Abstract
Development of New Products a Challenge for Emulsion Polymer Suppliers
Increasingly stringent environmental regulations are pressuring suppliers of
emulsion polymers to produce more environment friendly and low volatile organic
compound (VOC) emitting products. However, customers continue to demand high
quality and better performance products at competitive prices. The challenge
suppliers face is developing products that meet strict performance requirements
while keeping pace with changing environmental regulations. In addition, as the
business becomes more global in nature, suppliers need to conform to different
regional regulations. Suppliers are increasingly focusing on designing
application-oriented products to provide specific characteristics such as
excellent gloss finish, water resistance, and ink receptivity for paper coating;
durability, gloss, and water and scrub resistance for paints and inks; and
tensile strength, flexibility, and flame resistance for textiles and carpets.
This Frost & Sullivan research service analyzes the U.S. markets for
emulsion polymers in terms of revenues and volume consumption by application
segments and chemistry types. The study offers key market drivers and
restraints, in-depth market analysis, competitive analysis, and strategies
employed by market participants.
Versatility and Increased Environmental Benefits to Drive Emulsion Polymer
Sales
The versatile nature of emulsion polymers enable a range of applications such
as textile, carpet, non-woven, adhesive, paints, inks, paper coating,
paperboard, and construction and ongoing research is expected to offer various
new applications/formulations. "The constant effort toward refining and
developing more environmental compliant emulsion polymers increases its share
against competitive products such as solvent-based emulsions, radiation curables,
and hotmelts," says the author of the research. The development of
high-priced new formulations is expected to add to the revenue growth.
The shift toward water-based systems in particular favors emulsion polymers.
Water-based polyurethane dispersion is one of the fastest growing technologies
in the U.S. polymer emulsion market. They cause low emission of VOCs in the
workplace and environment and have advantages such as compatibility with any
formulation, fast curing at low temperatures, and ease of application.
Geographic Expansion, Mergers and Acquisitions, and New Technology
Development Critical to Sustain Market Success
Increased competition and poor domestic demand are encouraging many leading
U.S. emulsion polymer suppliers to expand globally and tap emerging markets. For
instance, Dow Chemical has set up a manufacturing plant in China to serve the
rapidly growing coated paper industry there. Another key success factor will be
targeting profitable acquisitions, undergoing mergers, or forming joint ventures
to strengthen product lines for specific applications; thereby, providing an
extensive product package for a particular customer group. Technology innovation
is also essential to meet the changing customer needs, which favor high
performance products at lower prices.
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