| According to the leading suppliers of acrylic | | | | fully, thanks to import. According to some |
| acid, the annual demand growth will stay at | | | | experts, the demand for acrylic acid and its |
| the level of 5% in the coming years. However, | | | | derivatives in Russia is 10,000-15,000mt/y. |
| according some experts, this growth by 2009 | | | | In the next 9 years, "Acrylat" JSC, the |
| may be lower, not more than 3.5% per annum. | | | | largest Russian manufacturer of acrylic acid, |
| They predict the following demand growth | | | | will invest $450-500m in the development of |
| figures for various segments of acrylic acid | | | | the acrylic complex in order to raise |
| consumption: 3.6% per year for acrylates and | | | | production capacity to 60K mt/y of |
| 5% per year for superabsorbents. | | | | vinylformic acid. Current capacity of acrylic |
| | | | complex in Dzerzhinsk is 25K mt/y of acrylic |
| Despite the fact that many companies decided | | | | acid of "E" grade (0.5% of world output), |
| to postpone or abandon the construction of | | | | 4.5K mt/y of methyl acrylate, 31K mt/y of |
| new production facilities, some units will be | | | | butylacrylate. |
| commissioned in the coming years. Thus, BASF | | | | |
| plans to increase its existing production | | | | According to the European Basic Acrylic |
| capacities for acrylic acid and | | | | Monomer Group (EBAM), acrylic esters are the |
| superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in Antwerp and | | | | main product derived from propenoic acid. |
| for butylacrylate in Ludwigshafen. The | | | | They account for 55% of global demand. |
| decision came in response to existing as well | | | | Ethylenecarboxylic acid serves as an |
| as new long-term supplier agreements, in most | | | | industrial intermediate product, i.e. it is |
| cases with strategic customers. BASF intends | | | | either processed directly into a polyacrylate |
| to use latest technology to improve its | | | | or polymerised via the intermediate stage of |
| competitiveness and strengthen its global | | | | an acrylate ester. Furthermore, acrylic acid |
| market leadership in this area. | | | | is used as an ingredient and occurs as |
| | | | residual monomer in consumer products like |
| According to Gerard E. Tarzia, Rohm and Haas | | | | adhesives, paints, binding agents and |
| vice president and business unit director, | | | | printing inks. |
| acrylic acid is one of the fastest growing | | | | |
| commodity chemicals, with worldwide demand | | | | About half of the crude acroleic acid is |
| increasing at about four percent per year. He | | | | processed to purified (glacial) acrylic acid, |
| indicates that fuelled by its use in | | | | which is further processed both on-site |
| everything from water-based paints and | | | | (captive use) and by external downstream |
| sealants to super-absorbent polymers and | | | | users. The other half of crude propenoic acid |
| detergent additives, a new world-scale | | | | is transformed into various acrylate esters |
| 2-propenoic acid plant must be built every | | | | at the production sites. Identical to glacial |
| year, on average, to keep up with demand. And | | | | Vinylformic acid, these acrylic esters serve |
| with worldwide demand for acrylic acid at | | | | as commercial products, which are further |
| about 7.5 billion pounds, the cost savings | | | | processed both on-site and by external |
| alone by using a significantly less expensive | | | | downstream users. Glacial acrylic acid is |
| key raw material would revolutionize the | | | | used in the manufacture of superabsorbing |
| industry. Currently, the largest plants of | | | | polymers (SAP), which account for 32% of the |
| acrylic acid belong to "Rohm and Haas" (Deer | | | | global demand for acrylic acid. |
| Park, USA) - 580 thous. ton/year and "BASF" | | | | |
| (Ludwigshafen, Germany) - 270 thous. ton | | | | Acrylic acid and basic alkyl esters (methyl, |
| year. | | | | ethyl, butyl and 2-ethylhexyl esters) are |
| | | | used for the manufacture of polymer |
| Russia is devoid of modern and | | | | dispersions, adhesives, super absorbent |
| ecologically-safe production of Acroleic acid | | | | polymers, flocculants, detergents, varnishes, |
| and its products. The Russian market demand | | | | fibres and plastics as well as chemical |
| for acrylic products is covered, though not | | | | intermediates. |