Semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk is built from a benchmark fob figure, oil-content and melt-point spec, packing format, and freight to the buyer's port. Argus Media's sample assessment placed slab wax at $1,120–1,150/t fob China, before freight, duty, and grade adjustments are added. BHD Group supplies Paraffin Wax as part of its hero range through two divisions, BHD Chemical and BHD Sourcing, quoted against a stated grade and delivery date.
Semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk moves with feedstock costs, oil content, and slab-versus-drum packing. According to Argus Media (2023), semi-refined paraffin wax slab was assessed at $1,120/t fob north China and $1,150/t fob south China on 03 Jan, each down $50/t from 06 Dec. That is a starting reference point, not a quote — freight, grade, and volume shift the delivered number.
Who this guide is for
This page is written for three buyers. Candle producers scaling from container candles to economy and utility lines need a per-kg cost they can plan around. Wax distributors and blenders quoting slack-wax blends need a defensible reference price. Procurement teams in Pakistan, India, and other import markets need to know what moves the landed cost before they commit to a bulk order.
What "semi refined" actually means
Semi-refined paraffin wax retains a measurable oil content, unlike a fully oil-free wax. The U.S. Energy Information Administration defines wax as "a solid or semi-solid material consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained or derived from petroleum fractions, or through a Fischer-Tropsch type process, in which the straight-chained paraffin series predominates" (EIA, undated). China's national standard, GB/T 254-2022, formally classifies semi-refined paraffin wax under grade E42, replacing the 2010, 1998, and 1987 editions (Standardization Administration of China, 2022).
Grades buyers actually search
Buyers searching for semi-refined stock typically look for paraffin HP3, M3, or UL2 tiers. Candle and cosmetics buyers separately search White, Snow White, and Super Snow White tiers, and for petroleum jelly grades such as PJ "Ultra Snow White" (BP-2017, 0.5Y). These are the search terms that map to real order specs, not marketing labels.
How the price per kg is built
A bulk quote per kg starts from a benchmark like the Argus assessment above, then adds oil-content spec, melt-point spec, packing (slab, pastille, or drum), and freight to the destination port. A buyer in Pakistan or India should expect ocean freight and import duty to sit on top of the fob figure. None of these additions are fixed; they are negotiated per order and per shipping lane.
Cheap vs. cost: reading the two numbers separately
A "cheap" quoted price and the real landed cost are not the same figure. A low per-kg price with high oil content, inconsistent melt point, or unverified packing can cost more once a batch fails quality control. Buyers comparing a cheap quote against a full-cost quote should ask for the same test data on both.
Applications that shape the spec you order
Candles: container, economy, and mourning lines
The waxes family is used to make pillar candles for the candles industry. Producers running container candles, economy and utility lines, or grave, church, and mourning candles typically set oil content and melt point differently for each format, and slack-wax blending is common for cost-managed runs.
Cosmetics and personal care
The waxes family also goes into cosmetic creams and balms, serving the cosmetics and personal care industry. This use sits alongside candles, not above it, and the spec conversation should stay within semi-refined territory rather than reaching for fully oil-free claims this catalogue does not make.
Standards a buyer should check before ordering
Test methods and national standards tell a buyer what a supplier's numbers actually mean. The table below lists the standards referenced in this guide.
| Standard / Index | What it measures | Why a buyer checks it |
|---|---|---|
| ASTM D87 | Melting point of petroleum wax (cooling curve method) | Confirms melt-point spec; not valid for petrolatum-group or microcrystalline waxes, or blends with paraffin or scale wax (ASTM International, undated) |
| ASTM D612-25 | Carbonizable substances in paraffin wax | Active standard, last updated 13 May 2025, used to check refinement level (ASTM International, 2025) |
| GB/T 254-2022 | Chinese national standard for semi-refined paraffin wax, grade E42 | Confirms the origin spec a China-sourced cargo is graded against (Standardization Administration of China, 2022) |
| PPI PCU324110324110T | U.S. producer price index for finished petroleum products including waxes | Tracks input-cost direction; index stood at 840.070 in June 2026, up from 634.292 in February 2026 (U.S. BLS via FRED, 2026) |
What to check before you order
- Confirm oil content and melt point against the grade tier you need (HP3, M3, or UL2)
- Ask which test method was used to verify melt point (ASTM D87) and refinement (ASTM D612-25)
- Request the origin standard the cargo was graded against, such as GB/T 254-2022
- Separate the fob price per kg from freight, duty, and destination-port charges
- Get packing format in writing: slab, pastille, or drum, and confirm it matches your process
- Compare a cheap quote and a full landed-cost quote side by side before deciding
- Ask for a recent benchmark reference, not a price quoted months out of date
- Confirm minimum order quantity and lead time against your production schedule
Quick facts
- Argus assessed semi-refined paraffin wax slab at $1,120/t fob north China and $1,150/t fob south China, each down $50/t from the prior month (Argus Media, 2023)
- GB/T 254-2022 is China's current national standard for semi-refined paraffin wax, grade E42 (Standardization Administration of China, 2022)
- ASTM D87 measures melt point by cooling curve and does not apply to petrolatum-group or microcrystalline waxes (ASTM International, undated)
- ASTM D612-25 tests carbonizable substances in paraffin wax and was last updated 13 May 2025 (ASTM International, 2025)
- The relevant U.S. producer price index rose from 634.292 in February 2026 to 840.070 in June 2026 (U.S. BLS via FRED, 2026)
Cheap quote vs. full-cost quote: a comparison
| Factor | Cheap quoted price | Full landed cost |
|---|---|---|
| What it includes | Fob or ex-works price per kg only | Fob price, freight, duty, port charges, and financing |
| Test data | Often not supplied | Should include melt point (ASTM D87) and refinement (ASTM D612-25) results |
| Risk if skipped | Batch may miss spec, delaying production | Fewer surprises once cargo clears customs |
Working with BHD Group
BHD Group operates two divisions, BHD Chemical and BHD Sourcing, as one accountable house. Paraffin Wax sits in our hero range alongside Petroleum Jelly and Slack Wax, the goods this business leads with. We quote semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk against a stated grade, a stated packing format, and a stated delivery date, whether the destination is Pakistan, India, or elsewhere. Send us your target grade and volume, and we will return a delivered figure you can plan a production run against.
Sources
- Argus Media (2023) — Argus Global Waxes (sample report) — link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED (2026) — Producer Price Index by Industry: Petroleum Refineries: Other Finished Petroleum Products, Including Waxes (PCU324110324110T) — link
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (undated) — Glossary: Wax — link
- ASTM International (undated) — ASTM D87, Melting Point of Petroleum Wax (Cooling Curve) — link
- ASTM International (2025) — ASTM D612-25, Carbonizable Substances in Paraffin Wax — link
- Standardization Administration of China (2022) — GB/T 254-2022, Semi-refined paraffin wax — link
Frequently asked questions
What is semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk?
It is the per-kilogram cost of semi-refined paraffin wax bought in bulk quantity, built from a benchmark fob figure plus grade, packing, and freight adjustments. Argus Media's sample report assessed slab wax at $1,120/t fob north China and $1,150/t fob south China, each down $50/t from the prior month (Argus Media, 2023) — a reference point, not a final quote.
How does semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk work?
A supplier starts from a benchmark like the Argus assessment, then adds the buyer's oil-content and melt-point spec, packing format (slab, pastille, or drum), and freight to the destination port. Melt point is checked against ASTM D87 and refinement level against ASTM D612-25 (ASTM International). The final delivered price per kg reflects all of these, not the fob figure alone.
What are the benefits of semi refined paraffin wax price per kg bulk?
Buying at the bulk per-kg rate lets candle producers, distributors, and blenders plan a production run against a known cost rather than a spot quote. Comparing the cheap fob price against the full landed cost — freight, duty, and verified test data — avoids surprises once cargo clears customs. BHD Group quotes this figure against a stated grade and delivery date, so procurement teams can budget with confidence.
Why buyers work with BHD Group
Two divisions operate under a single accountable house. There is no handoff between a trading desk and a sourcing desk that leaves a buyer chasing an answer — one team owns the order from enquiry to delivery.
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