Growth comes from new applications
By Staff -- Purchasing, 1/11/2001 2:00:00 AM
The biocides market is diverse, encompassing as wide a range of market segments and applications as the technologies used in their production are varied. And while growth prospects in these market segments can widely differ, analysts see most growth in biocides coming from product innovation and new applications.
The wide variety of specific end-use markets for biocides along with the emergence of many new products (ranging from commodity to highly specialized) makes reporting price trends difficult. In general, most sources see flat prices ahead, at least for the first quarter, 2001.
And like pricing, demand growth forecasts for biocides varies widely with demand for end-use markets. Demand for commodity biocides, such as those used in solvents may be minimal, while more specialized biocides involving new technologies or performance enhancing qualities, may see much more rapid growth rates. But for a general demand estimate, market analyst Keannan Vembu, Ph.D., at Arthur D. Little Consultants Inc., based in Cambridge, Mass., says, "typical annual demand growth for biocides has been between 4% and 5% per year for the last five years."
New market development
Much of the demand growth in the biocide markets comes from reformulation or product blends, designed to provide improved performance, or to remove biological contaminants in new markets or in multiple applications.
For example, Dow Chemical's biocides business, located in Midland, Mich., has developed its QK-20 biocide, which may be used in recycled rinse water processes, as well as in paints and coatings formulations, where it is designed as a dry film fungicide and as a paint preservative to eliminate biological contaminants from fouling paints while they are still in the can.
Creanova Inc.'s biocides business based in Somerset, N.J., has also concentrated research and product development efforts on new products that may be used in several applications. For instance, its Nuocide and Nousept product lines were primarily developed as algaecides used in water based household and architectural paints. In the last year, Creanova has registered these products with EPA for use as a biocide in other construction-market products, including mortars, grouts and adhesives.
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