Production in the United States.
Prior to 1929, the domestic production of resins from phthalic anhydride was confined largely to one maker. The quantities produced were relatively small. In 1929 there were three producers, the volume of whose production exceeded one million pounds for the first time. Beginning with 1933 the Tariff Commission collected and compiled production and sales statistics for these resins. They are shown in table [7].
Table 7.—Alkyd resins from phthalic and maleic anhydride: United States production and sales, 1933-37
| Year | Number of makers | Production | Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value | Unit value | |||
| Pounds | Pounds | ||||
| 1933 | 6 | 9,930,705 | 3,654,854 | $673,890 | $0.18 |
| 1934 | 10 | 15,219,247 | 7,084,602 | 1,022,436 | .14 |
| 1935 | 15 | 34,312,713 | 15,836,942 | 3,482,078 | .22 |
| 19361 | 31 | 46,952,452 | 24,252,535 | 5,312,121 | .22 |
| 19371 | 39 | 61,254,019 | 34,738,295 | 6,864,194 | .20 |
1 Includes resins from maleic anhydride.
Source: Dyes and Other Synthetic Organic Chemicals in the United States, U. S. Tariff Commission.
In 1933 there were 6 makers of resins from phthalic anhydride, in 1935 there were 15, and in 1937 there were 35. The 1937 output of alkyd resins from phthalic anhydride was 58,450,032 pounds net resin, with sales of 32,583,307 pounds valued at $6,446,011. Producing plants are well scattered through northern and eastern United States. In 1936 fewer than one-third of the makers accounted for about 90 percent of the output.
The domestic production of resins from maleic anhydride was reported for the first time in 1933. The output in that year consisted of experimental quantities produced by two firms. A small increase in production occurred in 1934 when another maker began operation. In 1936 there were eight producers and the output was many times that of 1934. In 1937 there were 12 makers of these resins with an output of 2,803,987 pounds and sales of 2,154,988 pounds, valued at $418,183. It is the opinion of some persons in the industry that in volume of production and sales the resins from maleic anhydride will in the near future approach that obtained from phthalic anhydride.