Pine Rosin
Pine rosin, also called colophony, is the solid residue left when the volatile turpentine is distilled off pine oleoresin. It is a brittle translucent solid ranging from pale straw to near black, made up largely of diterpene resin acids. It is one of the most widely used natural industrial raw materials in the world: tackifier in adhesives and hot melts, sizing agent in paper, binder in printing inks and road marking, base for chewing gum and for soldering flux, feedstock for rosin esters and rosin derivatives, and a component of varnishes, coatings, rubber compounding and depilatory wax.
Listed pine rosin markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Rosin is contracted on production route, on the lettered colour grade, and on the physical constants that decide how it behaves in a formulation. Gum, wood and tall oil rosin are three different articles and the contract names one of them.
Production route as the contracted article
5 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Gum rosinDistilled from tapped pine oleoresin | Tapped live from standing trees and distilled. The largest traded article, from China, Indonesia, Brazil and Vietnam. |
| Wood rosinSolvent extracted from aged pine stumps | Extracted from stumpwood, then refined. Darker and more oxidised in its raw form. |
| Tall oil rosinFractionally distilled from crude tall oil | A byproduct of kraft pulping, abbreviated TOR. Distinct resin acid and fatty acid profile, and it carries a fatty acid limit. |
| Pine speciesDeclared, with the binomial name | Pinus massoniana, Pinus elliottii, Pinus merkusii, Pinus oocarpa and others. The species changes the acid profile. |
| Modified and derivative formsDeclared, with the modification named | Disproportionated, hydrogenated, polymerised, maleic modified, dimerised and esterified rosins. Separate articles with their own specifications. |
Colour grade
15 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| XPalest | The top of the lettered ladder. |
| WWWater white | The benchmark grade in international gum rosin trade and the one most contracts are written against. |
| WGWindow glass | One step below water white. |
| NNancy | Fourth step down the ladder, still a pale rosin and widely contracted for adhesives and inks. |
| MMary | Fifth step down, a pale amber rosin. |
| KKate | Sixth step down, amber. |
| IIsaac | Seventh step down, deeper amber. |
| HHarry | Eighth step down, light red. |
| GGeorge | Ninth step down, red. |
| FFrank | Tenth step down, deep red. |
| EEdward | Eleventh step down, dark red. |
| DDolly | Twelfth step down, the last grade above the darkest. |
| BDarkest | The bottom of the lettered ladder. |
| Grading methodVisual comparison against the reference standards under the stated conditions | The comparison set, the lighting and the sample preparation are all fixed by the method and written into the contract. |
| Gardner or Hazen colourDeclared, on a solution of stated concentration | An instrumental colour alternative contracted alongside or instead of the lettered grade for pale and modified rosins. |
Physical and chemical constants
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Acid numberMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Determined to ASTM D465. The single most contracted chemical number on rosin. |
| Softening pointDegrees Celsius, ring-and-ball | Determined to ASTM D6579 or ASTM E28. It sets the handling temperature and the performance in a hot melt. |
| Saponification valueMilligrams of potassium hydroxide per gram | Total acid and ester content. |
| Unsaponifiable matterPercentage by mass, maximum | The neutral fraction. It reads dilution and process quality. |
| Ash contentPercentage by mass, maximum | Mineral residue after incineration. |
| Volatile matter or loss on heatingPercentage by mass, maximum | Residual turpentine and moisture. |
| Insoluble matter in toluenePercentage by mass, maximum | Dirt, bark and gel. The cleanliness measure for a molten filtered product. |
| Abietic and dehydroabietic acid contentPercentage by mass, by gas chromatography | The resin acid profile, which fingerprints the route and the species. |
| Fatty acid contentPercentage by mass, maximum | Contracted on tall oil rosin, where it is the defining impurity. |
| Crystallisation tendencyDeclared, by the stated method | Whether the rosin crystallises in solution or in storage. A working constraint for the ink and adhesive trades. |
Origin, legality and delivery
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Botanical originDeclared, with the binomial species name | The genus alone is not a specification. Related species yield materially different material and they are priced apart. |
| Wild harvested or cultivatedDeclared | It drives availability, legality documentation and, in several of these articles, the chemistry. |
| Legality and collection permitDeclared, with the permit reference | Export permit, forest concession or community collection agreement. Wild resins move on paperwork and it travels with the lot. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | Organic, FairWild, Fair for Life or a private buyer standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| PackingDeclared | Jute or polypropylene bags, cartons, fibre drums, steel drums or bulk bags, with the liner specified. Soft resins are contracted with a temperature term because they cold flow. |
| Sampling planDeclared | How many packages are sampled, by whom, and against which retained reference sample. Hand sorted natural material is heterogeneous between bags. |
| Form and packingDeclared | Broken lump, flake, pastille or molten in heated tank. Molten deliveries carry a temperature and a residence time term. |
| Antioxidant or stabiliser additionDeclared, with the additive named and the level | Rosin oxidises and darkens. Any addition is a contract term. |
| Sensitisation labellingDeclared, against the destination market classification | Colophony is a recognised contact sensitiser and the destination labelling obligations travel with the lot. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| China | Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Fujian and Jiangxi | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra and Aceh | Origin |
| Brazil | Sao Paulo, Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Central highlands, Quang Ninh and Nghe An | Origin |
| India | Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Central and northern pine belt | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Castile and Leon, and Andalusia | Origin and destination |
| United States | Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and the Pacific Northwest | Origin and destination |
| Finland | Kymenlaakso and Ostrobothnia | Origin |
| Sweden | Vastra Gotaland and Norrland | Origin |
| Russia | Northwest and Siberian federal districts | Origin |
| Argentina | Corrientes and Misiones | Origin |
| Chile | Biobio and Araucania | Origin |
| Mexico | Michoacan, Oaxaca and Jalisco | Origin and destination |
| Honduras | Olancho and Yoro | Origin |
| Poland | Gdansk and Silesia | Destination |
| Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Belgium | Antwerp | Destination |
| France | Les Landes, Le Havre and Lyon | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Lombardy and Genoa | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Merseyside and the South East | Destination |
| Turkey | Istanbul and Izmir | Destination |
| South Korea | Ulsan and Busan | Destination |
| Japan | Osaka, Tokyo and Chiba | Destination |
| Taiwan | Kaohsiung and Taichung | Destination |
| Thailand | Bangkok and Rayong | Destination |
| Malaysia | Port Klang and Johor | Destination |
| Singapore | Singapore | Destination |
| Egypt | Alexandria | Destination |
| South Africa | Durban and Gauteng | Destination |
| Canada | Ontario and Quebec | Destination |
| Australia | Victoria and New South Wales | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the pine is tapped, or when the pulp mill runs in the case of tall oil rosin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is distillation, grading, laboratory clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival Jun to DecTapping runs through the warm months when the oleoresin flows, with distillation following within weeks. Gum rosin output is heavily concentrated in Guangxi and Yunnan. | |||
| Indonesia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecTapping runs year round on the Perhutani plantations in Java, with a modest dip in the heaviest rain. |
| Brazil | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Sep to Apr, arrival Nov to JunTapping runs through the southern hemisphere warm season, distilled locally and shipped from Santos and Paranagua. | ||
| Vietnam | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Oct, arrival May to DecWarm season tapping in the central highlands and the north, with distillation close to the resin. | ||
| India | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Mar to Oct, arrival Apr to NovHimalayan tapping from spring through the monsoon, feeding domestic derivative manufacture more than export. | |||
| Portugal | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Apr to Oct, arrival May to NovWarm season tapping in the Iberian pine belt, with short haul delivery into European processors. | ||||
| United States | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecTall oil rosin is a continuous byproduct of kraft pulping, so availability follows mill operation rather than a season. |
| Finland | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecTall oil rosin from Nordic kraft mills, produced continuously and shipped from Kotka and Rauma. |
| Argentina | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Apr, arrival Dec to JunSouthern hemisphere warm season tapping in the northeast, shipped from Buenos Aires. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for pine rosin. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading3806.10 Rosin and resin acids
3805.10 Gum, wood or sulphate turpentine oils - PackingJute or PP bags of 25 kg to 50 kg for tears and lumps, fibre drums or lined cartons for hand sorted and graded material, steel drums for rosin and oleoresins.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 20 t depending on grade and bulk density. Hand sorted grades ship light.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on the sorted grade with a retained sealed sample and a certificate of analysis. European trade on the terms of the importing association, arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEU food additive specifications under Regulation 231/2012 where the gum is an additive, covering E414 gum arabic, E413 tragacanth and E904 shellac. Pesticide and heavy metal limits, EU REACH for technical grades, phytosanitary certification, and CITES where the botanical source is a listed species.
Common questions
What grades of pine rosin does SIP Global trade?
We quote 39 published grades of pine rosin, including Gum rosin - Distilled from tapped pine oleoresin, Wood rosin - Solvent extracted from aged pine stumps, Tall oil rosin - Fractionally distilled from crude tall oil, Pine species - Declared, with the binomial name, Modified and derivative forms - Declared, with the modification named and X - Palest. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is pine rosin graded?
Rosin is contracted on production route, on the lettered colour grade, and on the physical constants that decide how it behaves in a formulation. Gum, wood and tall oil rosin are three different articles and the contract names one of them. Grading runs on 4 systems: Production route as the contracted article, Colour grade, Physical and chemical constants and Origin, legality and delivery.
Where does SIP Global trade pine rosin?
We trade pine rosin in China, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, India, Portugal, Spain and United States and 26 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is pine rosin harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are China: harvest apr to oct, arrival jun to dec; Indonesia: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Brazil: harvest sep to apr, arrival nov to jun; Vietnam: harvest mar to oct, arrival may to dec; India: harvest mar to oct, arrival apr to nov. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for pine rosin?
Pine rosin is normally classified under HS 3806.10 (rosin and resin acids) and HS 3805.10 (gum, wood or sulphate turpentine oils). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for pine rosin?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed pine rosin market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ASTM InternationalMaterials and test method standards
- USDA AMSUnited States Department of Agriculture grade standards
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.