Vacuum Grease Market Analysis, By Type (Silicone, Fluorocarbon, Hydrocarbon), By Application (Food Processing, Laboratory Equipment, Pharmaceutical), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Report Overview

The global vacuum grease market size was estimated at USD 92.4 million in 2016. Vacuum greases, the term used to generally refer a family of lubricants, are used to seal joints of various equipment in vacuum systems. They have low volatility, an important factor to prevent evaporation, and provide lubrication in an environment operating at a vapor pressure of 10^-8 torr and temperature range of -40°C to 200°C. It is used as a sealant as well as a lubricant in “O” ring sealed systems, to minimize the external forces on the ring material.

Changing consumer preferences for a wide variety of products not only in the food & beverage industry but also in the automotive industry is resulting in an increased focus on new product development. Most of the experiments in recent times are conducted in vacuum environments, as they are less exposed to contaminants. As a result, today, such environments have become a common phenomenon that is observed in most of the manufacturing industries and research fields. 

However, equipment in such an environment is often exposed to intrinsic conditions resulting in wear and tear of the machine. To enhance equipment’s performance, operating in such conditions, various products including vacuum grease are often preferred. In these industries, greases are used to provide lubrication and to attain desired results in performance. Owing to such a scenario, vacuum greases are gaining prominence, which is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities for growth for manufacturers.

The U.S. vacuum grease market was estimated at USD 24.95 million in 2016 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% from 2017 to 2025. Europe and North America were estimated to have the largest share in the global market in 2016. These regions are largely driven by innovation in food processing technologies and funding in research activities. Whereas in the Asia Pacific, the demand for the product is driven by the use of high precision machines in the manufacturing industry and robust growth in the aviation industry owing to the increasing number of passenger travel. Silicone-based grease was estimated as the largest market in the terms of volume owing to its application in laboratory equipment. 

In North America and Europe, the demand from end-use industries is relatively steady after the resurgence in the GDP of developed economies after facing an economic downturn. The economic recovery, in developed European economies such as France, Italy, and Spain, is attributed to the buoyant growth in several end-use industries such as food processing, automotive, and laboratory.

Type Insights

In terms of revenue, fluorocarbon-based grease contributed the largest share in the global market owing to its applications in the aviation industry. Its value is estimated to reach USD 108.24 million by 2025 growing at a CAGR growth of 5.8% over the forecast period.

Silicone-based grease is highly preferred for the lubrication of laboratory equipment. It is formulated from silica, one of the abundantly available natural resources across the globe. However, due to the mining of silica, the production of silica-based products is reduced, leading to a spike in its prices.

Application Insights

Perfluorocarbon based products are suitable for aerospace applications to provide lubrication for critical components that work in high temperatures and pressures typically ranging from -70°C to 399°C. Components in aircraft are exposed to extreme shock, heat, and pressure and hence they require products whose lubricity and viscosity are unaffected by such harsh environments. Typical aerospace applications require lubricants that are also compatible with use with elastomers, plastics, and paints.

In automotive applications, hydrocarbon-based grease is applied for lubrication of O-rings, bearings, valves, suction cups, conveyors, lifting systems, and gripping systems. A large number of players producing vacuum solutions for the automotive industry are emerging particularly in the Asia Pacific region as it is rapidly growing in India and China which is anticipated to boost the growth of the market. 

Regional Insights

Europe leads the global market in terms of revenue in 2016, and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. It was estimated at USD 41.50 million in 2016 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2017 to 2025.

The market in the Asia Pacific region is characterized by a large number of unorganized players, particularly in China and India. These players intensify the rivalry prevalent in the market and provide tough competition to global key players seeking to penetrate and expand their presence in this region.

Europe was followed by North America in terms of revenue and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period. In North America, the growth is mainly driven by the broad applications of vacuum grease in various end-use industries. Automotive, aerospace, and food processing industries are some of the largest markets in the U.S. The U.S. aerospace & defense industry is one of the leading industries investing in the innovation and production of advanced aircraft. It significantly contributes to the GDP of the country and in 2016, the revenue generated by it through exports is USD 146 billion and has a trade surplus. These phenomenal revenues and bulk potential is expected to be growing steadily over the forecast period providing ample scope of growth in the U.S.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is fragmented, with the global and domestic players competing based on prices and product expansion. Established players including Dow Corning Corporation, Solvay S.A, and The Chemours Company compete in terms of innovation, pricing, and new product development abilities. The companies provide high performance, quality, regulatory compliant, and application-specific products with customized solutions in terms of services. Global players such as Dow Corning Corporation cater to their domestic market while catering to the demand across all the other regions globally. 

Vacuum Grease Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the report

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

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

  • Silicone vacuum grease

  • Fluorocarbon vacuum grease

  • Hydrocarbon vacuum grease

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

  • Food processing

  • Laboratory equipment

  • Automotive & Aerospace

  • Pharmaceutical

  • Others

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

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • UK

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa

    • UAE