The ever growing use of polyurethane (PU) dispersions is due to their excellent properties and environmental safety. In 2001, 64% of the total output of aqueous PU dispersions went to the production of paints; textiles are the second and adhesives are the third biggest application areas of those products. With an annual sales volume of approximately US$220 million, the West-European market of aqueous polyurethane dispersions is still small but, according to expert evaluations, it will continue to grow at an annual rate of approximately 10%.