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Chlorinated solvents market bottoms out?

28 Jun 2006 - According to ECSA the decline in European sales of chlorinated solvents slowed in 2005 and is expected to stabilise by late 2007 once the Solvents Emissions Directive 99/13/EC is fully implemented. Sales last year in the EU 25 countries plus Norway, Switzerland and Turkey totalled 216,000 tonnes, a 2% decrease compared with the previous year (220,000 tonnes).
 
The more stringent carcinogenicity classification for trichloroethylene (TRI) imposed by the EU in 2002 continued to impact sales, which dropped 15% last year to 28,000 tonnes (2004: 33,000 t). In the past five years, industrial sales of TRI have dropped 89% from 62,000 tonnes (2001) and faced with a declining market. Arkema stopped production late 2005. However, future supply for industrial applications is assured because TRI is also an important intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals such as hydroflurocarbons.
 
With the inclusion of figures from new member Spolchemie (Czech Republic), ECSA reported European region perchloroethylene (PER) sales last year of 56,000 tonnes. PER remains the solvent of choice for more than 80% of dry-cleaning shops and continues to gain market share as a substitute for TRI in metal degreasing. In Spain, Ercros stopped production last year before merging with Aragonesas.
 
Methylene chloride sales remained stable in 2005 at 132,000 tonnes compared with133,000 tonnes the previous year. It remains the most widely-used of the chlorinated solvents, particularly for pharmaceutical production.

Further information: http://www.eurochlor.org/news/detail/index.asp?id=194