Abstract
Global production and consumption of polyester solid-state (PET) resins in 2007 was approximately 14 million metric tons. Global capacity utilization was 71% in 2007; this was a slight decline from 2006 due to a larger increase in capacity than consumption. Global PET resins consumption is estimated to have increased by 9% in 2007, and is expected to increase on average by 7.5% per year from 2007 to 2012, declining to 5.7% per year from 2012 to 2017. Even with an average global capacity increase of almost 4% per year throughout the forecast period, average utilization rates are expected to increase to 80% by 2012, gradually increasing to the low-90s range by the end of the forecast period.
PET bottle production accounted for over 93% of global polyester solid-state resins consumption in 2007. Other applications for polyester solid-state resins include special “hot-fill” capability applications (incorporating polyethylene naphthalene (PEN) monomer), amorphous PET (thermoformed into cups, trays, lids and ‘clam shells’) and crystallized PET (primarily for dual-ovenable trays for prepared frozen foods).
