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Styrenic block copolymers (SBCs) are the largest-volume and lowest-priced member of the thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) family. TPE polymers have rubberlike properties but process as thermoplastics. There are three major types of SBCs:
- Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) block copolymers
- Styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS) block copolymers
- Styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) and other hydrogenated styrenic block copolymers
In 2007 the Americas accounted for around 30%, Europe 21% and Asia almost half of the total world market. China is the leading footwear producer in the world, followed by India, and this industry consumes vast amounts of rubber and elastomers, including styrenic block copolymers, predominantly SBS.
The following graph shows consumption of SBCs by end use and major region or country:
The global market is forecast to grow around 4% per year during 2007–2012. Central and Eastern Europe has surpassed China and East Asia as the largest growth region, in terms of relative growth. Demand growth for SBS in China in the shoe industry has shrunk considerably as a result of intermaterial competition with other elastomers.
Kraton Polymers (formerly a division of Shell Chemical) is not only the dominant supplier in the world, it also invented styrenic block copolymers more than four decades ago. Its market share has decreased to 23% of total global production capacity, because more and more firms have entered the business. Kraton has also missed the opportunity to expand capacity in Asia to capture a market position comparable with the one the company has in the Americas and Europe. In particular, Asian producers have strongly expanded production capacities in the last decade. In 2007 Sinopec (in China) had the second-largest and Lee Chang Yung of Taiwan (with production plants in Taiwan, China and the United States) the third-largest production capacity in the world.
By the end of 2007, the six largest producers—Kraton, Sinopec, Lee Chang Yung, Chi Mei, Dynasol Elastómeros and Polimeri Europa—had 73% of global production capacity.
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