Acetic Acid:
Acetic acid is the same acid that is in vinegar. It can be manufactured two ways: fermentation (as in vinegar) and synthesized, which is primarily used in our industries. ​Glacial acetic acid is anhydrous (water free) acetic acid.
​Interesting characteristics of acetic acid is that it freezes at 61F and is flammable at 102F, so storage can be an issue.

Market Dynamics:
Methanol is the primary building block for acetic acid and can heavily influence supply and demand. About 30% of the global acetic acid supply is used to produce Vinyl Acetate (VAM) a polymer used to make construction materials, and about 25% is used to make PTA a resin used to make bottles and fibers.

Up Stream Materials/Building Blocks:
Acetaldehyde

n-Butane

Butanediol (BDO)

Ethylene/ethane/methane
Ethanol 

Methanol

Naphtha

Down Stream Materials Consuming Acetic Acid:

​Vinyl Acetate (VAM,)

   -Paints 

   -Adhesives

   -Textiles

   -Paper   

   -Films (cellulose acetate)

   -Chewing gum

Terephthalic Acid (PTA)

   -Polyethulene Terphthalate (PET) bottles

   -Polyester finbers
   -Acetic Anydride

   -Ethyl acetate

   -Butyl Acetate

Polyvinyl acetate

  -Wood glue

Cleaners/Descaling agents