London — The world market for aliphatic polyester polyols was about 1.9 MT in 2018, according to IAL Consultants. Average annual growth is expected to be 4.2%/year, and this growth rate is expected to continue to 2023.
The largest producing and consuming region for the materials is Asia, and China in particular. PU elastomers for footwear and synthetic leather are the largest markets in the region. End-users in these segments make the polyols for their own consumption.
However, tightening environmental regulations and greater enforcement have hit both China's end-users and suppliers. At the moment, environmental inspections continue in China; this could lead to more fines and closures.
The new two-volume edition of the Market for Aliphatic and Aromatic Polyesters was compiled in 2018 and 2019. It contains usage estimates for 2018 and projects to 2023 by Americas, EMEA, and the Asia-Pacific.
