Abstract
Global production and consumption of VAM in 2007 was almost 5 million metric tons. Global capacity utilization was 80.7% in 2007; this was a decrease from 2006 due to a larger increase in capacity than consumption. Global VAM consumption is estimated to have increased by 4.2% in 2007, and is expected to increase on average by 3.8% per year from 2007 to 2012, declining to 2.9% per year from 2012 to 2017. Average global utilization rates are expected to gradually increase throughout the forecast period.
Polyvinyl acetate accounted for almost 42% of global VAM consumption in 2007, followed closely by polyvinyl alcohol with 41% of total consumption, and EVA copolymers with 9%. Other applications for VAM include vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymers, copolymers with acrylonitrile (for acrylic fibers) and copolymers with vinyl pyrrolidone.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of VAM by end use:
