Recent technical trends in the market for E-PVC in Europe

The development of new emulsion resins (also known as dispersion or paste resins) continues despite dramatic changes in the applications sector for these types of resins. Suppliers of such resins still find the need to innovate constantly in order to maintain a market position and to both lead and follow the technical developments in a dynamic market place. The purpose of the present study is to (i) review the history of the developments in this technology sector, (ii) show how polymer technology has adapted to meet new technical demands of key European applications sectors, even when these technical demands in different markets are often opposed to each other, and (iii) make some qualified predictions for the future developments in the dispersion resin market in Europe. The present study will include descriptions of the principal technologies for the production of Emulsion PVC (E-PVC) resins, namely emulsion (batch and continuous), microsuspension and ‘mini-emulsion' and the potential benefits of each of these technologies will be compared. How these technologies can be developed to add value to the principal market sectors consuming them – flooring, wallcoverings, synthetic leather, coated fabrics and sealants – will be described. How these will develop over the coming years, and how an ever increasing regulatory framework (both for resin producers and for vinyl formulators) can be accommodated, will also be discussed.