Glycerine — also written Glycerin or Glycerol — is one of the most versatile ingredients in industry. The same molecule serves pharmaceutical syrups, cosmetic moisturisers, food humectants, and industrial applications, with the deciding factor being grade and documentation rather than the chemical itself.
Supreme Petro Chemicals supplies Glycerine from Chennai to pharmaceutical formulators, cosmetic manufacturers, food processors, and industrial users across South India.
What Is Glycerine?
Glycerine has CAS number 56-81-5 and molecular formula C3H8O3. It is a clear, colourless, odourless, viscous liquid with a sweet taste. It is fully miscible with water and alcohol, and is strongly hygroscopic — meaning it attracts and holds moisture, which is the basis for many of its uses.
Grades and Why They Matter
The single most important procurement decision for Glycerine is grade:
- IP / BP / USP pharmaceutical grade: Typically ≥99.5% purity, meeting pharmacopoeial limits for impurities. Required for medicines, syrups, and pharmaceutical formulations.
- Cosmetic grade: High-purity material suitable for skin and personal-care products.
- Technical / industrial grade: Lower-cost material for industrial applications where pharmacopoeial purity is not required.
Specify the grade clearly on the purchase order. For pharmaceutical and cosmetic use, obtain a Certificate of Analysis with each batch and confirm the material meets your in-house and regulatory specification.
Industrial Uses of Glycerine in India
- Pharmaceuticals: Used as a sweetener, humectant, and vehicle in syrups, elixirs, and topical preparations.
- Cosmetics: A core moisturising ingredient in creams, lotions, soaps, and toothpaste.
- Food: Used as a humectant, sweetener, and processing aid where food-grade material is specified.
- Industrial: Used in antifreeze, plasticizers, polyols, and as a chemical intermediate.
- Tobacco and printing: Used as a humectant and moisture-control agent.
Packaging and Minimum Order
Glycerine is supplied in 250–280 kg HDPE drums (reflecting its high density) and bulk loads for larger requirements. MOQ depends on grade, packaging, and destination. For continuous production, share your monthly consumption so stock and dispatch can be planned ahead.
Storage and Handling
Glycerine is stable, non-flammable, and low in toxicity, but because it is hygroscopic it should be stored in closed containers to prevent it from absorbing atmospheric moisture and diluting. Keep it clean and away from contamination, especially for pharmaceutical and cosmetic grades. Follow the product SDS and your site procedure.
Get a Glycerine Quote from SPC
Supreme Petro Chemicals supplies IP/BP/USP, cosmetic, and technical grade Glycerine to manufacturers across South India. Contact us for current pricing and grade availability, or browse our catalog.
Grades & Packaging
Glycerine is traded worldwide under a small set of well-established grade names rather than bespoke specifications, so knowing the correct commercial designation is usually enough to get the right material quoted. The notes below cover naming and packaging conventions only — always confirm exact purity and impurity limits against the batch Certificate of Analysis for your specific requirement.
- CAS number: 56-81-5, molecular formula C3H8O3 — the same substance is sold as "Glycerine", "Glycerin" and "Glycerol" depending on regional convention.
- IP / BP / USP grade: the standard pharmacopoeial designation referenced on purchase orders for pharmaceutical and food use.
- Cosmetic grade: commonly sold under the same generic pharmacopoeial designation where personal-care formulators specify it by name.
- Technical / industrial grade: the standard trade term for material intended for non-pharma, non-food industrial applications.
- Origin: Glycerine is produced either from vegetable oils (oleochemical route) or as a co-product of soap and biodiesel manufacture; origin and source are typically stated on the CoA where relevant to the buyer's specification.
- Standard small-pack format: HDPE drums, the conventional packaging for glycol- and glycerine-type liquids in Indian trade.
- Bulk formats: flexitanks and ISO tank containers are the standard options once volumes move beyond drum quantities.
- Documentation: a Certificate of Analysis and SDS are standard accompaniments to every consignment, particularly for pharmaceutical and cosmetic grades.
FAQ
What is the CAS number of Glycerine, and is Glycerin the same chemical?
Yes. Glycerine, Glycerin and Glycerol all refer to the same compound, CAS 56-81-5, molecular formula C3H8O3. The naming varies by region and industry, but the underlying chemical — and therefore the base molecule you are buying — does not change between pharma, cosmetic and technical grades. What changes is purity, impurity limits and documentation.
Can Glycerine be supplied in bulk, or only in drums?
Both. Regular or smaller requirements are typically supplied in HDPE drums, while larger volumes can be arranged in flexitanks or ISO tank containers. Confirm your preferred packaging format and site unloading capability when requesting a quote so the right mode of supply is arranged.
How do I get a quote for Glycerine from SPC?
Share the required grade (IP/BP/USP, cosmetic or technical), quantity, packaging preference and delivery location via the contact page. Quotes are typically answered within 4 working hours, Monday to Saturday.