US Demand for Amines to Exceed 3 Billion Pounds in 2016

US demand for amines (excluding those used to produce other amines) is forecast to advance 2.4 percent annually to 3.1 billion pounds in 2016, valued at $4.3 billion.  The agricultural chemical and cleaning product markets will be responsible for the largest increases in amines demand, with agricultural chemical amine sales rising above the overall average.  The fastest growth will occur in the wood treatment products market, though from a much smaller base, due to a robust rebound in construction spending.  While demand for most amine products will grow near or just above the overall average pace, polyetheramines will continue to outperform due to their expanding use in coatings and composites. These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in US Amines, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.  

Healthy demand for alkylamines and ethanolamines as intermediates in pesticide active ingredient production will drive above average increases in the agricultural chemical market through 2016. Alkylamines and ethanolamines will also lead gains in cleaning products, the largest outlet for amines.  The fastest growth will be achieved in the wood treatment market, driven by a rebound in residential construction; however, increasing competition from wood-alternative products will limit gains over the long term. 

Ethanolamines will be the largest and second fastest growing product segment in the US amines market.  Diethanolamine will remain the most commercially significant of the ethanolamines, providing strong support as it continues to benefit from use in herbicides such as glyphosate and atrazine.  Specialty amines demand will be supported by an improving outlook for plastics processing. Fatty amines will continue to benefit from the benign environmental profile and gentleness on the skin of their derivatives that are used in cleaning and personal care products.  Demand for alkylamines and ethyleneamines will be restrained by maturity in key applications.

Due to their importance in polyurea coatings and composites, and as epoxy resin curing agents, polyetheramines will continue to grow at a faster pace than all other amine product types.  The relative ease of application, high tensile strength, and durability of polyurea coatings have resulted in their use in a number of industries.  Robust growth in construction spending, as well as ongoing development of new applications, will contribute to strong advances in polyetheramines demand through the end of the forecast period.

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.