Solvents - MEK: Market Size & Forecast 2026

The global methyl ethyl ketone (MEK, butan-2-one) solvent market sits at approximately USD 1.6 billion in 2025 (base year), growing at a 3.2% CAGR through 2032 to reach roughly USD 2.0 billion. The market is in a structurally tight balance: feedstock-linked production economics, concentrated upstream supply, and steady but undramatic demand growth from coatings, adhesives, and printing inks. The US landed-cost stack on China-origin MEK sits at roughly 35% all-in (Section 122 baseline plus Section 301 List 3), which reshapes origin economics for North American buyers. EU PPWR general application from 12 August 2026 and DfR-grade mandates from 1 January 2030 create downstream packaging-compliance exposure that converters and formulators must price in now. > **Analyst Take.** Our view: the 35% combined duty stack on China-origin MEK is the single most under-priced structural factor in North

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