Core Viewpoint - The company, 盛禧奥集团, will indefinitely suspend production at its MMA plant in Rho, Italy, due to ongoing low profitability, with the shutdown starting on September 29 [1] Group 1: Production Suspension - The MMA plant has an annual capacity of 100,000 tons and will cease operations due to persistent low profitability [1] - High energy and raw material costs are significant challenges faced by European producers, with methanol contract prices remaining high in the first two quarters of this year [1] - The acetone contract prices are approximately €200 per ton higher than spot market prices [1] Group 2: Future Production Outlook - The company hopes to resume production in the future but requires clearer forecasts [1] - The Rho plant will continue to produce PMMA, a major derivative of MMA, using existing MMA inventory as raw material, although the duration of this inventory's availability is uncertain [1] Group 3: Recycling Initiatives - In June 2024, the company launched an advanced PMMA recycling pilot facility at the Rho plant, based on depolymerization technology [1] - This recycling project was initially announced in December 2023 and aims to extract high-purity MMA monomer from pre-consumer and post-consumer PMMA waste through a continuous process [1]

Group 1 - The global MMA and acrylate market will remain under pressure due to weak demand, increasing capacity, and cautious purchasing attitudes, limiting recovery potential into the second half of 2025 [1] - In Europe, the MMA market is facing persistent issues of weak demand and oversupply, with producers expressing concerns about maintaining stability rather than expecting growth [2][3] - Downstream PMMA companies in Europe anticipate aggressive pricing strategies from Chinese and Korean producers, driven by geopolitical issues affecting the automotive and construction sectors [4] Group 2 - The US MMA market is closely monitoring the new 250,000 tons/year MMA plant by Rohm in Texas, which will continue to release capacity, while demand recovery in construction and automotive coatings remains uncertain [5][6] - The Asian MMA and PMMA markets are expected to struggle with demand recovery in the second half of 2025, following a period of weak demand and low pricing [7][8] - In India, the acrylic acid butyl ester market is under pressure due to new domestic capacity, with expectations of continued low demand, particularly in the coatings sector [8]

Core Viewpoint - The global methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylate market is expected to remain under pressure due to weak demand, increasing capacity, and cautious purchasing attitudes, limiting recovery potential into the second half of 2025 [1] European Market: Weak Demand and Oversupply - European MMA producers are facing ongoing challenges with weak demand and oversupply, with no significant improvement expected in the second half of the year [2] - The core driver of prices remains demand, and aside from potential restocking at the end of summer, there are few signs of market recovery [2] - European producers are concerned about the impact of new capacity from Rohm's Texas plant on exports to Europe, while U.S. sellers may increase exports to Europe due to weak domestic demand [2] - Downstream PMMA companies in Europe anticipate aggressive pricing strategies from Chinese and Korean producers aiming to capture larger market shares [2] European Acrylate Market Outlook - The European acrylate market, particularly butyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, is expected to maintain a bearish outlook due to continued low demand from core customers [3] - Buyers are negotiating contracts to lower prices to align with current spot market levels, which may slightly boost spot demand but overall market activity remains low [3] U.S. Market: New Capacity Release - The U.S. MMA market is closely monitoring the market share changes following the commissioning of Rohm's new 250,000 tons/year plant in Texas [4] - Demand for MMA in the U.S. is slightly better than in other regions, but high prices are suppressing exports [4] - The overall consensus is that consumer spending is declining, influenced by macroeconomic factors such as high interest rates and unstable employment [4] Asian Market: Demand Challenges - The Asian MMA and PMMA markets are unlikely to see recovery in demand in the second half of 2025, following a period of weak demand and low pricing [5] - In India, demand remains low, particularly in the coatings sector, with buyers adopting a wait-and-see approach [5] - New domestic capacity in India, including a 150,000 tons/year butyl acrylate plant expected to start in July, is anticipated to keep profits under pressure [5]

Group 1 - The continuous expansion of MMA production capacity in Asia is significantly altering the global market structure, with global MMA capacity expected to grow from 6.4 million tons in 2024 to 7.3 million tons by 2029, driven by over 900,000 tons of new capacity in Asia [2] - Mitsubishi Chemical has canceled its planned 350,000 tons/year MMA plant in Louisiana, anticipating a loss of 20 billion yen, while also closing its 107,000 tons/year plant in Hiroshima and a 220,000 tons/year facility in Cassel, UK, to enhance competitiveness [2] - The MMA market in the US is currently experiencing a supply shortage, with the new MMA plant in Bay City, Texas, having a capacity of 250,000 tons/year, which will primarily supply raw materials for PMMA production [3] Group 2 - The trend of capacity consolidation is becoming inevitable in the oversupplied Asian market, as evidenced by Sumitomo Chemical's closure of two production lines in Singapore, reducing MMA and PMMA production capacity by 80% and 70% respectively [3] - PTT Asahi Chemical Co. plans to cease MMA production and sales by December 31, 2024, and intends to dismantle its production facilities by 2028, reflecting the challenges in maintaining stable sales and profit margins for general-purpose products in the medium to long term [4] - The global MMA industry is undergoing a transformation, with companies responding to market changes through capacity optimization, technological upgrades, and application development [4]