PODCAST: Europe oxo-alcohol tightness puts pressure on derivatives

LONDON (ICIS)–Snug supply of oxo-alcohols is influencing derivative markets, with limited supply of feedstock n-butanol (NBA) putting pressure on pricing for downstream butyl acrylate (butyl-A), butyl acetate (butac) and glycol ethers.

Oxo-alcohols editor Jane Massingham discusses conditions in these markets and their derivatives with acrylate esters editor Mathew Jolin-Beech, glycol ethers editor Eashani Chavda and butac editor Nick Cleeve.

NBA is a solvent with more than half if its production used as an intermediate chemical in the production of butyl acrylates for paints, coatings and adhesives, or acetates and glycol ethers. 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) is used to make plasticizers, mainly dioctyl phthalate (DOP). Key end markets include the construction, appliance and automotive industries.

Acrylate esters are used in the manufacture of surface coatings, paints and resins, adhesives, plastics, textiles and paper.

Divided in E-series and P-series, depending on whether they are made from ethylene oxide (EO) or propylene oxide (PO), glycol ethers are mainly used as a solvent for domestic and industrial applications such as paints and coatings.

Butac is mostly used as a solvent in paints and coatings or as a synthetic fruit flavouring in food products.