Polyurethane price index

Polyurethane price December 2025 and outlook (see chart below)

• North America:US$3.12/KG, 0.6% up
• Europe:US$3.27/KG, -0.3% down
• India:US$2.39/KG, 0.4% up
• Africa:US$3.14/KG, unchanged
• South America:US$3.05/KG, unchanged

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Polyurethane price index

This post is a summary of the Polyurethane price developments. The price developments of Polyurethane are expressed in US$ prices converted FX rates applicable at the time when the price was valid. Polyurethane price index developments are calculated from multiple separate sources of data to ensure statistical accuracy.

The outlook for Polyurethane prices is generated from different inputs including:

• Very recent price developments of immediate cost drivers of Polyurethane prices
• Recent price developments of underlying feedstocks which drive the price of Polyurethane
• Market futures for both cost drives and feedstocks of Polyurethane prices
• Adjustment of current supply/demand imbalances in the Polyurethane market
• Longer term trends in likely demand conditions

What is Polyurethane and what is it used for

Polyurethane (PU) is a versatile polymer family formed by reacting polyols with di- or poly-isocyanates; it can be tailored as flexible or rigid foams, elastomers, coatings, adhesives and films. In latex (waterborne polyurethane dispersion) form it provides durable, flexible coatings and binders used in textile finishes, synthetic leather, footwear, paints/coatings, adhesives and specialty coatings where solvent-free or low-VOC performance is required.

How is Polyurethane produced

Bulk polyurethanes are typically made by step-growth polymerisation of polyols and isocyanates (often with catalysts, blowing agents for foams, and additives). Polyurethane latex (waterborne polyurethane dispersions, PUDs) is produced by forming a PU prepolymer (or by direct polymerisation) and dispersing it into water (often with neutralisation and chain-extension steps) to make stable aqueous particles. This waterborne route avoids organic solvents and is widely used for coatings, adhesives and textile finishes.

How large is the global market for Polyurethane

Estimates vary by product segment and source, but the broad polyurethane market is in the tens of billions USD: many industry reports place total PU market value in the ~USD 75–90 billion range for 2024–2025 (with multi-percent CAGR forecasts through the 2025–2035 horizon). The waterborne polyurethane dispersion (latex) segment is much smaller—typically reported in the low billions (roughly USD 1.7–2.5 billion in 2024 by several sources) but growing faster as coatings and synthetic leather applications shift to waterborne systems. Because different analysts define scope differently (whole PU value chain vs. coatings vs. dispersions), reported numbers differ—see the cited market reports for specific segment definitions and forecast years.

Where is Polyurethane produced

Production and consumption are concentrated in Asia-Pacific—China is the largest single producer and consumer of PU raw materials and products—followed by significant industrial activity in North America and Europe (with Germany, the U.S. and other EU producers important for specialty grades and coatings). Major global manufacturers (chemical companies and speciality PU formulators) supply regional markets, while Asia remains the fastest-growing region for volume production.