Skip to main content

Featured Articlce

The Future of 3D Printing and Healthcare

When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. As 3D printing technology continues to advance, applications can be as far reaching as  airplane  and  automobile parts  to medical devices and even anatomically correct, biocompatible models. Although 3D printing technology is developing at a rapid pace, the technology itself is not new. It emerged in  the 1980s  as a means of creating rapid prototypes. In recent years the applications for 3D printed models have evolved with the available hardware, software, and printable materials. Evolving technology, paired with the creative and innovative minds of scientists, engineers, and physicians, has been the launching pad for developments within 3D printing technology specific to healthcare. One way 3D printing technology is poised to create better patient outcomes is in creating an anatomically and  patient-specific models  to aid in surgery and medical procedures. With the capability to 3D ...
Post a Comment

Super Absorbent Polymers: Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) Most Lucrative Market, followed by Europe and North America

As we recently discussed hyrdophilic polymers are able to retain about 500 times their own weight in liquid, or between 30 to 60 times their volume. For this reason, these polymers, also known as superabsorbant polymers (SAP), have many important uses. They are found in disposable diapers, medical products, and other hygiene products and the market for SAPs is quickly growing. This blog post is a guest submission from Future Marketing Insights and explains how the global demand for SAPs is expanding. 

Demand for superabsorbent polymers (SAP) is expected to reach 2.2 million tonnes by the end of 2015. The disposable diaper industry accounts for the bulk of  demand for SAP. Out of the 2.1 million tonnes of SAP consumed in 2014, disposable diapers accounted for nearly 1.6 million tonnes, accounting for a whopping 72% of the market share.
Rising awareness on the importance of personal hygiene is a key factor fuelling the use of disposable diapers. This trend is especially pronounced in emerging countries of Asia Pacific, where per capita income has been steadily increasing, giving consumers the ability to invest in health and well-being.
SAP Demand to Reach 667 Thousand Tonnes in APEJ by 2015 End
Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) is the largest market for SAP, both in terms of volume and SAP_Market in 2014, Types of Product, Pie Chart valuation. Demand for SAP in APEJ was estimated to be worth 627 thousand tonnes in 2014, and it is expected to reach nearly 667 thousand tonnes by the end of 2015. The disposable diaper industry will account for nearly 517 thousand tons of the estimated demand.
Rising research and development investment is one of the key factors supporting the demand for SAP in APEJ. Leading SAP manufacturers are focusing on improving their distribution chain to ensure continuous supply to end-use industries.
Use of SAP in agriculture, medical, and construction sectors is also anticipated to provide an impetus to the demand. These sectors are expected to create 16.5 thousand tonnes worth of demand by the end of 2015 in APEJ.
Robust Demand Expected from Europe and North America
Europe is the second largest market for SAP after APEJ. Consumption of SAP was nearly 581 thousand tonnes in 2014, and it is expected to reach 613 thousand tons by the end of 2015.
Feminine hygiene products in Europe is one of the key factors driving the demand. The U.K., Germany, and France are among the largest consumers of SAP in Europe.
Although disposable diapers account for the bulk of the demand for SAP in Europe, their increasing ageing population has presented opportunities to market adult incontinence products which account for nearly 12% of total SAP demand in Europe, compared to 8% in APEJ.
In terms of overall demand, North America is the third largest market. The demand for SAP in North America is expected to reach 493 thousand tons in 2015, up from 468 thousand tonnes in 2014.
Disposable diapers, adult incontinence, and feminine hygiene products will account for the bulk of the demand in North America, whereas applications in agriculture, construction, and medical sector are expected to account for 29% of the market share.
APEJ, Europe, and North America collectively account for nearly 80% demand of the global SAP volume. Latin America, Japan, and MEA represent the other 20%, with Latin America holding the highest share among the three regions.
Key companies in the global SAP market include Nippon Shokubhai, Evonik Industries, BASF SE, Sumitomo Seika, and LG Chemicals. Nippon Shokubhai has a strong presence in Asia Pacific, whereas Europe is the most lucrative market for Evonik Industries. All these major players are focusing on increasing their production capacity to meet the growing demand for SAP.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Future of 3D Printing and Healthcare

When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. As 3D printing technology continues to advance, applications can be as far reaching as  airplane  and  automobile parts  to medical devices and even anatomically correct, biocompatible models. Although 3D printing technology is developing at a rapid pace, the technology itself is not new. It emerged in  the 1980s  as a means of creating rapid prototypes. In recent years the applications for 3D printed models have evolved with the available hardware, software, and printable materials. Evolving technology, paired with the creative and innovative minds of scientists, engineers, and physicians, has been the launching pad for developments within 3D printing technology specific to healthcare. One way 3D printing technology is poised to create better patient outcomes is in creating an anatomically and  patient-specific models  to aid in surgery and medical procedures. With the capability to 3D ...
Post a Comment
Read Full Article

The Science Behind 4 Of The Greatest Polymers Of All Time

PMMA Applications: Lucite, dentures, aquarium windows Developed in: 1877 Polymethylmethacrylate is a very versatile polymer. If you ever see a clear plastic block, it's probably PMMA. It was first commercialized in the 1930s in Germany, and is now found anywhere one needs clear, strong material. This includes bulletproof "glass" at your favorite corner liquor store and the huge shark tanks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. But my favorite use of PMMA is in so-called "frozen lightning" or Lichtenberg figure sculpture. Basically, put a chunk of PMMA into an electron accelerator, fire a bunch of electrons into the plastic until it's got about two million volts of charge, then touch the side of the plastic with a bit of wire and watch as bolts of lightning carve tracks inside the clear plastic. Superabsorbers Applications: Diapers Developed in: 1960s Back in the day, diapers were made from cloth. Frequently, those cloth diapers were filled with wads of n...
Post a Comment
Read Full Article

Virginia Tech Students Create Foldable Bike Helmets

Helmets: Something you may have hated with a passion as a child, but your parents made you wear. As adults, one could argue helmet use is pretty divided. If you head down your local bike path or along a neighborhood street, you’ll see a good number of riders not wearing their helmets. Two Virginia Tech students think that’s a problem. Co-founders David Hall and Jordan Klein started  Park & Diamond  and set out to create a safe, compact, and stylish helmet to hopefully convince people to wear them every time they bike. The interest in refining technology to prevent bike related head injuries is  incredibly personal  for the team of innovators, especially for Hall. In 2015 Hall’s younger sister was involved in a bike accident in Philadelphia and remained in a coma for four months. The bicycle crash occurred at the corner of Park Avenue and Diamond Street in Philadelphia—which is reflected in the name of their company. How Helmets Work Just like the...
Post a Comment
Read Full Article