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Polyvinyl
alcohol (PVOH) consumption in the U.S. continues to grow in the
face of current downturn for many polymers, according to a recent
market study performed by Eldib Engineering and Research, Inc., a
consulting firm in Berkeley Heights, NJ. Eldib conducted 40
interviews through which it surveyed the key customers, formulators
and manufacturers of polyvinyl alcohol in the U.S.A.
Eldib
estimates the U.S. market value of the polyvinyl alcohol at $270
million in 2001 and will reach 300 million by 2005.
Confidence
in the healthy outlook for polyvinyl alcohol is borne out by Du Pont
and Solutia’s recent expansion of their polyvinyl butyral (PVB),
the largest consumer of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). Celanese recently
purchased Air Products polyvinyl alcohol operations, winning out
over another suitor, Kuraray Company of Japan.
"Polyvinyl
butyral film manufacture consumes about 30% of the total U.S.
polyvinyl alcohol supply or about 100 million pounds per year",
says Andrew Eldib who headed this study. This film is used mostly as
the protective interlayer in auto windshields and is therefore,
highly dependent on auto sales, which are predicted to resume modest
growth in 2002.
During the
interviews, Eldib market researchers learned that a bright spot in
PVB film are programs to expand auto applications to include theft
protection glass laminates in auto side windows. Such glass affords
a several-fold stronger theft protection as compared with currently
used tempered glass. The auto owner benefits further by the lighter
weight of the glass laminate and associated benefit in fuel economy.
In Europe, PVB is more extensively used as architectural glass than
in the U.S., according to Andrew Eldib. |
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This
growth potential for polyvinyl alcohol is supported by Du Pont
increasing it’s capacity to produce PVB interlayer for
architectural laminated glass in Europe. Solutia (formerly Monsanto)
will also increase it’s capacity to produce PVB for automotive
glass in U.S. and in Brazil.
PVOH IN
TEXTILE WARP SIZE
The
second largest use of PVOH in the U.S. at 23% of the total (69
million pounds per year) is as a textile warp size. Here PVOH usage
has been growing at about 2.5% per year but Eldib finds consumption
is now trending downwards as a result of increased textile imports
from the Pacific Rim and associated closure of some mills in the
U.S. On the other hand, textiles mills are increasingly recycling
warp size, a practice which favors replacing at least part of the
starch size with more stable and efficiently handled PVOH.
"Markets for PVOH as a warp size are following the relocation
of some weaving mills to Mexico and the Pacific Rim countries",
says Richard Walter, a senior consultant at Eldib.
PVOH IN
ADHESIVES AND AS POLYMERIZATION AIDS
Eldib
Researchers found that from interviewing formulators and users that
regulatory pressure continues to move adhesives towards water-based
formulations and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). This shift
often calls for PVOH to be incorporated in the formulated
polyvinylacetate latex adhesives and other water-based adhesives.
PVOH has historically been a favored ingredient in wood and
paper-type adhesives.
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This
move to water-based adhesives, particularly polyvinyl acetate latex
base, expands the market for polyvinyl alcohol. PVOH is sometimes
used as the protective colloid or as a polymerization aid in
producing polyvinyl acetate latexes used for adhesives. Market
shares of PVOH entering adhesive formulations and PVOH used as
polymerization aids are estimated by Eldib analysts as 18 and 10% of
the total consumption of the U.S.
PVOH IN
PAPER FINISHING
Polyvinyl
alcohol consumption in paper finishing, the fifth largest segment of
usage at 8% of the market had been steadily growing at about 2% per
year but now appears to have leveled because of the temporary
downturn in consumption in business papers.
PVOH IN
WATER SOLUBLE FILMS
A small
but by rapid growing sector of PVOH usage is in water-soluble film.
Monosol LLC, is by far the largest producer of specialty
water-soluble film.. This
market for PVOH has enjoyed double-digit growth estimated by Eldib
to exceed 20% per year
The few
producers of this type of film probably only 4 in the U.S.,
customize the products often developing the film to fill particular
market niches. "The ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer is also
used as oxygen or gas barrier coatings on PET film in food packaging
where the coating is protected from moisture with an outside film
layer", says Dick Walther of ELDIB. Water-soluble film enjoys
an estimated 6% of market share. Market segment shares Of PVOH are
shown in the figure below
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