Global Rubber Processing Chemical Demand to Reach 1.4 Million Metric Tons

Global demand for rubber processing chemicals is forecast to increase 4.7 percent per year through 2015 to 1.4 million metric tons.  Growth will be driven by continuing robust gains in the Asia/Pacific region (especially China), and recovery in demand in the US, Western Europe and Japan following declines in all three areas between 2005 and 2010. These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in World Rubber Processing Chemicals, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.  

Demand for rubber processing chemicals strongly tracks rubber consumption trends.  Motor vehicle ownership rates will continue to rise in the developing world, leading to increased demand for tire rubber, the main market for rubber chemicals.  Motor vehicle sales will also benefit from recovery in much of the developed world that witnessed recession or stagnation in recent years.  Non-tire rubber chemical demand will also benefit from the sanguine outlook for motor vehicles, as well as continuing industrialization in the developing world.

Rubber chemical demand in China is projected to grow 8.1 percent per year through 2015 to more than 575,000 metric tons.  Gains will benefit from healthy growth in both tire and non-tire rubber demand, with the latter rising especially strongly.  The US, Japan and Western Europe are all expected to see a reversal from the declines experienced between 2005 and 2010.  However, growth in all three is projected to be less than one percent per year through 2015, reflecting market maturity in rubber consuming sectors.

Demand for antidegradants (which improve rubber’s resistance to the effects of oxidation, ozone, heat, sunlight and mechanical stress) is projected to grow 4.6 percent per year through 2015.  Antidegradant demand will be fueled by both expansion in its major applications and continuing efforts to improve performance and lengthen service lives.  Accelerator demand will exceed 415,000 metric tons in 2015.  These chemicals, which control the vulcanization process, are required in all vulcanized rubber products.  Demand for other processing chemicals -- including processing aids, adhesion promoters and blowing agents, among numerous others -- will reach almost 130,000 metric tons in 2015. 

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.