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Indicative price brief for Acrylic Acid - Europe. Methodology: trade publications, broker reports, and industry sources reviewed by Nexchem. This is directional intelligence, not a regulated benchmark assessment.
European glacial acrylic acid and butyl acrylate delivered pricing. Propylene feedstock cost analysis, BASF Dow and Evonik capacity tracker, superabsorbent polymer demand from hygiene and baby care, acrylate ester paint and coatings demand, and 3-scenario price outlook. Published monthly.
European acrylic acid pricing has recovered 7.0% year on year in June 2026 driven by propylene feedstock elevation and tight supply after BASF Ludwigshafen completed an extended maintenance cycle in Q1 2026 - but the superabsorbent polymer demand that is the largest single end use is growing structurally from ageing demographics driving adult incontinence product demand alongside baby care, creating a demand floor that is more durable than the construction-linked demand swings that drove volatility in 2022 and 2023.
European acrylic acid supply is dominated by BASF SE at Ludwigshafen with approximately 380 KT per year, Dow Chemical at Stade Germany with approximately 260 KT per year, and Evonik Industries at Marl with approximately 180 KT per year. Nippon Shokubai operates a plant at Antwerp Belgium with approximately 120 KT per year targeting European and export markets. All European producers use propylene oxidation as the production route - propylene is oxidised over catalyst to acrolein and then to acrylic acid in two sequential oxidation steps - making propylene the primary feedstock cost variable. Acrylate ester derivatives including butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate are produced from glacial acrylic acid at integrated production sites. Demand for Acrylic Acid in Europe is structured across multiple end-use segments with differentiated price sensitivity, from commodity polymer and rubber applications to specialty chemical intermediates where performance requirements limit substitution and create defensible pricing above commodity benchmarks. Post-Maintenance Full Rate Recovery - BASF Ludwigshafen acrylic acid unit completed extended maintenance in Q1 2026, reducing European supply availability during the maintenance window and contributing to the EUR 1,148 per metric tonne January 2026 low and subsequent recovery.
. In the current 2026 supply and demand environment, Acrylic Acid pricing in Europe reflects both structural market conditions and active geopolitical supply chain disruption. The IMF confirmed in March 2026 that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had disrupted approximately 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG supply. For European acrylic acid, the Hormuz disruption is transmitted through the propylene feedstock chain. Propylene NWE at EUR 768 per metric tonne in June 2026 is elevated by naphtha cost increases linked to the Hormuz disruption, and propylene is the primary variable cost input for European acrylic acid production. Every EUR 10 per metric tonne increase in NWE propylene adds approximately EUR 14 per metric tonne to acrylic acid production cost, making the EUR 56 per metric tonne propylene increase since January 2026 equivalent to approximately EUR 78 per metric tonne of additional acrylic acid production cost - the majority of the EUR 88 per metric tonne year on year price increase visible in June 2026. Ageing Demographics Supporting Structural Growth - Superabsorbent polymer demand for adult incontinence products is growing at approximately 6.2% per year in Europe - faster than baby care SAP demand at approximately.
The paid report is a professionally formatted PDF with structured sections, colour-coded grade price tables, alert boxes, capacity atlas tables, a 3-scenario price outlook, and analyst cards. The accompanying Excel file contains all price data in editable format for direct integration into procurement models.
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Every Nexchem Intelligence price report includes field-level analyst commentary covering supply shortages, qualification timelines, geopolitical friction, and pricing pressure - not generic market narrative. Nexchem analysts are active in the market and attribute all field intelligence to verifiable primary sources.
The paid report includes full scenario assumptions, quarterly price ranges for Q3 2026, Q4 2026, and Q1 2027, probability weighting for each scenario, and a procurement recommendation tailored to each case - covering what to do if the bull case materialises, what to hedge in the base case, and how to protect exposure in the bear case.
The IMF confirmed in March 2026 that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had disrupted approximately 20% of global seaborne oil and LNG supply. For European acrylic acid, the Hormuz disruption is transmitted through the propylene feedstock chain. Propylene NWE at EUR 768 per metric tonne in June 2026 is elevated by naphtha cost increases linked to the Hormuz disruption, and propylene is the primary variable cost input for European acrylic acid production. Every EUR 10 per metric tonne increase in NWE propylene adds approximately EUR 14 per metric tonne to acrylic acid production cost, making the EUR 56 per metric tonne propylene increase since January 2026 equivalent to approximately EUR 78 per metric tonne of additional acrylic acid production cost - the majority of the EUR 88 per metric tonne year on year price increase visible in June 2026.
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