Waxes may be natural secretions of plants or animals, artificially produced by purification from natural petroleum or completely synthetic. In addition to beeswax, carnauba (a plant epicuticular wax) and paraffin (a petroleum wax) are commonly encountered waxes which occur naturally. a wax is a type of lipid that may contain a wide variety of long-chain alkanes, esters, polyesters and hydroxy esters of long-chain primary alcohols and fatty acids.
Waxes are used to make wax paper, impregnating and coating paper and card to waterproof it or make it resistant to staining, or to modify its surface properties. Waxes are also used in shoe polishes, wood polishes, and automotive polishes, as mold release agents in mold making, as a coating for many cheeses, and to waterproof leather and fabric. Wax has been used since antiquity as a temporary, removable model in lost-wax casting of gold, silver and other materials. Shoe polishes may be in the form of wax pastes, creams, liquids, gels or impregnated sponges or cloths and may be supplied in various sizes and forms of container.
For many years, petroleum wax was considered a byproduct of lubricant base stock production, it has come onto its own over the last decade and is considered by most refiners to be a relatively high-margin product and is often an important contributor to the overall profitability of the refinery.Paraffin wax is mostly found as a white, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid, with an average melting point. Pure paraffin wax is an excellent electrical insulator. The major use of Paraffin Wax is for candle manufacture. The other uses are for manufacture of Tarpaulin and wax papers. There are many refineries in India which have with fuel, lube, wax and petrochemical feedstocks production facilities.
Global demand for waxes reached an estimated 10,000 million lbs, valued at over $2.1 billion in 2010. Mineral waxes (including petroleum) account for an estimated 85% of this global demand, with synthetic waxes accounting for 10%, and animal and vegetable waxes, accounting for 5%. Wax consumption is expected to grow at an average annual growth rate of 1% from 2010 to 2019. Clearly, different regions and different product applications will enjoy different growth rates.
Coming to stone polishing, decorative stone suchas marble, granite are soft stone that is made up of a natural minerals, consisting largely of crystallized calcite and dolomite, capable of being highly polish, it comes in a wide range of colors and variations and is used in such things as sculpture as well as architecture and a building material for thousands of years. By using various kinds of polishing pads, made from metal and resin (like diamond polishing pads) the decorative stone is gently brought to a smooth finish by removing scratches. Having brilliant refinish (strip, grind, repair, and polish) decorative stone applications bring back the beauty and luster to floors, counter tops or any other application in home. Natural stone or sand stone are the most widely used variety of stone used for flooring and front elevation or decoration of outer walls. Polished stone tiles or slabs are now being widely used for construction of buildings. They enhance the beauty of the building and reduce maintenance cost. The market for these products is growing in urban areas particularly in middle and upper middle class houses in cities and commercial complexes.