Bio-Polyamide Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (PA 6, PA 66, Specialty Polyamide) By Application, By End use (Textile, Automotive, Coating, Sports, Industrial, Electronics), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global bio-polyamide market size was valued at USD 110.5 million in 2016. The market is influenced heavily by an increasing preference for eco-friendly and sustainable solutions. The rapidly evolving automobile, electrical & electronics, and textile sectors are projected to boost the demand for the product in the next few years. Bio-polyamides not only exhibit high mechanical strength and thermal performance but also enable excellent process-ability. The growing acceptance of bio-based fibers for high-performance applications in automotive, marine, and electronic industries is one of the major factors fueling the product demand.

Features such as renewability, recyclability, lightweight, inexpensive nature, and non-abrasiveness contribute to the consumption of natural PA fibers in a wide variety of applications. Favorable government regulations along with the consumer inclination toward environment-friendly products, especially in the U.S. and Europe, are anticipated to drive the market over the forecast period.  

Bio-polyamide is developed from monomers extracted from castor oil. India is the largest producer of castor seeds and accounts for over 80% of global production, followed by China and Brazil. The surge in the consumption of organic and natural products is expected to create lucrative growth opportunities for the global castor oil and derivative market in the next few years.

Product Insights

PA-6 and PA-66 have emerged as two of the most preferred bio-polyamides over the past few years. PA-6 accounted for the largest market share in 2016 and is projected to witness a CAGR of 12.7% over the forecast period. It offers better ductility due to its high strength and toughness. PA-6 also displays long-term heat resistance, excellent surface quality, and creep & UV resistance. It is priced lower than PA-66, thereby complementing its acceptance in the industry. In the automobile sector, PA-6 is used in crash-active engine covers, oil pans, transmission cross beams, and air intake manifolds. 

In terms of both volume and revenue, PA-66 is anticipated to progress at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period owing to its superior properties. Its higher modulus and better wear resistance along with the ability to absorb lower moisture as compared to PA-6 make PA-66 suitable for use in applications such as electrical & electronics and automotive.

The development of end-use industries such as manufacturing, automobile, electrical & electronics, and marine is boosting the product demand globally. Europe was the largest market for PA-66 in 2016 and is anticipated to ascend at the fastest CAGR in the coming years owing to the growth of the automotive, consumer goods, and textile industries.

Application Insights

Bio-polyamides are used in fibers, films, and powders as well as injection molding and extrusion. Engineering plastics accounted for a market share of over 60% in 2016. Bio-polyamides have been attracting attention from various end-use sectors in recent years owing to their recyclability, electromechanical resistivity, ductility, and creep resistance.

Developments in energy saving and increasing demand for environment-friendly solutions are anticipated to augment the market growth over the forecast period. Engineering plastics are widely consumed in the automobile and electronic sectors on account of their lightweight properties and high strength-to-weight ratio.

Domo Chemicals, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, and Royal DSM are some of the companies engaged in manufacturing engineering plastics for aerospace & defense, automotive, and building & construction industries. Massive investments in the development of sustainable products for various end-use applications are anticipated to drive the market in the next few years.

Fiber is the second-largest segment on the basis of application and finds various uses owing to its excellent wear & impact resistance coupled with its high tensile strength. Eco-friendly fibers are widely used in the textile industry as they do not require the use of additional chemicals or pesticides.

End-Use Insights

The inclination of vehicle manufacturers toward the increment of fuel efficiency and weight reduction is a primary driver for the increasing application of bio-polyamides. These products also help reduce the carbon footprint as compared to their petroleum-based counterparts. Growing investments undertaken for product innovation in the automobile sector along with the increasing acceptance of bio-based products are anticipated to drive the market in the next few years. The consumption of bio-polyamides is expected to increase over the forecast period owing to the increased production of automotive components around the world.

Textiles emerged as the second-largest end-use segment in 2016. Bio-polyamides are strong, sturdy, and durable, which makes them a suitable product for application in the textile industry. The augmented product demand is also attributed to supportive government policies toward developing environment-friendly and energy-saving products. The electrical & electronics sector is projected to emerge as one of the fastest-growing end-use sectors in the next few years. The increasing disposable incomes and awareness about the use of bio-polyamides in low voltage applications are further likely to foster the product demand in this segment over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Europe is the largest global producer of motor vehicles and accounts for 4% of the region’s GDP. A well-established manufacturing & distribution network, the presence of a majority of globally renowned automobile manufacturers, technological advancements, and supportive government policies are some of the major factors contributing to the market growth in this region.

The presence of several high-end carmakers such as BMW, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz is anticipated to drive the bio-polyamide market in Europe in the next few years. This region, led by Germany, Italy, and France, accounts for approximately 23% of global automotive production. The presence of stringent emission norms, such as Euro 6 and green initiatives, is anticipated to boost the product demand over the next eight years.

Price deflation, rising household incomes, and increasing investments in product innovation, especially in the emerging markets of Asia Pacific, have resulted in high demand for automotive products in the region. The burgeoning electrical & electronics industry along with rising awareness about energy conservation in the developing countries of this region such as China, India, and Japan are factors anticipated to influence the bio-polyamide market on a positive note over the forecast period.

The U.S. is one of the most lucrative markets for automotive manufacturing owing to its well-developed economy coupled with the presence of supportive government policies. The U.S. was the world’s second-largest automobile producer in 2016, just behind China. Technological advancements in automotive, electrical & electronics, and textile industries are anticipated to augment the demand for bio-polyamide over the forecast period.

Bio-Polyamide Market Share Insights

The global market is oligopolistic in nature, characterized by the presence of major multinational corporations. Strategic initiatives such as joint ventures are adopted by manufacturers and buyers for the special-purpose production of bio-polyamides. In July 2017, Arkema announced plans to invest approximately 300 million euros over the next five years in its bio-sourced polyamide 11 chain to significantly increase its production capacities in Asia.

Product innovation is a key aspect contributing to competitive growth in this market. In July 2016, DSM announced the launch of a hydrolysis-resistant bio-based polyamide, EcoPaXX, which can be used in water-contact applications, thus offering a high-performance and lead-free option for faucet mixing valves.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global bio-polyamide market on the basis of product, application, end use, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • PA-6

  • PA-66

  • Specialty polyamides

• Application Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Fiber

  • Engineering plastics

• End-use Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Textile

  • Automotive

  • Film & coating

  • Consumer goods

  • Industrial

  • Electrical & electronics

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • The U.K.

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Central & South America

  • Middle East & Africa