In recent years, the domestic acrylic market has experienced significant growth, driven primarily by the rapid expansion of the acrylic deep-processing industry and the increasing demand for acrylic acid downstream products. Among these, the acrylate application market has seen substantial development. In 2004, China produced 170,000 tons of acrylic acid and imported an additional 114,000 tons. Of this, approximately 172,000 tons were used for general-purpose acrylate production, accounting for 60.6% of total consumption. Around 28,000 tons were allocated to specialty acrylates, making up 9.7%, while the remaining 29.7% was used for polymers and other applications.
The rise in demand for specialty acrylates can be attributed to the growth of the coating industry and advancements in radiation curing technologies. Globally, the production of specialty acrylates increased from 66,000 tons in 1988 to 180,000 tons in 2003, with an average annual growth rate exceeding 10%. In China, more than 30 companies are now involved in the production of specialty acrylates, with a combined annual capacity of 80,400 tons. In 2004, the country's output reached 91,590 tons, with 27,350 tons of various specialty acrylate monomers produced.
Radiation curing remains the primary consumer of specialty acrylates. Historically, the global radiation curing market has been dominated by Europe and North America. However, in recent years, China has witnessed rapid development in this sector, fueling growth in the Asian market. In 2004, China produced 32,600 tons of radiation curing products, consuming 29,300 tons of specialty acrylates. Globally, UV curing products account for 95% of the market, with EB (electron beam) curing making up the remaining 5%. Currently, China does not have any EB curing production lines, meaning all radiation curing products are UV-based.
In 2004, 77 companies in China produced a total of 32,599 tons of UV curing products. The majority of these were used in UV curable coatings, with 44 companies producing 23,300 tons that year. UV curing inks followed closely, with 35 companies producing 9,058 tons—showing nearly six times the growth rate compared to 1999, making it the fastest-growing segment. UV curing adhesives, however, are still in an earlier stage of development. In 2004, 10 companies produced only 242 tons of UV adhesives, which found use in medical devices, optical instruments, glass, and handicrafts.
Despite the impressive growth, China’s radiation curing industry still lags behind developed regions like Europe, the U.S., and Japan. Weak R&D capabilities and a lack of high-end, proprietary products remain key challenges. While foreign markets have already commercialized waterborne UV coatings, powder UV coatings, and dual-curing systems, China is still in the research phase. This indicates a huge untapped potential for future growth. It is estimated that by 2009, the output of radiation curing products in China could reach 60,000 tons, requiring approximately 54,000 tons of specialty acrylates.
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