GLOBAL demand for rubber processing chemicals is forecast to increase 4.7% a year through 2015 to 1.35 million tonnes. Gains will be driven by continuing robust gains in the Asia Pacific region (especially China) and recovery in demand in the US, Western Europe and Japan following declines in these three areas in the 2000s. Rubber chemical demand in China is projected to grow 8.1% year through 2015 to around 580,000 tonnes.
Demand for antidegradants, which improve rubber’s resistance to the effects of oxidation, ozone, heat, sunlight and mechanical stress, is projected to grow 4.7% a year through 2015 to 810,000 tonnes, with demand fuelled by both expansion in tyre and industrial rubber products as well as continuing efforts to improve performance and lengthen service lives of rubber goods. One factor that will counter increasing antidegradant usage is the faster growth in demand for natural rubber versus synthetic rubber since the former has natural anti-oxidative properties and requires less antioxidant loadings to achieve similar properties.
Accelerator demand will exceed 415,000 tonnes in 2015. These chemicals, which control the vulcanisation process, are required in all vulcanised rubber products. However, accelerator demand will outpace rubber consumption due to the above-average gains forecast for secondary or ultra-accelerators. These chemicals, which are used with EPDM and latex compounds, offer rapid cure rates and are believed to be less toxic than primary accelerators. Demand for other processing chemicals, including processing aids, adhesion promoters and blowing agents, among numerous others, will reach 130,000 tonnes in 2015. Processing aids, used to improve plasticity and moulding properties of rubber, are expected to see high growth due to the increased usage of natural rubber. (PRA)
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