INSIGHT: Asia MEK increasingly dependent on China for imports

摘要

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) market is becoming increasingly dependent on China for imports, especially in 2020, on expected tightened supply in light of scheduled maintenance shutdowns at major Japanese plants. The increasing dependency was especially evident in March 2019, after Taiwan’s sole producer Tasco Chemical announced a force majeure on MEK on 7 March. A fire broke out at the company's methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) plant at Lin Yuan on 28 February, resulting in damage to Tasco’s main control room and pipeline.