Demand to rise 4.5% per year to 2008
World emulsion polymer demand is forecast to increase 4.5 percent per year
through 2008 to 11.4 million metric tons, representing an improvement over the
already strong performance of the 1998-2003 period as a result of stronger
economic growth prospects worldwide. Market value is projected to rise 6.1
percent per annum to $24 billion, benefitting from shifts in product mix toward
higher priced emulsions, primarily acrylics.
The emulsion polymer market is
expanding in part due to a good environmental profile since, as water-based
materials, their use results in lower emissions of volatile organic compounds
during cure. Emulsions also offer low cost, easier handling and clean-up, good
adhesion, flexibility and abrasion resistance.
China, Asian region to see fastest growth
North America and Western Europe accounted for 65 percent of global demand
for emulsion polymers in 2003. In addition to dominating worldwide output of key
emulsion-containing products such as latex paints, coated paper and general
purpose adhesives, suppliers in these regions have made the greatest efforts to
improve the environmental compatibility of their offerings, including a much
greater share of paints and coatings production accounted for by water-based
emulsions. Nonetheless, the fastest gains in emulsion polymer demand through
2008 will arise in developing regions, particularly Asia. Rapidly developing
countries such as China and India have only recently begun the move from
solventto water-based paints.
Paints and coatings end uses to exhibit most rapid gains
The paints and coatings sector will register healthiest gains. Demand for
emulsions in paints and coatings is rising well in excess of paint industry
shipments as emulsions, particularly acrylics, find greater use various
industrial and special purpose coatings, such as motor vehicle finishes, general
industrial coatings and traffic paints. This growth will bolster an already
notable position in architectural and decorative paints, where water-based
emulsions are favored due to their environmental and ease-of-use advantages
compared to traditional oilbased paints. The primary beneficiary of these trends
will be acrylic emulsions.
coating applications. Paper and board markets also
will be stimulated by enhanced graphic capabilities used in cartons and
paperboard packaging for retail markets.
Demand for emulsion polymers used in
adhesives will offer favorable though below average gains, benefitting from
solid demand arising from the important paper and paperboard packaging materials
sector as well as from the tapes and labels end-use segments. Volume demand will
continue to be led by low cost PVA adhesives used in high speed packaging
processes, particularly paperboard cartons. However, sluggish gains in carpet
backing applications, where SB latex predominates, will be a drag on the
segment.
Study coverage
This new Freedonia study, World Emulsion Polymers. It presents historical
demand data to 2003 as well as forecasts to 2008 and 2013 for emulsion polymer
demand by type and market for six regions and 13 countries worldwide. In
addition, this study details market share data and profiles 35 participants in
the global industry. In paper coatings, emulsion demand will benefit from a
continuing shift toward the use of higher end paper with color graphics for
direct mail fliers, advertising, catalogs and glossy periodicals. These trends
will primarily benefit styrene-butadiene SB) latex, which is the main polymer
used in paper
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