Abstract
US demand to approach $2 billion in 2011
Demand for fluoropolymers (including fluoroelastomers) will rise 5.7 percent
annually through 2011 to $1.9 billion, an acceleration from the 2001-2006
period. As emerging design trends increasingly require superior performance
characteristics, fluoropolymers will continue to replace other materials in
demanding applications that justify their generally higher costs. Gains will
also be driven by improved market trends in key fluoropolymer applications
such as wire and cable, motor vehicles and architectural coatings. However,
value gains will be limited by heightened competition from low-cost foreign
imports, especially commodity polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resins from
Russia and China.
PVDF resins to pace growth among fluoropolymer types
Among major fluoropolymer types, fastest growth is expected for polyvinylidene
fluoride (PVDF) resins, as a strong nonresidential construction outlook will
boost demand for PVDF-based architectural coatings. Gains in demand for
fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) will be driven by an improved market for
wire and cable products, where FEP is used as a jacketing and insulation
material. Demand for fluoroelastomers will benefit from an improvement in
motor vehicle output and a resurgent aerospace market. However, gains for
PTFE, the largest volume fluoropolymer in 2006, will expand at a below-average
pace, limited by market maturity in outlets such as nonstick coatings and
industrial components. The most rapid gains for fluoropolymers will be found
in smaller-volume resins, which include a number of high value products used
in fast-growing applications. For example, a strong semiconductor market will
bolster demand for perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) polymers, which are used in
microelectronics processing equipment. Double-digit growth in solar energy
products will fuel gains for polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) films used in the
production of photovoltaic modules. Also, demand for perfluorosulfonic acid
polymers (such as DuPont' s NAFION) will be driven by the rapid rise in fuel
cell shipments.
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