Analysis: Ethyl and butyl acetate projects seen in 3-5 yrs

02 February 2000 13:11  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CNI)--Increased interest in ethyl and butyl acetates is likely to result in new projects in the next three to five years according to a new study* from consultant Tecnon (UK).

Consumption of ethyl acetate has grown rapidly in recent years in developed markets, such as the US, due in part to its increased use as a substitute for methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) as a solvent, the report says.

Global ethyl acetate production is expected to grow at 3.7% per year over the period 1998-2008, with capacity increasing at 2.5% per year. In 1998 total world ethyl acetate production was 1.01m tonne and capacity was 1.32m tonne/year. Capacity utilisation is expected to decrease to 74.8% in 2000 before increasing to 86.7% by 2008.

Western Europe was the leading producer of ethyl acetate in 1998 with 27% of total world capacity. Japan followed with 22% and North America was third with 18%.

World production of n-butyl acetate is predicted to grow at 2.2% per year from 1998 to 2008, with capacity increasing at 1.4% per year. In 1998, production was 600 000 tonne and capacity for was 1.03m tonne.

The report also states that, while legislative pressure in the US is moving solvent users towards acetate esters, there is pressure to move away from the use of solvents completely, encouraging formulators to move to water-based, low solvent and solvent-free materials.

*Ethyl Acetate and Butyl Acetate World Study 1998-2008, price £4000, is available from Tecnon (UK) Ltd, tel: +44 171 924 3955, fax: +44 171 730 3343, e-mail: enquiries@tecnon.co.uk.

By: Mark Whitfield
+44 20 8652 3214

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