IHS Markit: Global polymer catalyst demand continues to expand

Recently, IHS Markit released data that the global sales of polymerization catalysts in 2020 will reach about 7.
6 billion US dollars
.
Global demand for polymerization catalysts, especially polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) catalysts, will remain strong in the medium term
.
Among them, sustainability and green issues are the main driving forces influencing innovation and R&D in the polymer catalyst market
.
Major producers such as Grace and Clariant are accelerating investments to make their catalysts more in line with market demand
.

According to IHS Markit, polyolefin catalysts are the largest single market segment, accounting for 50% to 60% of the total polymer catalyst market, with a market value of approximately $3.
7 billion to $4 billion in 2020
.
From the perspective of catalyst usage, PE and PP polymerization catalysts are the two most important series
.

Laura Schwinn, president of Grace's specialty catalysts business, said polyolefins account for about 65 percent of the global thermoplastics market, and demand growth rates are also higher than other general-purpose plastics
.
This is mainly due to their relatively low cost of raw materials and a wider range of applications
.
Grace believes that despite the slowdown in the auto industry last year, its catalyst demand is still strong, mainly due to the growth of new consumption models such as food packaging, health and fitness and home decoration
.
The end market demand will grow at an average annual rate of 5% to 6% from 2020
.

According to IHS Markit, the polyolefin market will continue to grow in the medium term due to population growth and urbanization
.
Given these trends, PE and PP catalyst demand is also expected to grow proportionally
.
For example, accelerated urbanization in emerging market regions will drive demand for plastics, including plastic pipes, sheets, building linings, and wire and cable applications
.

Meanwhile, Clariant said demand for its PP catalysts will remain strong as more customers opt for the phthalate-free PolyMax 600 catalyst range
.
Stefan Heuser, senior vice president and general manager of Clariant's catalyst business, said that while the industry as a whole had to deal with the consequences of the global pandemic, such as longer lead times
.
Overall catalyst demand will also remain strong, with more polymer catalyst demand likely to come from series with scalability, differentiated performance and ease of recycling
.

Currently, the further reduction of CO2 produced in polypropylene production, as well as the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is one of the main trends in the innovation of polymerization catalyst companies
.
Clariant has launched PolyMax 600, a low toxicity PP catalyst
.
“With our phthalate-free PolyMax 600 catalyst, we offer a range of products that are not only phthalate-free, but also aromatic-free
.
In addition to this, we are working to reduce catalyst CO₂ footprint in production,
” says Heather
.

The market will also need new polymers, IHS Markit said
.
The latest polymer catalysts have spawned a new wave of technology that continues to change the momentum of polymer growth
.
Catalysts are critical to the success of polyolefin resin producers, Schwinn said, because new catalysts can lead to differentiated resins, innovations in new products, and expansion into new applications
.
“While process innovation and catalyst performance remain innovation priorities, sustainability is the most pressing right now,
” she said.
“We intentionally designed our catalysts to be sustainable, using phthalate-free acid-based catalysts to produce resins with low VOCs
.
Grace’s sixth-generation CONSISTA and HYAMPP catalysts are examples of how we are innovating in response to these market demands
.
”