Acrylic Acid Demand Growth Rate

According to the leading suppliers of acrylic acid, thecovered, though not fully, thanks to import. According
annual demand growth will stay at the level of 5% into some experts, the demand for acrylic acid and its
the coming years. However, according some experts,derivatives in Russia is 10,000-15,000mt/y. In the next 9
this growth by 2009 may be lower, not more thanyears, "Acrylat" JSC, the largest Russian manufacturer
3.5% per annum. They predict the following demandof acrylic acid, will invest $450-500m in the
growth figures for various segments of acrylic aciddevelopment of the acrylic complex in order to raise
consumption: 3.6% per year for acrylates and 5% perproduction capacity to 60K mt/y of vinylformic acid.
year for superabsorbents.Current capacity of acrylic complex in Dzerzhinsk is
Despite the fact that many companies decided to25K mt/y of acrylic acid of "E" grade (0.5% of world
postpone or abandon the construction of newoutput), 4.5K mt/y of methyl acrylate, 31K mt/y of
production facilities, some units will be commissioned inbutylacrylate.
the coming years. Thus, BASF plans to increase itsAccording to the European Basic Acrylic Monomer
existing production capacities for acrylic acid andGroup (EBAM), acrylic esters are the main product
superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in Antwerp and forderived from propenoic acid. They account for 55% of
butylacrylate in Ludwigshafen. The decision came inglobal demand. Ethylenecarboxylic acid serves as an
response to existing as well as new long-term supplierindustrial intermediate product, i.e. it is either processed
agreements, in most cases with strategic customers.directly into a polyacrylate or polymerised via the
BASF intends to use latest technology to improve itsintermediate stage of an acrylate ester. Furthermore,
competitiveness and strengthen its global marketacrylic acid is used as an ingredient and occurs as
leadership in this area.residual monomer in consumer products like adhesives,
According to Gerard E. Tarzia, Rohm and Haas vicepaints, binding agents and printing inks.
president and business unit director, acrylic acid is oneAbout half of the crude acroleic acid is processed to
of the fastest growing commodity chemicals, withpurified (glacial) acrylic acid, which is further processed
worldwide demand increasing at about four percentboth on-site (captive use) and by external
per year. He indicates that fuelled by its use indownstream users. The other half of crude propenoic
everything from water-based paints and sealants toacid is transformed into various acrylate esters at the
super-absorbent polymers and detergent additives, aproduction sites. Identical to glacial Vinylformic acid,
new world-scale 2-propenoic acid plant must be builtthese acrylic esters serve as commercial products,
every year, on average, to keep up with demand. Andwhich are further processed both on-site and by
with worldwide demand for acrylic acid at about 7.5external downstream users. Glacial acrylic acid is used
billion pounds, the cost savings alone by using ain the manufacture of superabsorbing polymers (SAP),
significantly less expensive key raw material wouldwhich account for 32% of the global demand for
revolutionize the industry. Currently, the largest plants ofacrylic acid.
acrylic acid belong to "Rohm and Haas" (Deer Park,Acrylic acid and basic alkyl esters (methyl, ethyl, butyl
USA) - 580 thous. ton/year and "BASF"and 2-ethylhexyl esters) are used for the manufacture
(Ludwigshafen, Germany) - 270 thous. ton/year.of polymer dispersions, adhesives, super absorbent
Russia is devoid of modern and ecologically-safepolymers, flocculants, detergents, varnishes, fibres and
production of Acroleic acid and its products. Theplastics as well as chemical intermediates.
Russian market demand for acrylic products is