Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Middle East Foam & Polyurethane
  • UTECH Asia/PU China
  • UTECH Europe
  • UTECH Las Americas
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Coronavirus
  • News
    • Asia
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • M & A
    • Financial results
    • Automotive
    • Rapid rise in Chinese refrigerator exports slows in December
      China records double-digit drop in footwear exports
      Chinese mattress exports maintain upswing in value
      Perma-Pipe uses PU in Indian pipeline insulation project
    • Graco negotiates coronavirus in 2020 with unchanged sales
      World automotive registrations recover in H2 2020
      Mlily to increase US market share following anti-dumping duties
      US footwear imports up 25% in November 2020
    • Wheat waste transformed into PU foam
      EC approves Kingspan's TeraSteel and Wetterbest purchases
      BTC Europe to distribute BASF’s polyurethane ingredients
      World automotive registrations recover in H2 2020
    • BPCL Polyol project in doubt
      PPG buys polyurea company Versaflex
      Recticel buys FoamPartner
      Recticel upgrades Q3 outlook despite raw material tightness
    • Graco negotiates coronavirus in 2020 with unchanged sales
      BPCL Polyol project in doubt
      Huafon estimates 2020 profit will be up to 40% higher than 2019
      Mlily to increase US market share following anti-dumping duties
    • World automotive registrations recover in H2 2020
      Car sales down 25% in Western Europe in 2020
      Patchy coronavirus effects hit global car sales in November
      November continues fall in Western Europe's car sales
  • Data
  • Information
    • Country Overview
    • Market Sector overviews
    • Technical articles
    • Company profiles and strategies
    • China’s PU industry on the path to recovery; plans for technology upgrades
      Chinese cold chains grow bigger
      Flexible foam rises to challenges in the Middle East and Africa
      Life at the cross-roads: what does the GCC offer PU?
    • Europe's flexible foam makers face rising prices as outages hit markets
      Western European car registrations rebound slowed in September
      Western European car registrations regained some ground in August
      Western European Car registrations rebound continued in July
    • Take out the VOC with hybrid release agents
      Batteries give pultrusions power
      Seeing a way through VOC and FOG
      Aromatic polyols for simpler rigid PU formulations
    • Hennecke and Frimo: an automotive partnership
      Pushing ahead: AutoRIM drives KM’s UK growth
      BASF opens it first ‘Creation Center’ in Mumbai with a PU twist
      Persistence pays off for CTM
  • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Conferences
    • Webinars / Livestreams
    • Become a Speaker
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Issues
  • Subscribe
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
October 14, 2009 12:00 AM

ACC survey reveals challenges facing the PU industry

Utech Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    National Harbor, Maryland - Flexible foam slabstock production in the US fell by 25 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, a new American Chemistry Council (ACC) market survey has revealed.

    The 2008 end-use market survey on the polyurethanes industry in the US, Canada and Mexico, which was conducted by IAL Consultants on behalf of the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI), said that the drop in production was due to a decrease in furniture production because of a "lack of consumer demand and imports," a 9 Oct CPI statement said.

    Overall production of PU in NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) was 3 425 kilotonnes in 2008, a 6.7 percent decline over the past two years, reflecting a 7.7 percent annual decline in US markets from 2 824 kt in 2006, and a 10.8 percent decline in Canada to 265.2 kt in 2008. Meanwhile, Mexico reported positive growth of 9.6 percent over the past two years, the survey indicated.

    "With the dip in automotive output, decreased consumer spending, high levels of imported furniture and a drop-off of activity in new housing starts, we were prepared to see a decline in polyurethane production in the US and Canada," said Neeva-Gayle Candelori, director of CPI.

    In terms of region, Canada's reliance on the US as an export market resulted in a greater decline in production than seen in the US, the statement said. The US, which represents 81 percent of total PU production in NAFTA, saw flexible foam slabstock account for 16 percent of total production, down from 21 percent in 2006. The decline in housing starts in the US also led to 54 percent of OSB (oriented strand board) production being idled, the ACC said.

    With the push towards "greener" living the US population continued to buy products marketed as "eco-friendly."

    Rigid polyurethane foam - an insulation material, for example, accounted for 39 percent of production in 2008, compared to 28 percent in 2006, "another sign of interest in greater energy efficiency," the statement said. Around 6500 million lbs of rigid PU foam was produced in NAFTA in 2008.

    In the construction industry, new housing starts were down although demand for spray polyurethane foam (SPF) as internal wall insulation increased thanks to an increase in remodelling and repair work. A General decline in moulded seat foam for vehicles was related to the general downturn in automotive production, the ACC said.

    According to IAL's research, signs of growth in the PU industry included increases in SPF demand for residential and industrial applications, as well as military applications such as insulating tents for the US Army at bases in the Middle East. The statement also pointed out that PU is now being used in medical applications for wound dressings, mobility aids, reliable drug delivery and hygienic hospital aids.

    "Its both a challenging and exciting time for the polyurethanes industry," said Candelori.

    "We remain hopeful that while total production volumes have been low, research and development continue and that the polyurethanes industry will have a raft of new products and applications by the next survey," added IAL associate director, Angela Austin. (RD)
    "

    Recommended for You
    Rapid rise in Chinese refrigerator exports slows in December
    Rapid rise in Chinese refrigerator exports slows in December
    China records double-digit drop in footwear exports
    China records double-digit drop in footwear exports
    Chinese mattress exports maintain upswing in value
    Chinese mattress exports maintain upswing in value
    Latest Issue
    Click HERE for Free Download
    View All Archives
    Get our newsletters

    Breaking news and in-depth coverage of essential topics delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe today

    Register to access our archive of leading information on the polyurethanes industry.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Youtube

    Follow us on social media for the latest polyurethanes industry news and event updates.

    Logo
    Contact Us

    Office 127,
    61, Willow Walk,
    London
    SE1 5SF
    E-mail us
    +44 (0) 203 287 5979

    Customer Service:
    +1 313 446 0450

    Resources
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Staff
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Coronavirus
    • News
      • Asia
      • Americas
      • Europe
      • M & A
      • Financial results
      • Automotive
    • Data
    • Information
      • Country Overview
      • Market Sector overviews
      • Technical articles
      • Company profiles and strategies
    • Events
      • Exhibitions
      • Conferences
      • Webinars / Livestreams
      • Become a Speaker
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Issues
    • Subscribe