Europe is the largest market for MDI worldwide, estimated at 1.3m t in 2008, according to Global Industry Analysts (GIA, San Jose, California / USA; www.strategyr.com) in its recently published “Diphenylmethane diisocyanate: A global strategic business report”. The region is also the world’s largest producer of MDI, followed by the US and Asia-Pacific. Around 95% of the worldwide MDI production is in North America, northeast Asia and western Europe. Annual MDI consumption in flexible and rigid foams is projected by GIA to reach 2.76m t by 2012, while use in paints and coatings is estimated at 540,000 t in 2008.

Major players covered in the report include BASF, Bayer, BorsodChem, Chematur Engineering, Chemtura, Huntsman, ITWC, Mitsui Chemicals Polyurethanes, Nippon Polyurethane Industry, Rubicon, Dow Chemical, and Yantai Wanhua Polyurethane. The report analyses the period 2000 to 2015 and presents data for major geographic markets including the US, Japan, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Asia, South America and the Middle East. Data are also provided for end-use segments including flexible foams, rigid foams, paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants and elastomers.