Nylon 6 & 66 Market Analysis By Product (Nylon 6, Nylon 66) By Application (Automotive, Electrical & Electronic, Engineering Plastic, Textiles, Others), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global Nylon 6 & 66 market size was valued at USD 24.44 billion in 2016 and is likely grow at an estimated CAGR over 6.1% from 2017 to 2025. The growth of the PA-6 & 66 market is associated with its accelerated usage in the automobile industry as different components promoting reduced vehicle weights, and fewer emissions to the atmosphere. 

Moreover, nylon 6, as well as 66, is gradually replacing metal parts in automobiles owing to its suitable properties of high tensile strength, high elasticity and excellent resistance to abrasion. These factors are expected to favor the augment of the global polyamide industry. The textile industry was a significant contributor to the global PA-6 consumption in the past.

U.S. nylon 6 & 66 market revenue by application, 2014 - 2025 (USD Million)

However, in line with current trend, there is an increasing consumption of PA-6 in applications such as engineering plastics, electrical & electronic and different niche applications. These applications also include musical instruments, lysine synthesis, fishing instruments and surgical apparels.

At present, majority of the nylon 66 demand is derived by the engineering plastic manufacturers but is also exhibiting a trend of being absorbed by the textile and the automotive industry. PA-66 does not find any major use in the packaging sector as it cannot be biaxial oriented.

This market is subjected to fluctuating raw material prices. Since 2015, caprolactam, which is the primary feedstock for polyamide production faced disruption in its supply chain resulting in severe oversupply. Nevertheless, the prices of caprolactam are showing a steady increase in the first quarter of 2017 prompting global polyamide manufacturers to increase the price of PA-6 and 66. Ammonium sulfate’s demand which is a by-product of polyamide production also has an influence on the final product price. 

The global PA-6 resin capacity is expected to increase by near about 25 % in 2017-2018. The capacity deployment will be primarily led by Northeast Asia where several new plants are constructed by key integrated players in the market. Europe and North America is also experiencing an increase in nylon capacity to capture the global demand from different industry fronts such as automotive, engineering compounds and films.

Lower prospects for economic activity in China coupled with oversupply will likely prompt Asian producers to look for expanding their market share in the European and North American region. The key challenge for the manufacturers in this industry is how to quickly tackle the emerging supply and transform the rising consumption into profitability.  

Product Insights

Nylon 6 has better heat resistance properties compared to 66, along with aesthetic advantages, lower costs, and other benefits such as easy color ability. U.S. dominates the global PA-66 production while China dominates the PA-6 productions. These monofilament products find wide applications in the field of consumer goods, paper industry, medical uses, automotive industry and textile industry. 

PA-66 is expected to be the fastest growing product owing to its vast potential in the engineering plastics and automotive segment. PA-6 currently has the highest consumption and is currently being absorbed extensively in the automotive and electrical & electronics front.

A significant amount of demand for polyamide 6 is also being gained from the food packaging industry where PA-6 films are used for protecting organic food as this is an excellent restrainer for oxygen escape from the food container. Polyamide 6 in the future is expected to find stiff competition from polyester and polypropylene as these products are cheaper and are under rampant technological development.

Application Insights

Nylon 6 & 66 enjoy a wide range of applications in the automotive, electrical & electronics, textile, and engineering plastic industry. PA-66 is also generating significant demand from the sports and defense sectors. Engineering plastic products manufactured using nylon are lightweight as well as heat resistance.

Global nylon 6 & 66 market share by application, 2016 (%)

The automotive segment is the highest growing segment during the forecast period. An average car uses 11.06 lb of polyamide 6 in under hood applications alone. The most significant areas, it finds its applications are bushings, crankcases, oil containers, bearing, fuse boxes, cylinder head covers, wire harness connectors, timing belts, and wheels as well as motorcycle body frames. 

Engineering plastics are gaining popularity as they have better mechanical and thermal properties than conventional plastics. The most significant areas, nylon (6,66) finds its applications in the engineering plastics sector are agitators, wire harness, connectors bushings, bearing, nuts & bolts, fuse boxes, cylinder head covers, crankcases, timing belts, oil containers, and wheels as well as motorcycle body frames.

Around 60% of the global nylon resin demand is accounted by PA-6, most of it in the textile front where the end users are majorly the carpet market. PA-66 is gradually making a breakthrough in the sewing thread industry as it finds excellent use in hiking and fitness shoes.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominated the market with over 40% of the global consumption in 2016. The regional demand can be characterized by humongous consumption from developing countries such as China and India. The regional industry has witnessed a shift in trend from textiles to engineering plastics and automotive segments.    

Increasing engineering component production in the region will probably trigger the regional demand over the forecast period. Most of the regional need comes from China, which is also a leading nylon manufacturer. China accounts for around 20% of the global consumption and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period as well.

Europe and North America together are responsible for more than half of the global needs. Well established textiles industry has helped the regions to achieve this level of nylon consumption. Whereas, the automotive and engineering products sectors are expected to be responsible for the future market growth.

Competitive Insights

Key market players are showing an aggressive trend of establishing manufacturing plants in Asia Pacific region as it is the epicenter of the demand. With moderate environmental laws coupled with the friendly business environment, nylon capacities would see a rampant rise in this region. 

Some of the key market players in the industry are Ube Industries, AdvanSix, Toray group, Dupont, Huntsman Corporation and BASF among few. Most of the players operating in the industry position themselves in all the stages of the value chain.

Report Scope 

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis on 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 nylon 6 & 66 market on the basis of product, application and region:

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

  • Nylon 6

  • Nylon 66

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

  • Automobile

  • Electrical & electronic

  • Engineering plastics

  • Textile

  • Others

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

  • North America

    • U.S.

  • Europe       

    • Germany

    • France

    • UK

  • Asia-Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • South Korea

  • MEA

  • CSA