant.
Smaller apparatus size can be deemed to be one of the advantages of high-pressure
processes over low-pressure processes. A reaction taking place in a liquid phase clearly
requires less space.
UREA (carbonyl-diamide, carbamide)
Urea is a popular solid nitrogen fertilizer because of its high nitrogen content (46%), with nearly
90% of output going into fertilizers. Most world output is in a solid form, either pills or granules,
or crystalline for specialized small-volume uses
Applications
It is use
1. in the manufacture of melamine
2. as a nitrogen-release fertilizer
3. as a stabilizer in nitrocellulose explosives
4. in the manufacturing of high explosives like urea nitrate
5. in creams or ointments to rehydrate skin
6. in the urea breath test to detect the presence of bacteria in the stomach
7. as an ingredient in dish soap
8. in hair removal creams
Urea sale and market trend (July 2019-June 2020)
Urea sales increased by 81% to 1.16 million tons in June 2020 compared to June 2019,
according to data released by the National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC). The latest
market trend during July 2019-June 2020 is as shown below.
A company that is profiting from its product is more likely, but not guaranteed, to see the price
of its stock rise as well as an increase in dividends paid to its shareholders. This is because it
helps investors know which companies are successful, which then leads to an increase in the
value and price of the companies’ stock.
Farmers delayed purchases in the previous month (May) in anticipation of a subsidy on urea
However, the government later decided to offer subsidies. This led to an increase in sales in
June. The government revised the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), which lead to
lower input costs for fertilizer companies. Hence, they passed on this benefit in the form of
lower urea prices.
Prices are mainly increased or reduced according to changes in the input cost or sometimes the
government’s intervention.
Fertilizer manufacturers are among the main users of natural gas. If gas price increases in the
future, which has been delayed since January 2020, the input costs of fertilizers will increase.
This can then lead to an increase in the prices of fertilizers, such as urea. Higher fertilizer prices
can result in farmers buying less of it, which can lead to a decrease in the revenue of fertilizer
companies.
Pakistan’s Urea Production Statistics
Pakistan Urea Production Statistics
7,000,000
6,000,000
Urea Production (Tonns)
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Time (Year)
Properties of Reactants and products
Properties Compounds
Urea Melamine Ammonia
Molecular formula NH2CONH2 C3N6H6 NH3
Molecular weight 60.06 126.13 g/gmol 17 g/gmol
(g /gmol)
Melting point (C) 132.7 345 (sublime) −77.73 °
Boiling point 195 o 343 o −33.34 °
Appearance colorless crystals White Solid Colorless gas
Density (Kg /m3) 1335 1573 0.86
PH Range not particular 7.35-7.45 11.6
Market Analysis
World-Wide
The properties of melamine resin provide product advantages. These properties include
abrasion, chemical, physical, and thermal resistance; hardness; and the ability to combine with
other chemicals to make melamine resins with good handling and molding properties. The high
nitrogen content of melamine resin also provides fire-retardant properties. Thus, demand is
influenced largely by general economic conditions.
More than 70% of global melamine consumption is for laminates and wood adhesives
production. Laminates are found in products such as furniture, floors, kitchen cabinets and
countertops, and walls. Wood adhesives based on melamine are found in several wood
products including medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, and plywood. Melamine-
modified wood adhesives improve the durability and moisture resistance of the final wood
board.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of melamine
During the last few years, melamine consumption has increased as global economies have
improved and melamine endues industries such as housing, construction, and automotive have
continued to grow. However, in 2020, melamine consumption will decline from 2019 levels
because of COVID-19 and the resulting negative effect on the global economy and melamine
end-use industries. In general, melamine consumption is expected to recover slightly in 2021
and will experience modest or limited growth in the years thereafter, depending on different
regions of the world. Global melamine consumption growth is expected to be 3.5% per year
during 2020-25.
The modest global growth will be driven by mainland China, which accounts for nearly half of
world melamine consumption, as well as almost three-fourths of total world capacity. Relatively
stronger growth will also take place in other parts of Asia, such as the Indian Subcontinent and
Southeast Asia. Modest growth is expected for other regions of the world including the Middle
East, Central and Eastern Europe, America, and Central and South America.
As China is the biggest manufacturer of melamine, it is also the biggest exporter of melamine in
the world. China is on the top of the table with 311,131 tons of export in 2019. There are some
other Asian and European countries that are among the top 10.
Here, we have some data related to the import and export of melamine across the globe in
2019. The list of top 10 exporters of melamine in 2019 is;
Top 10 Exporters of Melamine in 2019
Price (1000
Country Quantity (Tons) USD)
China 311,131.00 266,414.96
Germany 89,520.20 107,090.16
Japan 39,013.90 44,280.41
Russian Federation 21,708.60 24,432.43
United States 19,337.86 21,764.26
Romania 7,399.79 8,960.22
Belarus 6,089.72 7,683.40
Belgium 2,566.90 2,887.75
United Kingdom 1,397.03 1,571.66
Spain 770.95 1,148.60
The countries which don’t produce melamine or their present production is less than their
consumption, import melamine from other countries. Most of the countries import melamine
from China as it is the biggest manufacturer. The list of top 10 importers of melamine in the
world is;
Top 10 Importers of Melamine in 2019
Country Quantity (Tons) Price (1000 USD)
India 68,019.70 70,435.17
Germany 66,098.50 81,488.00
Italy 38,427.10 48,919.35
Brazil 35,511.00 39,657.69
United States 33,560.60 48,000.92
United Kingdom 33,100.10 40,019.23
Malaysia 29,995.90 27,997.26
Spain 29,539.80 41,408.11
Indonesia 29,207.30 29,786.86
Belgium 28,345.60 37,281.80
India is the second-biggest market after China. So, India imports more melamine than any other
country. Malaysia and Indonesia are among the top 10 importers of melamine. Mostly, there
are European countries in this list which includes Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and United
Kingdom.
Market of Melamine in Pakistan
Several industries in Pakistan are using melamine as a raw material. Pakistan is not producing
melamine so it has to import from others countries according to need.
Here is a list that shows Pakistan’s import of melamine from 2010 to 2019.
Pakistan's Import of Melamine (2010-19)
Year Quantity (Tons) Price (1000 USD)
2010 4,081.54 6,001.38
2011 4,510.88 7,130.58
2012 3,828.58 5,218.23
2013 4,105.02 5,415.90
2014 3,958.69 5,702.75
2015 1,939.09 4,725.26
2016 1,967.34 6,329.09
2017 7,689.55 7,540.32
2018 8,244.40 10,349.87
2019 8,289.74 8,736.22
The need of melamine is increasing over the years. As we can see from the table, Pakistan
imported 4,081.54 tons in 2010 but 8,289.74 tons in 2019 (almost more than double the
amount of 2010). Pakistan and China are good friends and are doing business in several fields.
Pakistan imports most of the melamine (94%) from China. We can see this in the table below
which shows the countries from which Pakistan imported melamine in 2019.
Pakistan's import of Melamine in 2019
Price (1000
Country Quantity (Tons) USD)
China 7,810.09 8312.17
Iran, Islamic Rep. 479.32 423.65
Germany 0.307 0.37
United States 0.015 0.02
United Arab
Emirates 0.01 0.01
Pakistan imported melamine from China, Iran, Germany, the United States, and UAE but a
major amount from China. Iran came second in this list and all the other countries exported a
negligible amount to Pakistan.
Chart Title
6%0% China
Iran, Islamic Rep.
Germany
United States
United Arab Emirates
94%
Conclusion
Since 2017, the demand of melamine in Pakistan is continuously increasing, major users of
melamine are the adhesive industry, laminate industry, coatings industry, and molding industry.
In 2019 Pakistan’s demand of Melamine is approximately 8000 MTPY or 22MTPD. By keeping in
view, the global and domestic market trends there is a need to produce approx. 30 tons per day
(MTPD) melamine will be sufficient to overcome Pakistan’s melamine requirement and reduce
the imports and the cost of products manufactured from the melamine.
