In a market report published in September/04, US consultancy BCC predicts that the fluorochemicals and fluoropolymer market will reach 2,700M lbs by 2009. This represents an annual average growth rate of 1.9% from the 2003 market estimate of almost 2,400M lbs. BCC referred to events affecting the market that have occurred since its last report - the full banning of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the phasing out of HCFSs, slowness and uncertainty in the global economy. The report also points out the large percentage of the total volume accounted for by stagnant of low growing chemicals, such as water fluoridation chemicals and HF. This is despite the rapid acceptance of some very high priced chemicals and polymers, such as nitrogen trifluoride. However, being such a niche high value product, the total US market for NF3 is still only a couple of million pounds.
