...lamps and equipment (some of them supply multiple products). In 2005, the growth rates of raw materials and UV-curable products were 37.9% and 11.7%, respectively. The production values of raw materials and radiation-curable products increased with growth rates of 44.5% and 15.3%, respectively. However, the production value of UV lamps/equipment decreased by 25.6%, because of the high growth rate of 42.0% in 2004. The market trends and growth rate of each major segment for UV products in 2005 are also reviewed.

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INTRODUCTION

Continuously increasing environmental concerns and ongoing legislation to cut the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been the major driving forces behind the fast development of radiation-curing technology over the last few decades. Radiation curing, including ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) curing technology, is now being increasingly used in various sectors of applications because it is a type of "clean and green technology." Currently, this technology is commonly utilized to perform the ultra-fast drying of protective coatings, varnishes, printing inks, and adhesives, and to produce the high definition images required in the fabrications of microcircuits and printing plates. In addition to its great speed and spatial saving, radiation curing presents many other advantages compared with other traditional curing methods; in particular, ambient temperature operation, solvent-free formulations, low energy consumption, and the production of polymer materials with tailor-made properties.

The markets for radiation-curable products have been greatly expanded in China. However, the strong growth in radiation curing in China currently is still predominantly in UV-curing technology. Limited by the price of accelerator, the development of EB application is still slow. Only a few EB lines for ink and adhesive applications have been established in recent years.

GENERAL TRENDS OF UV-CURING MARKETS

The growth in the radiation-curing markets is not a simple issue. There are trends away from some chemical types of resins, multifunctional monomers, and photoinitiators, and trends towards others. Likewise, some end-uses are currently more successful than others. Subsequent growth in these applications stems in some cases from increasing penetration of UV technology, and, in others, from an overall market need for coating products. For the purpose of market understanding, the industry can be segmented by application areas. Currently, the largest application area for UV coatings in terms of volume is furniture and construction, where these coatings products are used mainly on wooden furniture and also on various flooring surfaces. This application area is closely followed by printing and packaging industries, which includes inks and clear overprint...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.




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