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Superabsorbent Polymers

Chemical Economics Handbook

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Published November 2020

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are based on polyacrylic acid that can absorb hundreds of times its weight in liquids, making the polymers useful in disposable sanitary products like diapers, feminine hygiene products, adult incontinence products, and certain industrial materials. Use in diapers predominates by far, accounting for about 70% of global consumption. Use has been growing in this application in mainland China and other developing markets where disposable incomes are rising, more women are working outside of the home, the population is growing, and commercial availability is increasing. In other regions like the United States, Western Europe, and Japan, penetration of disposable diapers is already well over 90%, so the markets are mature. However, the industry is counting on growth in the incontinence market because of aging populations, longer lifespans, and greater acceptance by consumers.

The largest producers of SAPs are Nippon Shokubai, BASF, and Evonik, which together have about 45% of global capacity. Producers in mainland China and South Korea continue to increase capacity, which has led to depressed pricing. Costs have decreased since early 2019 because of lower-priced acrylic acid feedstock, which is derived from propylene.

The following pie chart shows world consumption of superabsorbent polymers:

In the largest application, disposable diapers, demand continues to be strong in developing regions, but remains flat in developed countries because of market saturation and low birth rates. Good growth is expected in the developing world for several reasons:

  • Increasing disposable income. Disposable diapers are a luxury to families with low disposable income. A baby’s diaper is changed five or six times a day in prosperous countries like the United States, which can cost $1,000–2,000 annually. In less developed countries, an infant’s diaper might be changed only once a day, and cloth diapers are often used.
  • More women working outside of the home and creating more demand for the convenience of disposables.
  • Improvements in childcare facilities have made it easier for couples to balance work and childcare.
  • Demand from educated women who insist on more effective sanitary products.
  • Higher population growth. For example, in mainland China, the one-child-per-family policy was recently relaxed to allow two children per family.
  • Greater availability in the developing world. For example, in India, higher-quality hospitals have begun to promote the use of disposable sanitary products, which should increase the penetration rate of diapers.

Adult incontinence products, the second-largest use, is expected to experience much higher growth in developed regions for several reasons:

  • The population is aging quickly in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries.
  • Longevity is increasing.
  • There is greater acceptance of incontinence products.

The third major use of SAPs is in feminine hygiene products. This generally has become a low growth area in the developed world, but is expected to grow faster in the developing world as their availability increases and women become more educated about these products. The industry is developing newer products that appeal to sports-minded women.

SAPs are also used in industrial applications such as agriculture, where they are used to regulate water release in soils in arid climates and adsorb excess water in damp climates. Other uses include protective coatings for electrical cable, food packaging, and medical/medical waste adsorbents.

SAP feedstock costs have been dropping because of lower acrylic acid pricing, which in turn has dropped as propylene costs have eased considerably since early 2019. The prices of SAPs have dropped as the industry faces overcapacity issues despite relatively strong global demand. In particular, South Korea and mainland China have added considerable amounts of new capacity since 2012. It will take several years for demand to balance with supply.

For more detailed information, see the table of contents, shown below.

S&P Global’s Chemical Economics Handbook – Superabsorbent Polymers is the comprehensive and trusted guide for anyone seeking information on this industry. This latest report details global and regional information, including

Key benefits

S&P Global’s Chemical Economics Handbook – Superabsorbent Polymers has been compiled using primary interviews with key suppliers and organizations, and leading representatives from the industry in combination with S&P Global’s unparalleled access to upstream and downstream market intelligence and expert insights into industry dynamics, trade, and economics.

This report can help you

  • Identify trends and driving forces influencing chemical markets
  • Forecast and plan for future demand
  • Understand the impact of competing materials
  • Identify and evaluate potential customers and competitors
  • Evaluate producers
  • Track changing prices and trade movements
  • Analyze the impact of feedstocks, regulations, and other factors on chemical profitability
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Table of Contents

Section Page Number

Executive summary 5
Summary 6
Introduction 10
Manufacturing processes 11
Environmental issues 13
Supply and demand by region 14
United States 14
Producing companies 14
Salient statistics 14
Consumption 15
Personal hygiene 15
Technical/industrial 16
Price 17
Trade 17
Canada 18
Salient statistics 18
Consumption 18
Mexico 19
Salient statistics 19
Consumption 19
Central and South America 20
Salient statistics 20
Consumption 21
Western Europe 22
Producing companies 22
Salient statistics 23
Consumption 24
Personal hygiene 25
Technical/industrial 26
Price 26
Central and Eastern Europe 27
Salient statistics 27
Consumption 27
Middle East 28
Salient statistics 28
Consumption 29
Africa 30
Salient statistics 30
Consumption 31
Indian Subcontinent 32
Salient statistics 32
Consumption 33
Mainland China 34
Producing companies 34
Salient statistics 37
Consumption 37
Personal hygiene 37
Technical/industrial 39
Price 39
Trade 40
Japan 40
Producing companies 40
Salient statistics 42
Production 42
Consumption 42
Price 45
Trade 45
Imports 45
Exports 45
South Korea 46
Producing companies 46
Salient statistics 47
Consumption 47
Taiwan 48
Producing companies 48
Salient statistics 48
Consumption 49
Southeast Asia and Oceania 49
Producing companies 49
Salient statistics 50
Consumption 51
Additional resources 55
Revisions 56

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