Sodium Silicate Market Analysis Report By Application (Catalysts, Pulp & Paper, Food & Healthcare, Detergents, Elastomers), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, CSA, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Industry Insights 

The global sodium silicate market size was valued at USD 6.3 billion in 2018, expanding at a CAGR of 3.2% over the forecast period. Increasing demand for other sodium derivatives such as zeolites and precipitated silica as catalysts in bio and chemical processes is expected to drive product demand over the forecast period.

Sodium silicate is a key source of reactive silica that has high demand in numerous application industries, including detergent, rubber, food and beverage, and paper and pulp. Increasing demand for other derivatives such as silica gels and silica sols in applications, including paints and coatings, plastics, and ink, is expected to have a positive impact on the market growth over the forecast period.

Revenue for the compound in China was valued at USD 1.1 billion in 2018. Favorable government regulations, coupled with growing pulp and paper industry in China owing to a large forest sector, which accounts for over 1.5% of the country’s GDP, is expected to have a positive impact on the market growth over the forecast period. The manufacturing is a capital-intensive process and involves the use of various types of machinery, including glass tank furnace, agitators, boilers and accessories, and storage drums. The compound is manufactured primarily using silica and sodium carbonate. The amount of ratio of the raw materials used for the manufacturing of the compound generally varies based on the final desired product specifications.

The price trend of the compound is impacted by certain key parameters, including raw material cost and transportation costs (depending on customer location). In 2016, the price of sodium carbonate, an important raw material for manufacturing the compound, declined, which thus caused a drop in the prices of the end-products. However, the prices recovered quickly in 2017 as the prices of the compound also stabilized.

High investments by manufacturing companies in R&D to improve the chemical and physical properties of the product are expected to drive the prices in the future. The rapid growth of end-use industries such as food and beverages, catalysts, and elastomers across the globe is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.

Application Insights

Detergents are one of the key applications of the substance and they accounted for the largest market share in 2018. The product has high demand as a detergent builder owing to its superior emulsification, wetting, and deflocculation properties. The application of the compound in detergents reduces the surface tension, which results in improved dirt and soil removal.

The compound reacts with dissolved polyvalent cations to give its precipitates. Zeolite and precipitated silica are the key downstream products obtained with this process. Growing demand for these products as a catalyst in bio and chemical processes is expected to drive the segment over the forecast period. They are an important ingredient for manufacturing hydrogen peroxide bleach liquors. Increasing consumption of the compound in the pulp bleaching industry for deactivating various metals, including manganese, iron, and copper, is expected to bode well for the sodium silicate market over the forecast period.

Precipitated silica is one of the key products obtained using sodium silicate. It finds a wide application scope in the production of silicone rubber compounds. The product reduces the overall cost of silicone elastomers. Also, the product improves fatigue resistance, tensile, and tear strength of elastomers. As a result, it is anticipated to gain significant demand in elastomers over the projected period.

Regional Insights

Growth of the pulp and paper industry in Mexico, coupled with increasing foreign investments, is expected to have a positive impact on the regional market growth. The presence of major pulp and paper manufacturing companies in the region, such as Copamex, International paper, CMPC, Smurfit Kappa, and Grupo Durango, are expected to raise demand for the compound in manufacturing bleaching and binding agents.

Europe is anticipated to account for an 18.4% share of the overall revenue by 2025. Growing demand for the compound in pulp and paper and healthcare applications is expected to drive the industry over the projected period. The production capacity for glass grade sodium silicate in the region is over 1,400 kilo per annum. However, the manufacturers are indulged in captive consumption and do not offer sodium silicates in the market.

The market in Germany is primarily driven by growing demand for products as a filler in the elastomer sector and is expected to progress at a CAGR of 1.8% in terms of revenue over the forecast period. Growth of the automotive segment, coupled with the presence of major tire manufacturers, including Continental AG, Fulda, and Troester in the region, is anticipated to have a positive impact on market growth. The construction sector in India was valued at over USD 125 billion and is expected to grow at a significant rate owing to population growth and increasing consumer disposable income. Growth of the construction industry in India, which is primarily driven by the infrastructure sector, is expected to drive demand for cement and other binding materials.

Sodium Silicate Market Share Insights

The majority of the companies are expected to target their products aimed at the production of silica derivatives, including precipitated silica, silica gel, and zeolites. Manufacturers are likely to focus more on the development of a wide variety of products to expand its application scope in niche segments, including welding, cement, agriculture, and food.

Market participants are employing strategies including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and production capacity expansion to broaden their product portfolio, and thus gain a larger market share. For instance, BASF SE, in November 2017, inaugurated a new production plant in Caojing, Shanghai, China, which is focused on chemical catalysts. The move was aimed at increasing the production capacity to meet the rising demand for chemical catalysts, as well as to strengthen their regional presence.

W.R. Grace & Co. and Chevron Products Company have a joint venture known as Advanced Refining Technologies (ART). In May 2015, the companies announced that they will be investing USD 135 million in their JV to increase their production capacity. The ART manufacturing facility, which is located at Lake Charles, Los Angeles, is primarily focused on sodium silicate, additives, fluid cracking catalysts, and hydroprocessing catalysts.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report:

This report forecasts revenue and volume growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global sodium silicate market report based on application and region:

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

  • Detergents

  • Catalysts

  • Pulp & Paper

  • Elastomers

  • Food & Healthcare

  • Others

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

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Spain

    • Italy

    • Russia

    • Netherlands

    • Switzerland

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • Australia

    • South Korea

    • Thailand

    • Indonesia

    • Singapore

    • New Zealand

    • Philippines

  • Central & South America

  • Brazil

  • Argentina

  • Chile

  • The Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa

    • United Arab Emirates (UAE)

    • Egypt

    • Iran