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Cellulose acetate flake’s major use is to produce tow used in cigarette
filters. Other uses include the manufacture of textile fibers and compounding
to produce film, sheet and molded objects.
Cellulose acetate is a mature product and has experienced a decline in volumes
in practically all major world areas except China, Central Europe and Russia
during the last several years. New polymers and textiles with enhanced properties
have eroded textile fiber applications formerly held by cellulose acetate.
There has been consolidation among producers and no new producers have emerged
although joint ventures with existing producers have been established in China.
China consumes large volumes of cellulose acetate tow for cigarette filter
use, that are only partially supplied by local production.
The following graph shows producers of cellulose acetate flake by region:
The outlook for cellulose acetate flake in general is slightly positive (2–3%
per year) for 2005–2010 as the number of smokers increases in China,
India, and Central and Eastern Europe. New legislation in these areas calling
for less tar and nicotine in the smoke and leading to heavier filters, combined
with the increasing number of smokers, will offset the declining number of
smokers in North America and Western Europe. Increasing manufacture of flake
in China is to be expected, which could lead to reduced exports of flake to
China.
Cellulose acetate flake used for plastic applications, such as film and sheet,
molded articles, and additives to surface coatings and inks, is on the decline.
An exception is triacetylcellulose (TAC) film used for LCD manufacture, which
is expected to grow by about 13.8% annually.
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