Independent Commodity Intelligence Services logo
  • Commodities

    Chemicals

    • Polyethylene
    • Polypropylene
    • Propylene
    • Ethylene
    • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
    • Recycled PET
    • Methanol
    • Base Oils
    • View More

    Energy

    • Gas
    • LNG
    • Crude Oil
    • Carbon
    • Power
    • Ethanol
    • View More

    Fertilizers

    • Sulphur
    • Sulphuric acid
    • View More

    Commodities

    • View all Chemical commodities
    • View all Energy commodities
    • View all Fertilizers commodities
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Solutions

    Services

    • ICIS Digital
    • Pricing Intelligence
    • News Service
    • Analytics
    • Recycling & Sustainability
    • Training Courses
    • Conferences

    Bespoke Services

    • Consulting
    • Third Party Platforms

    Your Sector

    • Fast moving consumer goods
    • Plastics Packaging
    • Plastics OEM
    • Paints, coatings and adhesives
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Rubber products
    • Automotive
    • Financials

    Enquire about ICIS Solutions

    ICIS Reports Glossary

    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Insights

    View All Resources

    • Latest News
    • Blogs
    • ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX)
    • Chemical Webinars
    • Energy Webinars
    • Chemical Podcasts
    • Energy Podcasts

    Industry updates

    • Covid-19 & the Chemicals Market
    • Coronavirus Impact on Energy Markets
    • Personal Care & Hygiene Markets
    • Industry Updates Upcoming Webinars
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Events

    Events

    • Conferences
    • Training Courses
    • Chemical Webinars & Forums
    • Energy Webinars & Forums
    • Innovation Awards
    • The Chemists’ Club Kavaler Award 2020
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • ABOUT

    About ICIS

    • Contact Us
    • Compliance & Methodology
    • Work for ICIS

    Press Releases

    • ICIS has acquired Chemical Data (CDI)
    • ICIS in the News
    • ICIS at Events

     

    Customer Success Stories

    • Testimonials
    • Enhancing supplier negotiations
    • Keeping up with market dynamics
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Customer login

    Customer Login

    Supply & Demand Database

    ICIS.com/app

    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
Home Commodities Chemicals Vinyl-acetate-monomer Vinyl acetate monomer prices, markets & analysis

Vinyl acetate monomer prices, markets & analysis

Speak to ICIS
Jump to section
  • Market Overview
  • How we can help
  • Services
  • Methodology
  • About Vinyl acetate monomer
  • News

Our ICIS vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) reports are published weekly in Asia, Europe and the US and provide the reader with up-to-date, independent pricing information compiled by our locally-based reporters. Spot assessments are reported in all regions, while contracts only apply to Europe and the US.

The market intelligence of news and analysis provides the reader with the tools required to carry out informed business actions. Market commentary includes details of business taking place, regional overviews, upstream movements, production data and demand/supply patterns.

Speak to ICIS

Market Overview

Updated to Q4 2020

Asia

Supply remained short on the back of reduced output at plants belonging to major producers Dairen Chemical Corporation and Celanese. This exacerbated the supply imbalance stemming from reduced exports from China. China exported 20,399 tonnes of VAM in October and November 2020, 36% less than the 32,186 tonnes exported during the same months a year ago. Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon in early December reduced output at its VAM plants, owing to feedstock natural gas shortage during the winter heating season.

Demand remained bolstered by restocking activities in India, stable demand in southeast Asia, and robust demand from the downstream ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) sector in China. China imported around 68% more VAM in the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter a year ago, while November saw an almost 89% year-on-year increase in imports at 34,712 tonnes.

Europe

Production outages around the world reduced supply to the VAM market in Q4. The Celanese plant in Frankfurt, had reopened, partly compensating for the reduction from other sources. Production issues in US plants continued to have some effect on the European theatre, but more of a squeeze was felt towards quarter-end as Asian increasing demand competed with the requirements of European consumers.

In Q4 there was a continuation of the recovery in demand that got under way in the summer. This reflected an increasingly healthy economic background that extended into areas, such as the automotive industry, that had lagged behind. A mild start to the winter also helped in sustaining activity in the construction sector, thus benefiting usage of paints and coatings and adhesives.

US

Global and domestic production issues limited supplies in Q4, which could have a trickle down impact into the start of 2021. Increased lead time for the product due to tightness in carrier availability and sales control were seen by two separate producers late in 2020. There was no indication on how long this tightness would last.

Demand for do-it-yourself projects such as painting continued to hold steady through Q4 as was VAM demand for packaging and adhesives with much of the western hemisphere continuing to follow stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic. But year on year, exports have tapered as overall global demand is seen as weaker. Much of the US VAM market is used for export material.

Speak to ICIS

How we can help

Vinyl acetate monomer news and market information products from ICIS

We offer the following regional Vinyl acetate monomer analysis and news coverage to keep you informed of factors and developments affecting prices in the Vinyl acetate monomer marketplace.

Price reporting
More information about the price reports we publish on Vinyl acetate monomer
Independent price assessments and market coverage by region

  • Asia
  • Europe
  • US

Price history
More information about the historical price data we publish on Vinyl acetate monomer
Track historical price data

  • Asia
  • Europe
  • US

News & analysis
News & market analysis specifically relating to Vinyl acetate monomer
Breaking news of latest developments affecting the markets. Insight and analysis of factors driving prices.

Find out more about our services

Services

Find out more about our services

Pricing Intelligence

Pricing information

Regional price assessments, published daily or weekly, enabling you to keep track of trading prices, understand price drivers/fluctuations and set a benchmark for contract price settl ements. ICIS offers reports on over 180 commodities across the global petrochemical, energy and fertilizer markets. Information covered in our price reports includes:

  • Spot and contract price assessments
  • Market commentary on trends and developments
  • Transactions reported and confirmed
  • Plant and production news

Information is accessed online, via the ICIS dashboard service and is configurable to suit your preferences.

  • Find out more about ICIS pricing reports >>

Price forecast services

Produced by the ICIS Consulting team, these reports give a robust rolling 12-month price forecast, trade balances and in-depth analysis into where markets are heading – providing a valuable tool to support your short- to medium-term plans.

  • Find out more about ICIS chemicals forecast reports >>

  • Find out more about ICIS fertilizers forecast reports >>

Dashboard – Easy access to ICIS pricing data

ICIS pricing intelligence is delivered to you online via the ICIS dashboard. Here you can view your reports and also access other useful services including related news, analysis, historical data and market alerts.

ICIS dashboard also makes it easy for you to create pricing charts, download price history and export data to create tailored analytical models.

  • Find more about ICIS dashboard >>
  • Find out more about new ICIS data delivery options: Excel Plug-In & API >>

Margin reports

ICIS weekly margin reports deliver the detail you need to understand how production costs and prices are affecting margins, enabling you to judge the likely impact on your business and optimise your upstream and downstream business decisions.

Find out more about ICIS margin reports >>

Supply and Demand Window on ICIS Dashboard

The Supply and Demand Window on the ICIS Dashboard provides a snapshot view of historical and forecast information for supply and demand, production capacity and trade flows – a key tool to help safeguard future investments within the chemicals market.

Find out more about the ICIS Supply and Demand Window

Industry News

News service

24-hour global coverage of breaking news in the petrochemical industry, including updates on production, shutdowns and key transacted deals, keeping you informed of market developments as they happen. The ICIS news service allows you to customise the market alerts delivered to your email inbox, providing the business-critical information you need straightaway.

  • Find out more about ICIS news service >>

ICIS Chemical Business magazine

If you want to keep updated on the factors driving price movements in the global chemical markets, ICIS Chemical Business provides a summary of the information you need to support your business decisions. Every week, our global team of experts digests and summarises the key issues and their potential impact on the market – all in one magazine.

  • Find out more about ICB magazine >>

Analytics

Supply & Demand Data

An expert view of supply and demand comprising four fully-reconciled databases, giving you access to extensive data for more than 100 markets. Information is included on global and regional trade flows, production, capacity and sources of demand in the short-, medium- and long-term. Data can be downloaded, customised and queried to support your planning requirements and your strategic decisions.

  • Find out more about the ICIS supply and demand database >>

Training and Conferences

Training courses

ICIS provides specialist training courses across the global petrochemicals, base oils and fertilizers industries. Our training team of industry experts can help you increase your knowledge of the industry and gain the insight and know-how needed to operate and trade effectively.

  • Find out more about ICIS training courses >>

Conferences

ICIS produces a series of highly informative and timely conferences. Extensive research is carried out to ensure that each programme delivers the information you need and addresses current industry issues. We source speakers who have the appropriate expertise and experience to deliver excellent quality papers.

  • Find out more about ICIS conferences >>

Consulting

Global markets

Working closely with you to understand your strategies, challenges and ambitions, the ICIS consulting team deliver tailored advice and solutions to suit your unique requirements. With many years’ experience of guiding business leadership teams, we show you how market conditions can make a positive or negative impact on your long-term plans.

  • Find out more about ICIS consulting services >>

China markets

ICIS expert consultants can provide your organisation with the insight, intelligence and data needed to build and grow your business in China. We can help you to gain a clear view on the short and long-term supply and demand picture in the chemicals, energy, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals and paper and pulp markets in China.

  • Find out more about ICIS consulting expertise in China >>

Methodology

ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters world-wide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyer and seller, provide the foundation of our price assessments.

Our in-depth market knowledge drives our specialist focus, as we recognise the importance of individual market dynamics and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Over 25 years of reporting on key chemicals markets, including Vinyl acetate monomer, has brought global recognition of our methodology as being unbiased, authoritative and rigorous in preserving our editorial integrity. Our global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Perth and Moscow ensures unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.

Vinyl Acetate Monomer Methodology

Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is used in water-based paints, adhesives, acrylic fibres, paper coatings and non-woven binder applications.

Read More

About Vinyl acetate monomer

Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) is a colourless, volatile, flammable mobile liquid, with characteristic sweet etheral odour. Vinyl acetate is a dangerous fire and explosion hazard because it will polymerise violently when exposed to heat.

It is a key intermediate used in the making of a number of polymers and resins for adhesives, coatings, paints, films, textiles and other end-products.

The largest derivative is polyvinyl acetate (PVA) which is mainly used in adhesives as it has good adhesion properties to a number of substrates including paper, wood, plastic films and metals. Other uses for PVA include paper coatings, paints and industrial coatings.

The second largest consumer of VAM is polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) which is manufactured from PVA.

VAM is consumed in the manufacture of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and vinyl acetate ethylene (VAE).

A fast growing use of VAM is the manufacture of ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) which is used as a barrier resin in food packaging, plastic bottles and gasoline tanks, and in engineering polymers.

Other VAM derivatives include vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers which have major applications in coatings, paints and adhesives.

VAM is usually produced by the catalysed, vapour phase reaction of acetic acid with ethylene and oxygen in a fixed bed tubular reactor using a supported noble metal catalyst. The VAM is recovered by condensation and scrubbing and purified by distillation.

Receive free market updates

Acetic Acid

Ethylene vinyl acetate

News

TOPIC PAGE: Coronavirus, oil price direction – impact on chemicals
Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:35

Thailand-listed Indorama Ventures Ltd (Ltd) expects demand recovery for its products to continue this year after it swung to a net profit of Thai baht (Bt) 1.61bn ($54m) in the fourth quarter of...

Read
BLOG: China 2021 PX imports could fall by 64%, with styrene imports down 59%
Wed, 24 Feb 2021 03:24

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Click here to see the latest blog post on Asian Chemical Connections by John Richardson. There is a lot of focus on US production losses resulting from the severe winter weather and...

Read
Limited demand boost expected from construction sector following winter storm - AGC
Tue, 23 Feb 2021 23:43

HOUSTON (ICIS)--Demand from the construction sector is likely to see a limited boost in demand following the winter storm, but nothing as drastic as is seen following hurricanes, according to the...

Read
PODCAST: Europe oxo-alcohols chain further pressured by feedstock limitations and fo
Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:10

LONDON (ICIS)--Limited availability of feedstock propylene and force majeures from BASF and Sasol have resulted in tight supply and sustained pricing pressure across the oxo-alcohols markets. Rising...

Read
Independent Commodity Intelligence Services logo
  • ABOUT
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Compliance
  • Work for ICIS
  • ICIS Reports Glossary
  • SERVICES
  • Market Intelligence
  • Analytics
  • Specialist services
  • ICIS Insight
  • USEFUL LINKS
  • Free market updates
  • Blogs
  • Students
  • Find your commodity
  • ICIS Publishing Schedule
  • Press Releases
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Notice (California)

ICIS is part of the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Group portfolio of brands.

Copyright © 2021 LexisNexis Risk Solutions Group

RELX Logo
We use cookies to improve the performance of our site, to analyse the traffic to our site, and to personalise your experience of the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please find more information on the cookies used on our site here