Need for solvent-free alternatives are driving demand for emulsion polymers, says report
by CM staff
Acrylics and vinyl are key chemistries contributing to the overall growth of the emulsion polymer market, says Frost & Sullivan.
Need for Solvent-free Alternatives Driving Demand for Emulsion Polymers.
SAN ANTONIO — According to Frost & Sullivan’s report, Global Emulsion Polymer Growth Opportunities, the market expansion of emulsion polymers (EPs) across industries is influenced by their growing use in end-use applications.
While paints and coatings, paper, and packaging are the main industry verticals driving demand for EPs, acrylics, and vinyl are key chemistries contributing to the sector’s total growth. From $40.30 billion in 2022 to $59.78 billion in 2029, the global market for EP is anticipated to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8 per cent.
“EP manufacturers face concurrent challenges that require innovative solutions, including customer demands for tailor-made chemistries,” said Ganesh Dabholkar, Chemicals, Materials and Nutrition Senior Research Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. “Additionally, a lack of application expertise and technical support in end-use industries calls for the development of effective strategies.”
Dabholkar added: “To comply with governments’ stringent sustainability regulations, many EP manufacturers will develop bio-based formulations in the next two to three years. Further, the innovation of alternatives to harmful styrene-based and other petro-based acrylate chemistries will be vital to developing circular and sustainable products.”
To capitalize on the EP growth opportunities, market participants should:
- Invest in focused research and development (R&D) sub-areas to develop superior polymerization processes that achieve high monomer conversion rates.
- Partner exclusively with regional distributors to leverage their manufacturing capabilities for developing businesses in new geographies.
- Focus on the innovation of green and sustainable products, which will call for the replacement of styrene, acrylate, and isocyanate-based EP use with more environmentally friendly or recyclable chemistries, such as polyvinylidene chloride.
