Global Trends And Developments on the Use of Melamine for Laminates, 2002 Decorative and Industrial Laminates Symposium

Melamine is a vital raw material for the wood-based panel industry. With melamine, amino-formaldehyde resins are produced which are used as impregnating resins for the production of laminates and as adhesive resins for the production of wood-based panels. It is because of the use of melamine that laminates have durable surface properties such as hardness, gloss and scratch resistance. In wood-based panels the melamine makes the boards moisture resistance. From the viewpoint of this raw material we have good insight in the trends and developments of the use of impregnating resins and laminates. Especially regarding trends in technical developments but also in growth and end-uses.

This paper deals with the growth perspectives of laminates and technical developments related to the use of melamine on a global scale. The total picture is completed in cooperation with Jaakko Poyry. The global melamine market regarding supply and demand will be shortly addressed.