In this edition of the Spotlight SK Chemicals details its SKYBON polyester resin, positioning it as a potential alternative for food and beverage can manufacturers under the European Union’s restrictions on bisphenol A (BPA).
With the European Union’s restrictions on bisphenol A (BPA) now taking full effect, food and beverage can manufacturers and coating producers are stepping up efforts to secure alternative materials. The search comes as Evonik, a major supplier of polyester coating materials, has decided to discontinue its polyester business, adding momentum to a broader realignment of the supply chain. Against this backdrop, South Korea’s SK Chemicals is seeking to position its SKYBON polyester resin as one potential alternative.
Expanded EU BPA restrictions reach can coatings sector
The European Commission adopted Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 in December 2024. Previously limited to products such as infant feeding bottles, restrictions on BPA and certain hazardous bisphenols have now been extended across a broad range of food-contact materials and articles. The regulation covers plastics, adhesives, rubber, printing inks, silicones and metal can coatings among other applications.
The regulation formally entered into force in January 2025 but began to apply in practice in July 2026, following an 18-month transition period. In limited cases where alternatives are not readily available, the transition period has been extended to January 20, 2028.
The can coatings market is among the sectors directly affected. Internal coatings in food and beverage cans create a barrier between the metal container and its contents, helping prevent corrosion and spoilage. Currently, BPA-based epoxy resins are the most widely used materials for this purpose. Concerns have long been raised that BPA could migrate into food as can coatings age or become damaged. Under the new rules, BPA-based epoxy materials used in can coatings are expected to be phased out of the market.
The industry views BPA-free polyester coatings as one of the leading alternatives. They can provide corrosion resistance, adhesion and processability comparable to epoxy. Polyester coatings have already been adopted in certain applications including food cans, beverage cans and can ends, reducing some of the burden associated with validating their performance.
Evonik exit accelerates supply-chain realignment
Even as demand increases, a major supplier is preparing to withdraw - a development that has added another layer of uncertainty to the market. German chemical company Evonik announced in June that it would discontinue its global polyester business by 2027. Intensifying global competition, structural disadvantages at its European production sites, and declining profitability were cited as key factors behind the decision.
Evonik has supplied polyester resins to the European market for decades under its DYNAPOL brand for metal packaging and coil coatings and its DYNACOLL brand for industrial adhesives. Given the company’s longstanding role as a key supplier in Europe, industry observers expect its departure to have a substantial impact on the structure of the supply chain.
The can coatings sector is also one in which switching suppliers is neither quick nor straightforward. Because the materials are directly tied to food safety, adopting a new product requires lengthy testing for interactions with packaged contents, chemical resistance, heat resistance, adhesion and other properties, followed by customer qualification and approval. Companies with proven technical capabilities and established supply track records are therefore expected to be better positioned as the supply chain is reorganized.
Global players active in the market include Bostik, Toyobo, Covestro, and EMS. Attention is now turning to which suppliers will fill the gap left by Evonik.
SK Chemicals looks to fill emerging supply gap
Among the companies attracting attention is South Korea’s SK Chemicals. Founded as a polyester fibre company in 1969, SK Chemicals has worked with polyester materials for more than five decades. Since the 1980s, it has developed polyester resins for adhesives and coatings alongside its copolyester polymer business, whose materials are used in applications such as cosmetic containers. The company introduced SKYBON, its polyester materials brand for adhesives and coatings, in 1983 and has supplied it to global markets for decades.
SKYBON products are formulated to provide adhesion and chemical resistance across a range of substrates, including metals, textiles and plastics. Applications include can coatings, flexible packaging, and coated steel used in appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators. With this wide end-use base, it has retained the leading share of South Korea’s polyester adhesive resin market.
SK Chemicals’ can coating portfolio includes SKYBON ES-630, ES-660, ES-680 and ES-770 for the interior and exterior surfaces of food cans, along with SKYBON ES-9100 and ES-9200 for more demanding performance requirements. Its broader portfolio includes the ES-100 series and ES-300 series, which are used across the coatings, adhesives, and packaging industries. SK Chemicals says the range can be formulated to meet customer requirements for strength, flexibility, heat resistance, chemical resistance and food-contact safety. This range allows formulations to be adjusted as market conditions and regulatory requirements change.
In the can coatings segment, SKYBON has already been used in commercially produced food and beverage cans, giving SK Chemicals a track record across key performance requirements such as heat resistance, adhesion and durability. Industry observers say that experience could prove valuable as European buyers reassess their supplier bases amid growing regulatory pressure.
The market is also expected to expand. According to Grand View Research, the global can coatings market is projected to grow from $494 million in 2024 to approximately $660 million by 2030. That represents a compound annual growth rate of around 5%. The BPA-free segment is expected to grow more rapidly, supported by tighter regulation and rising demand for more sustainable packaging materials. With a key supplier exiting an expanding market, the remaining players may find themselves in a stronger position.
“In the past, performance and price were the main competitive factors. Going forward, the ability to meet regulatory requirements and maintain a stable supply will increasingly determine competitiveness,” a chemical industry source said.
“With the EU’s BPA restrictions coinciding with Evonik’s exit, companies that have proven technical capabilities and supply experience in food-contact materials are likely to be among the main beneficiaries of this supply-chain restructuring.”
This content was sponsored by SK Chemicals.
