Amei Acrylic Display products

Rocketing acrylate prices could open the door to alternative production technologies

For more than two years, the price of acrylic acid has risen steeply. Consumers complain, but producers say margins must improve to justify the very investments that would allow output to increase and prices to soften.

LONDON (ICIS)--The European acrylic acid and acrylate esters market is in a state of confusion, as uncertainty surrounding feedstock propylene and a wide scattering of prices has led to some nervousness among players, sources said on Thursday.

“Some purchasers are very nervous,” said one supplier. “There are concerns about security of supply, so we have seen some healthy buying interest despite the usual August slowdown. The sentiment for September is very strong – there is a real sense of this – and buyers are trying to better secure volumes.