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Global yarn production up 4% in 2009: Oerlikon Textile report
Issue date:15/06/2010
Source:Source: Oerlikon Textile
Filament and spun yarn output 2009 vs 2008
Filament and spun yarn output 2009 vs 2008
The 2009 world output of yarns was up 4.0% to 61.8 million tonnes. The three yarn types differently benefited from the worldwide recovery in demand. Filament yarns increased 3.4% to 24.8 million tonnes, of which carpet yarns (excluding polyester carpet yarn) dropped 13.4% to 1.7 million tonnes, industrial yarns declined 6.9% to 2.4 million tonnes and textile filament yarns were up 6.4% at 20.7 million tonnes. Short staple yarn rose 5.1% to 32.9 million tonnes and long staple yarn remained at the low level of 4.1 million tonnes. The world market of 61.8 million tonnes is being dominated by PR China. The Chinese output volume accounted for 39.7 million tonnes last year, equal to a market share of 64%. India has produced 5.7 million tonnes, occupying a 9% share. The United States managed to achieve a manufacturing volume of 1.9 million tonnes, followed by Taiwan with 1.5 million and South Korea with 1.1 million tonnes. The rest of the world contributed 19% to the global yarn production, corresponding to 11.9 million tonnes.

Nonwovens output at 7 million tonnes

The nonwovens industry has delivered a mixed performance as some sectors like personal hygiene, including adult incontinence products, feminine hygiene products and baby diapers, and medical were not impacted by the economic slowdown. Other markets like automotive, construction and home textiles, however, suffered from the slump in economic activities. In total, last year's output of nonwovens and unspun end-uses has increased by 6.3% to 7.1 million tonnes after a slowdown in 2008. In developed countries, growth in population and disposable income will further lead to increased spending for consumer disposables. Further, an aging population will raise the demand for medical nonwovens and adult incontinence products. Demand for better quality disposable applications will mainly come from the growing middle classes in developing countries. The Chinese and Indian markets will continue to grow in urban areas whereas consumption in the rural areas will not increase as rapidly due to far lower income levels and for reasons of tradition. Demand for disposable products such as babies' diapers, also true for the Middle East, will remain lower because of cheap labor, the presence of extended families and the employment of nursemaids. Finally, investments in infrastructure will assist the industrial development for geotextiles and agricultural applications.

In addition, following the first part of the Oerlikon Textile report, entitled "Global fiber production exceeded 70 million tonnes in 2009", published on June 7 at AdsaleATA.com. Breakdown of major synthetic fibers are shown below.

Major synthetic fibers

Polyester

The fundamental change of the polyester business has continued in favour of PR China, actually taking in a 69% share. The economic center of gravity will continue to be in PR China as several large-scale expansion projects in textile and industrial yarn markets will shortly come on-stream.


Polyester fibers production
The strong growth in the polyester textile yarn production of 6.7% to 18.2 million tonnes was driven by a small number of Asian countries while the western hemisphere reported heavy declines. This has lifted the Asian market share to nearly 97%. The textile powerhouse, PR China, as well as India, Malaysia and Vietnam succeeded in increasing output substantially. The textile filament markets in Greater Europe were characterized by sluggish demand, resulting in lower manufacturing activity and imports. The region's production volume fell 22% and the Americas suffered from a decline of 15% last year.

The industrial yarn business has suffered from the downturn in the automotive industry. The global output of polyester industrial yarn was down 6.1% to nearly 1.1 million tonnes. While production in Greater Europe dramatically fell by 44%, the Americas were down 19%. According to figures from the China Chemical Fiber Association, national output increased by 22% to 550,000 tonnes. Given reduced exports and almost unchanged imports, this calls for an amazing growth momentum in a year of great depression.

The staple business grew 4.4% to 12.6 million tonnes. The only growth region was Asia, now accounting for an 89% market share. Although the capacity growth in PR China has significantly slowed since 2005, excess supply still is an issue. While national output rose 9% to 7.9 million tonnes, the average utilization rate was just slightly above 70% last year. India, the second largest producer, increased volumes by 15% to around 860,000 tonnes – similar to the pre-crisis level. Taiwan and South Korea, in third and fourth position, both managed to lift output as well. Taiwan's production grew 13% to nearly 570,000 tonnes, equal to an average run rate of about 90%. The Korean output improved by 5% to 516,000 tonnes, resulting in a utilization rate of approximately 80%.

The healthy operating rates in both industries are the outcome of a persistent adjustment to the changing market environment and further reductions in capacity are planned for the years to come. The other parts of the world all suffered from declining output.

Production in Greater Europe went down by 14% to below 600,000 tonnes. While Turkey was stable, Western Europe decreased by 23% to 268,000 tonnes and CIS manufacturing activity collapsed by 18% to 82,000 tonnes. In the Americas, production declined by 15% to about 725,000 tonnes.

Polyamide

Polyamide fibers continued declining by 1.4% to 3.5 million tonnes in 2009. Continuously rising caprolactam prices, almost doubling until year-end, have resulted in increasing prices of the subsequent t products. Furthermore, the depressed housing market in the United States and lower vehicle build rates have put additional strain on the industry.

Despite increasing pressure from polyester, textile yarn was up by 8.3% at 1.6 million tonnes. All the other sectors suffered from decreasing activity with the industrial yarn business going down by 7.4% at 0.9 million tonnes, carpet yarn falling 8.0% to 0.7 million tonnes and staple fiber dropping by 15.7% to 214,000 tonnes.

Polypropylene

The world polypropylene market decreased by 6.5% to 2.6 million tonnes, suffering from a substantial increase in fiber grade prices from the second quarter and reduced consumer spending for home textiles. In the United States, slow demand for carpet yarn and increasing substitution by polyester have put additional pressure on the industry.

While staple fiber applications increased by 3.5% to 1.1 million tonnes, output of filament yarns declined by 12.7% to 1.5 million tonnes.

Acrylic

The acrylic fibers market has seen its first growth after four years of contraction and losing a volume of around 825,000 tonnes from a record high at 2.7 million tonnes in 2004. In 2009, the global output rose 4.4% to 1.9 million tonnes. The recovery of operating rates started in Asia and reached Europe in the second quarter whereas the Americas did not witness any improvement. It was initially driven by stock rebuilding, seasonal improvement and the lowest price differential with polyester in six years.
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