Synthetic resins and their raw materials / A survey of the types and uses of synthetic resins, the organization of the industry, and the trade in resins and raw materials, with particular references to factors essential to tariff consideration. Under the general provisions of section 332, title III, part II, Tariff act of 1930.

by United States Tariff Commission

Production in the United States.

Some of the products described are commercially produced in the United States; others in Canada or in Germany. Those made in the United States are usually not made by more than one firm, so that statistics of production and sales are not publishable. The vinyl acetate resins have been produced principally in Canada; the copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate are domestic products. In 1935 the United States output of all vinyl resins exceeded 1,000,000 pounds, a figure that was increased in 1936 and 1937.

The Canadian output of Gelva and Alvar has reached commercial quantities; that of Formvar is still confined to experimental plant lots.

The acceptance of vinyl resin sheets for safety glass will greatly increase the output in 1938. The basic patent, known as the Morrison-Blaike patent, United States No. 2,036,092 issued on March 31, 1936, is owned by Shawinigan Chemicals, Ltd., Montreal, Canada, who have licensed several domestic producers. The monomer (vinyl acetate) is now produced at Niagara Falls, N. Y., by the Niacet Chemicals Corp., which is jointly owned by this Canadian firm, Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corporation, and E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. It is also produced by du Pont at Belle, W. Va. It is shipped, in tank cars, to polymerization and sheet-forming plants at Indian Orchard, Mass., Arlington, N. J., and Charleston, W. Va. The Indian Orchard plant, known as the Shawinigan Resin Products Co., and jointly owned by the Canadian firm and the Fiberloid Corporation, is now in operation. The plant of the du Pont Company at Arlington, N. J., began production in May 1938, and that of Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corp, at Charleston, W. Va., is in production. These plants have a combined annual capacity of about 10 million pounds of vinyl resin sheets. According to present plans this new safety glass will be available for 1939 model automobiles. The resin sheet to be used is 0.0015 inch thick as compared with the 0.0025 inch thickness of the present cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose sheet. Several trade names have been adopted for the vinyl resin sheets, among which are Vinylite X, and Butvar. The licenses granted to domestic makers under the Morrison-Blaike patent also permit them to make vinyl acetate resins for purposes other than safety-glass sheets. Considerable progress has been made in adapting these resins to injection molding operations for the production of tooth-brush handles, combs, closures, and other parts.