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n-Butyl
Acetate
*Millions
of pounds per year. n-Butyl acetate is produced commercially by esterification
of acetic acid with n-butyl alcohol. Capacities are highly flexible, since other
acetate esters are made in the same units. Capacities could be rated
significantly higher if equipment was devoted solely to n-butyl acetate
production. Dow
Chemical at Texas City, Tex. was formerly a production unit owned by Union
Carbide Corporation. Dow acquired Union Carbide in February 2001. Profile
last published 7/26/99; this revision, 3/15/04. DEMAND 2002:
195 million pounds; 2003: 210 million pounds; 2007: 225 million pounds,
projected. Demand equals production plus imports (2002: 3.5 million pounds;
2003: 2.7 million pounds) less exports (2002: 194 million pounds; 2003: 180
million pounds). GROWTH Historical
(1998 - 2003): -2.2 (negative) percent per year; future: 1.7 percent per year
through 2007. PRICE Historical
(1998 - 2003): High, $0.58 per pound, contract, Gulf, tanks, dlvd.; low, $0.38,
same basis. Current: $0.53 to $0.59, same basis. Current spot price, $0.29, same
basis. USES Lacquer
solvent, primarily for wood furniture and automotive topcoats, 86 percent;
process and extraction solvents, 11 percent; miscellaneous, including adhesives
and sealants, 3 percent. STRENGTH n-Butyl
acetate is employed as a solvent for a variety of coating resins including
epoxies, urethanes, cellulosics, acrylics and vinyls. The major applications for
these surface coatings are wood furniture and fixtures, containers and closures,
automotive refinishing and maintenance, and marine coatings. Duting the 1990s
n-butyl acetate was substituted for solvents such as toluene, xylene, MIBK and
MEK, which are classified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Although this
substitution has largely completed, consumption of n-butyl acetate is expected
to continue growing modestly as in concert with the various coating
applications. WEAKNESS n-Butyl
acetate is a mature market that is heavily dependent on OEM product finishes –
a market sector that is heavily dependent on economic conditions for growth.
Consequently demand for n-butyl acetate declined by 13 percent during the recent
recession. OUTLOOK n-Butyl
acetate growth is largely dependent on a mature 470-million-gallon OEM surface
coatings market. Future growth will be limited by the continued development of
coatings technologies that use little or no solvent. Only
modest growth of 1.7 percent annually is projected for n-butyl acetate. Exported
material accounts for nearly 50 percent of the n-butyl acetate produced in the
US. Exports should remain strong with growing overseas economies and no apparent
overseas capacity for n-butyl acetate being constructed. HISTORICAL DATA
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