CLEVELAND - Solvents demand in the United States is projected to increase almost one percent per year to 12.5 billion pounds in 2010, valued at $4.4 billion. Although this represents a slight improvement from the period between 2000 and 2005, gains will continue to considerably lag the general economy.

Opportunities exist in a number of areas, including specialty solvents, environmentally friendly "green solvents" and conventional solvents that have recently been exempted from EPA regulations. Value gains will be aided by a continuing trend toward the replacement of hydrocarbon and chlorinated solvents with higher-value products such as ketones, esters and green solvents. These and other trends are presented in "Solvents," a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

For further details, please contact Corinne Gangloff at 440/684.9600 or e-mail: pr@freedoniagroup.com.