Global demand to reach 3.1
million metric tons in 2013
Global demand for fluorine-containing
chemicals is forecast to rise 2.5 percent
per year to 3.1 million metric tons in
2013. Gains will be driven by healthy
growth in the production of refrigeration
and cooling equipment, boosting demand
for fluorocarbon refrigerants, particularly
in the developing world. Growth in
demand for fluoropolymers, which will
remain strong in nearly all world regions,
will also benefit overall market gains.
However, gains will be restrained by continued
concerns over the environmental
impact of fluorochemicals, which are
leading consumers in major markets to
limit fluorochemical use or switch to nonfluorinated
alternative products.
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Additional Information
HFC demand benefits from
HCFC phaseout
Fluorocarbon demand will increase at a
pace roughly in line with the fluorochemicals
market as a whole; however, this
masks a considerable shift in the prospects
for individual products. Demand
for HCFCs, which saw healthy growth
during the 2003-2008 period, will begin
to decline through 2013. The 2007
adjustment to the Montreal Protocol has
accelerated the start of HCFC phaseout in
developing countries such as China and
India, significantly reducing growth
prospects going forward. This, in turn,
will drive strong advances in demand for
HFCs, the most common replacements
for HCFCs, in the developing world.
However, HFCs are beginning to come
under increasingly strict regulations,
particularly in Western Europe, restraining
demand for fluorocarbons overall.
Gains in demand for inorganic and
specialty fluorochemicals will decelerate
markedly from the 2003-2008 period, as
aluminum production (the largest outlet
for these products) exhibits a similar
slowdown. However, demand for the
higher-value specialty products, such as
fluorochemical gases, will benefit from
strong growth in world electronics production.
Fluoropolymers will exhibit the
most rapid advances of any major fluorochemical
product type, fueled by a rising
need for high-performance materials in
chemical processing, electronics and
motor vehicle applications.
The Asia/Pacific region will continue to
account for the largest portion of fluorochemical
demand in 2013, totaling just
under half of the world market. The
region will also see above-average gains
in demand, although slowing considerably
from the pace of increase during the
previous decade. The fastest demand
growth, however, is expected for the
Africa/Mideast region (from a relatively
small base), fueled by a rapid increase in
aluminum metal production in the region.
In a continuation of long-term trends, the
US, Western Europe and Japan will
account for a shrinking share of the world
fluorochemical market, as the developed
world adopts more stringent restrictions
on the use of fluorine-derived products.
Study coverage
This new Freedonia industry study, World
Fluorochemicals, is priced at $5800. It
presents historical supply and demand
data (1998, 2003 and 2008) plus forecasts
for 2013 and 2018 by type and market in
six regions and 15 countries. The study
also considers key market environment
factors, evaluates company market share
and profiles global industry competitors.
Copyright 2009 The Freedonia Group, Inc.
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