The trend of domestic production of the several cresols is upward. In 1937 the output of all grades and types of cresols was 13,745,271 pounds with sales of 13,251,345 pounds, valued at $1,071,965. The practice of topping coal tar will greatly increase the output of the cresols as well as of other tar acids and naphthalene.

There are five domestic producers of cresol, three each of orthocresol and metaparacresol, and two of metacresol and paracresol. All except one of these makers recover natural phenol, cresylic acids, and other tar acids. Refining plants are located at Pittsburgh, Pa., Philadelphia, Pa., Indianapolis, Ind., and Follansbee, W. Va. Domestic production of synthetic paracresol was first announced in 1938.

The xylenols.—There has been a large domestic production of mixed xylenols in recent years. These mixtures, containing from 50 to 80 percent xylenols, are marketed as cresylic acid. Statistics of domestic production, and sales are therefore included in table 68. It is estimated that the output of xylenols and xylenol mixtures in 1935 exceeded 750,000 pounds and exceeded 1,250,000 pounds in 1937. At least one of the separated xylenols (1: 3: 5) has been produced commercially in the United States since 1935, but statistics of its production are not publishable.

Other high-boiling tar acids.—There was no reported domestic production of the other high-boiling acids prior to 1935 and the data obtained for that year are probably incomplete. Estimated output was 200,000 pounds in 1935, 250,000 pounds in 1936, and 300,000 pounds in 1937. These estimates are based on production of mixtures of high-boiling acids.

Cresylic acid.—Domestic production and sales statistics for so-called crude cresylic acid are not publishable. It is known, however, that production of the crude is small compared with our output of refined cresylic acid. It is usually more economical for the producer to prepare the mixture of tar acids to the specifications of the purchaser, rather than to leave part of the refining operations to be performed by the latter. The fact that imports of cresylic acid are chiefly of crude is largely due to the different tariff treatment of crude and refined.

Domestic production of refined cresylic acid was confined to one or two firms until 1928, when there were four makers. Statistics of production and sales are not publishable for the years prior to 1929, though it may be stated that the annual domestic output increased each year to supply the increased demand. Table 68 shows production and sales from 1929 to 1934, inclusive. Data for later years are not publishable.

Table 68.—Refined cresylic acid: United States production and sales, 1929-37

As previously stated, the composition of cresylic acid has gradually been changed from a mixture of the isomeric cresols to mixtures of cresols, xylenols, and high-boiling tar acids. The cresols, formerly included under cresylic acid statistics, are now shown separately. For this reason the data in table 68 do not fully reflect the increased output of these tar acids in recent years. Statistics for years prior to 1931 probably include all of the tar acids except phenol, while those for subsequent years do not include the separated cresols. In 1934 the production of refined cresylic acid was 10,949,860 pounds, and in addition recovery of the several cresols amounted to 11,798,276 pounds making a total of 22,748,136 pounds as compared with a total of 14,601,534 pounds in 1929 and 17,305,308 pounds in 1930.

During 1936 and the first part of 1937 a serious shortage of cresylic acid existed in the domestic market owing to increased demand by synthetic resin makers. The output in 1936 exceeded that in 1935 and the production in 1937 was appreciably higher than in 1936. These increases are due to the recovery of appreciable quantities at several new distillation plants, the topping of large amounts of tar hitherto not processed, and increased production by present recovery units.

There are many grades of cresylic acid, most of which are prepared by mixing or blending to individual specifications. Every large consumer apparently has his own specifications. In addition to these special mixtures there are the following standard blends:

(1) Ninety-nine percent high-boiling, straw color.

(2) Low-boiling, straw color.

(3) Special resin grade, high-boiling.

There are four domestic producers of cresylic acid with recovery and refining units at Pittsburgh, Pa., Philadelphia, Pa., Indianapolis, Ind., and Follansbee, W. Va. The last three mentioned are refining plants operated in conjunction with a number of tar distillation units widely scattered throughout the country. These units usually recover crude tar-acid fractions in the distillation of tar and ship them to these refining plants for separation and refining. All in this group are purchasers of coal tar. The fourth producer operates a byproduct recovery unit in connection with the company’s coke-oven operations. Part of the coal tar produced is distilled to recover the several products, including creosote oil, tar acids, and naphthalene, and the residual pitch is mixed with the remaining undistilled tar and used for fuel. The shortage of tar acids and naphthalene in 1936 caused this producer to begin the topping of tar.

Foreign production.

The cresols are produced in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and other European countries. Coal tar recovered in the United Kingdom is principally gas tar, which is much richer in tar acids than coke-oven tar, the principal source in the United States. This is true because low temperature carbonization of coal yields greater quantities of tar acids than are obtained in the tar from byproduct coke ovens. Exports to the United States are chiefly mixtures which can enter as crude cresylic acid.

Production of cresol in Germany in recent years is shown in table 69.

Table 69.—Cresol: German production, in specified years

German imports and exports of cresol, in recent years, are shown in table 70.

Table 70.—Cresol: German imports and exports, in specified years

The output of cresols in Czechoslovakia in recent years is shown in table 71.

Table 71.—Cresol: Production in Czechoslovakia, in specified years

Cresylic acid is recovered in all the countries of Europe, Great Britain and Germany being the leading producers and the principal exporters. Increasing demand in these countries for synthetic resins made from cresylic acid has greatly reduced the quantities available for export in recent years.

Great Britain is probably the world’s largest producer of cresylic acid, and for many years has been the principal exporter to the United States. This position is due to the large available supply of gas-house tar, and to an ample market for all the products of tar distillation. In 1935 the tar distilled in England, Wales, and Scotland totaled 360 million gallons, of which 55 percent was gas-house tar.

British production of all grades of cresylic acid averages between 35 million and 42 million pounds annually, of which from 12 million to 20 million pounds are exported. Many British producers market their tar products through pools and associations. There is a cresylic acid pool, a phenol pool, and at least two creosote oil export associations, a pitch marketing association, and a benzol association. One of the principal grades of cresylic acid produced in Great Britain is “American duty-free specification.”

Table 72 shows British exports of cresylic acid, by countries, in recent years.

Table 72.—Cresylic acid: British exports, by countries, 1933-37

Imports into the United States.

Rates of duty.—Prior to September 8, 1916, the cresols were imported free of duty. Since that date they have been subject to the tariff treatment shown in table 73.

Table 73.—The cresols: Rates of duty upon United States imports, 1916-37

Under the Tariff Act of 1930 metacresol, orthocresol, and paracresol as such or in mixture, if less than 75 percent pure, would be imported free under paragraph 1651.[23] If from 75 to 90 percent, they are dutiable under paragraph 27 at 7 cents a pound and 40 percent based upon American selling price.[24] And if 90 percent pure or more, they are dutiable under paragraph 27 at 3½ cents per pound and 20 percent, based upon American selling price.[25]

The duties on cresylic acid in recent years are shown in table 74. Under the Tariff Act of 1930, cresylic acid less than 75 percent pure is free under paragraph 1651.[23] If more than 75 percent pure it is dutiable under paragraph 27 (b) at 3½ cents per pound and 20 percent, based on American selling price.[26]

Table 74.—Cresylic acid: Rates of duty upon United States imports, 1916-37

Import statistics.—Imports of the separated and mixed cresols are combined in official statistics. Table 75 shows imports of the cresols “90 percent pure or more.” There have been no recorded imports of less pure grades.

Tables 76, 77, and 78 show, by principal sources, imports of metacresol, orthocresol, and paracresol, as obtained from invoice analyses by the United States Tariff Commission. The sum of the three tabulations does not equal the total shown for all cresols in table 75. The difference in 1934 of 38,744 pounds valued at $12,906 is accounted for by mixed cresols. Undoubtedly the differences in other years may be similarly accounted for.

Table 75.—Metacresol, orthocresol, and paracresol, 90 percent pure or more: United States imports for consumption, 1920, and 1923-37

Table 76.—Metacresol: United States imports for consumption by principal sources, in specified years

Table 77.—Orthocresol: United States imports for consumption, by principal sources, in specified years

Table 78.—Paracresol: United States imports for consumption, by principal sources, in specified years

The processes for recovery of the cresols (fractional distillation) usually yield products more than 75 percent pure and most of the consumers of mixed or prepared cresols require products of high purity. This explains why there are no imports less than 75 percent pure, notwithstanding that they are duty-free under paragraph 1651.

Under the act of 1930 cresols of 90 percent or greater purity are assessed for duty at 20 percent ad valorem and 3½ cents per pound while cresols 75.1 to 89.9 percent pure are assessed for duty at 40 percent ad valorem and 7 cents per pound. Naturally, since the duty on imports below 90 percent pure is double that on imports over 90 percent pure there are no imports of the former.

Imports of crude cresylic acid are shown in table 79 and those of refined cresylic acid in table 80. Imports by principal sources are shown in tables 81 and 82, for crude and refined, respectively.

Table 79.—Crude cresylic acid: United States imports for consumption, 1924-37

Table 80.—Refined cresylic acid: United States imports for consumption, in specified years, 1919-37