Coatings World - April 2012

continued growth of the low VOC, low odor market will also
have a global impact for the foreseeable future.”
Environmental regulations and rising raw material prices are
some of the key issues affecting the resins market.

“Some of the major challenges and trends facing the water-based polymers market today are the consolidation of suppliers and customers, the continued increase in raw material costs, new alternative technologies and a very mature market,” said Reiser.

Resins manufacturers must deal with increasingly stringent regulations along with the trend toward lower VOC coatings in both mature markets and emerging regions.

“Paint producers globally are still talking about low VOC,
low odor paints being a major trend in the market place,” said
Moncla. “Even in emerging areas like Southeast Asia and
Brazil, this movement toward low emission paint is starting to
take hold.”
Along with the uncertainty about new environmental regula-
tions that will impact the raw materials used in coatings, another
major challenge will be the liability associated with recycling and
disposal of old coatings, according to Hall. “These regulations
will determine what resin technologies are sustainable,” he said.

Another challenge is the high cost of feedstocks derived from
petroleum compared to feedstocks derived from natural gas.
“This has shifted usage patterns among chemical makers, mak-
ing propylene- and butadiene-derived materials more expensive
and less available,” Hall said. “The major trends in the market
continue to be increasing the life of coatings systems and reduc-
ing the labor cost associated with the preparation and applica-
tion of coating systems.”
As the U.S. economy continues to recover from the eco-
nomic downturn, resins manufacturers are preparing for in-
creased demand.

Wacker Expands Polymer Site in China and Builds Two New Production Facilities

Around € 40 million investment at integrated production site in Nanjing; doubling of dispersion capacity to 120,000 metric tons per year; new plant for polyvinyl acetate solid resins.

Wacker Chemie AG is expanding its Chinese polymer activities by investing around € 40 million in building two new production facilities at its Nanjing site. The Munich-based chemical group said it is expanding the site’s existing facilities for vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer (VAE) dispersions by adding a new reactor with an annual capacity of 60,000 metric tons. This measure will double Nanjing’s VAE dispersion capacity to approximately 120,000 metric tons per year, making the complex one of the biggest of its kind in China. The new reactor is scheduled to come on stream in mid- 2013. At Nanjing, Wacker is also building a new plant to produce polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) solid resins with an annual capacity of 20,000 metric tons. This plant is due for completion in early 2013. The main application fields for VAE dispersions lie in construction, coatings and adhesives. PVAc solid resins are used in industrial applications and to manufacture gum-base. Wacker’s fully integrated plant at Nanjing already produces vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersions and dispersible polymer powders for the construction, coating, adhesive and other industries. By bundling its Chinese polymer activities at a single site, the company expects to gain advantages and synergies, achieving economies of scale through a common infrastructure and energy supply. Additionally, it will be able to enhance its transport and logistical efficiency.

Wacker’s Nanjing site is a fully integrated plant that manufactures Vinnapas dispersions and dispersible polymer powders as binders for sectors such as construction, coatings and adhesives.