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Global ketene demand remained stable in 2003 and 2004, but increased in 2005
as a result of strong demand for ketene-based products, particularly in China.
In 2006, ketene demand decreased slightly in the United States and Western
Europe but increased in Asia. It is expected that global ketene consumption
will grow only slightly during 2005–2010 because of mature product uses.
However, there will continue to be a shift in regional consumption of ketene
from the United States and Western Europe to Asia, particularly China. China
is expected to increase plant capacities for acetic anhydride (for cellulose
acetate flake) and sorbic acid, which will continue to drive increasing ketene
demand. Other global ketene uses, including diketene and its resulting derivatives,
will continue to grow modestly.
The following pie charts show consumption of ketene by end use and major region.
Acetic anhydride production (the majority of which is used for cellulose acetate
flake manufacture) will continue to drive ketene consumption. In the United
States, ketene consumption is expected to decline slightly as domestic production/consumption
of cellulose acetate also declines. In Western Europe, cellulose acetate flake
production is not expected to grow, and consumption will decline. In Asia,
Japan’s ketene consumption is expected to increase only slightly, while
the major increase will occur in China, where new regional production capacity
for acetic anhydride is being built.
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