NPRA ’11: US MMA supply strained through 2011 - buyers

28 March 2011 20:14  [Source: ICIS news]

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ICIS)--Allocations in the US methyl methacrylate (MMA) market will likely last through the end of the year, continuing a trend that began during the first half of 2010, a buyer said on Monday.

Sales controls and allocations have been the norm in the US MMA market with key suppliers like Lucite and Dow at reduced sales volumes since the first half of 2010, an MMA buyer said on the sidelines of the International Petrochemical Conference (IPC).

The market faced a series of outages during the first half of 2010 amid better-than-expected demand, leading to a global shortage of MMA.

Even with plants running at normal rates now, demand has surpassed expectations allowing no time to build inventories.

Production facilities continued to run at high rates in March, according to suppliers, but buyers said they were having difficulty getting the entire product volume they needed for March and April.

“The onset of the buying season for the coatings industry has increased overall demand for March/April volumes,” an MMA supplier said.

Hosted by the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA), the IPC continues through Tuesday.

For more on MMA visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Heather McGuire Doyle
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