Metolachlor

Description

1. Product Overview
Metolachlor is a high-purity, selective chloroacetamide herbicide engineered for systemic pre-emergence and early post-emergence control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds. Its primary industrial application lies in large-scale row crops—corn, soybeans, sorghum, and cotton—where it functions as a foundational soil-residual solution. The key value proposition is unmatched operational reliability: delivering extended residual activity with low volatility, thereby reducing repeat application costs and mitigating resistance buildup. Strategically, Metolachlor is indispensable to global supply chains seeking to maximize yield per hectare while maintaining compliance with evolving agrochemical regulations.

2. Key Specifications & Technical Characteristics

• Chemical composition: 2-Chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-1-methylethyl)acetamide; Chloroacetamide class

• Purity level: ≥ 96% min. (HPLC) for technical grade; 720–960 g/L EC formulations available

• Physical characteristics: Light amber to dark brown viscous liquid; mild aromatic odor; density approx. 1.12 g/mL at 20°C

• Particle size: N/A (liquid concentrate); emulsifies to stable droplet dispersion in water (1–5 µm mean)

• Packaging options: 200 L drums (net weight 220 kg), 1000 L IBC totes, bulk ISO tanks (20 MT)

• Shelf life: 2 years when stored sealed in original container, ambient 5–35°C, away from oxidizers

3. Core Industrial Applications

• Primary industries: Large-scale arable farming, contract crop production, agricultural input supply chains, and crop protection chemical distributors

• Specific use cases: Pre-plant incorporated or pre-emergence application in corn (2000–2800 g/ha), post-emergence in soybeans (1600–2400 g/ha), and directed spray in cotton

• Performance advantage over alternatives: Offers 30–50% longer residual control (up to 8 weeks) compared to acetochlor, with significantly lower volatility drift risk; superior to atrazine in grass spectra and without groundwater restriction concerns

• Efficiency & cost advantage: Single-pass application reduces labor and fuel costs; compatibility with glyphosate, atrazine, and 2,4-D enables tank mixing—lowering total applied cost by ~15–20% versus split programs

4. Competitive Advantages

• Quality consistency: ISO 9001:2025 certified production with batch-to-batch HPLC validation; ≤0.5% impurity variation across annual production

• Supply reliability: Dual-sourcing from GMP-compliant facilities (China and India) with 98% on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery track record

• Logistics capability: Networked warehousing in Rotterdam, Houston, and Singapore for 3-day regional dispatch; temperature-controlled bulk liquid logistics

• Price competitiveness: Contract pricing locked for 12–24 months at 8–12% below EU generic benchmarks (CIF terms)

• Sustainability: Low-Koc formulation reduces leaching potential; manufacturing with >99% solvent recovery; EU REACH and US EPA reduced-risk status pending

5. Commercial & Supply Information

• Minimum order quantity (MOQ): 20 MT (one full IBC or drum pallet configuration)

• Loading capacity (MT per container):

  • 20-foot standard container: 20 MT (80 drums × 250 kg net)

  • 40-foot high cube container: 26 MT (104 drums)

  • ISO tank container: 20–22 MT per tank (non-hazardous liquid classification: UN3082, Packing Group III)