Market Trends of Asia-Pacific Carbon Black Industry
Increasing Demand for Tires and Industrial Rubber Products
- Carbon black improves heat-dissipation capabilities and handling, tread wear, and fuel mileage when added to rubber compounds. It also provides abrasion resistance. Carbon black is mostly used as a rubber sector filler to generate reinforcing effects, such as changing the modulus or tensile strength. It is used to improve the intermolecular or cohesive forces of the product and to provide conductivity to rubber-based adhesives, sealants, and coatings.
- The automotive industry's performance is an important indicator of the demand for carbon black. According to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), automotive production in the Asia-Pacific region increased by 7% to 50 million units in 2022, compared to 46 million units recorded in 2021.
- China and India dominate the rubber and tire industry in the Asia-Pacific region. China is the largest producer and consumer of rubber tires in the region. Sufficient availability of raw materials and supporting government initiatives positively contribute to these countries' tire and rubber industries.
- As per the officially released guiding outline for the "14th Five-Year" Development Plan for the Rubber Industry by China Rubber Industry Association (CRIA), China is projected to produce 704 million tires annually by 2025. It includes 527 million passenger radial tires, 148 million truck/bus radial tires, 29 million bias truck tires, 20 thousand extra-large industrial tires, 12 million agricultural tires, and 54 thousand aircraft tires. This expansion suggests the international market's growing demand for China's tire products, positioning China's tire industry as a major player in the global market.
- Furthermore, due to the continuous increase in automotive manufacturing in India, various tire manufacturers are investing in new production facilities in the country. For instance, Yokohama Rubber Co. commenced production of off-road tires in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in April 2022, with a daily manufacturing capacity of 69 tonnes in rubber weight. The company is also working on the second phase of expansion, expected to begin by 2024, increasing the daily capacity to 132 tonnes.
- Therefore, considering the factors above, the demand for carbon black is expected to rise from the tires and industrial rubber products segment during the forecast period.
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China to Dominate the Market
- China is the largest consumer of carbon black in the Asia-Pacific market. It is due to the increasing demand for carbon black from the automotive sector. The tire application accounts for the largest share of the carbon black market in China.
- China is the largest producer of tires in the Asia-Pacific region. However, according to the statistics reported by the National Bureau of Statistics, the production of tires stood at 856 million units in 2022, showcasing a decline of 5% from the previous year. The decline is perceived as a consequence of the reduction in export demand in the second half of 2022 due to the rising energy cost and decline in traffic in Europe and American countries.
- On the positive front, automotive production in China witnessed a prominent rise which aided the demand for tires in the country. According to the OICA, automotive production in China in 2022 increased by 3% compared to 2021.
- The coatings market is growing rapidly in China, with increasing downstream demand. The booming construction, automotive, and industrial sectors will likely propel the paint and coatings market. It, in turn, is expected to boost the demand for carbon black during the forecast period.
- According to European Coatings, nearly 10,000 coatings manufacturers are located in China. Most leading global coating manufacturers, such as Nippon Paint, AkzoNobel, Chugoku Marine Paints, PPG Industries, BAF SE, and Axalta Coatings, contain their manufacturing bases in China. Paints and coatings companies are increasingly growing investments in the country.
- For instance, in July 2022, BASF SE, through its subsidiary BASF Coatings (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. (BCG), expanded its manufacturing capabilities for automotive refinish coatings at its coatings site in Jiangmen, Guangdong Province in South China. The company increased its production capacity to 30 kilotons annually through this expansion project.
- Due to the increasing demand of various end-user industries, carbon black manufacturers are setting up new production facilities and expanding existing manufacturing facilities. Hence, such trends are expected to increase the demand for carbon black in China in the upcoming years.
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