Rubber Carbon Black Market - Global Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global rubber carbon black market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The global rubber carbon black market is showing a rise due to relative growth in sectors such as automotive, electronics, consumer goods, and construction. The market is further propelled by the extensive use of rubber goods in various applications within these industries. The carbon black shows critical application because of its physical characteristics of rubber compounds.

One major application of rubber carbon is industrial applications. It has multiple desired applications. Main applications include weather stripping and commercial roofing, conveyor belts, and hoses among others. It can provide stability for extruded profiles, hoses, belts, brake diaphragms, and plastic piping. These applications needed different product qualities, grades, and product specifications.

• This demand is further amplified by the rapid growth in the tire industry, where carbon black is essential for improving the strength, durability, and performance of tires, ultimately extending their lifespan.
• Secondly, the rising demand for specialty carbon black is fueling the market growth. Specialty carbon black offers unique properties such as exceptional UV protection and conductivity, meeting specific performance requirements for end-users. With smaller particle sizes and superior properties compared to regular grades, specialty carbon black finds applications in molded parts, film and sheet, wire and cable, and pipes, driving its demand across various industries and contributing to the overall market expansion.

GLOBAL RUBBER CARBON BLACK MARKET DRIVERS:

Increasing demand for automotive tires is likely to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period

The increasing demand for automotive tires is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the rubber carbon black market during the forecast period. Tires are a critical component of vehicles, playing a crucial role in the ride. The tire market is expected to expand with the growing demand and production of motor vehicles around the world. As the overall consumption of automobiles increases the demand for replacement tires also grows. Correspondingly the demand for rubber carbon black also grows. The global motor vehicle production in 2022 was 85.4 million units, according to the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA). Europe produced a 15.3% share of the global vehicle production.

Additionally, the growing demand for new vehicles particularly in emerging markets, is also contributing to the growth in the demand for automotive tires. In India, total sales of automobile domestic sales were 17,617,606 in the year 2021-22 and jumped to 21,204,162 in 2022-23, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). This is only due to the changing demography, expanding economy, and changing lifestyle. People with better economic status could afford more than one vehicle in their homes. The corresponding manufacturing increase in motor vehicles would expand the demand for the rubber carbon black.

The growth of the EV market is expected to grow further. This is driving the demand for specialized tires and, subsequently, the demand for carbon black. In 2023, BEV car sales were 9.5 million, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is projected to rise upto 33 million by 2030. This is a major driver for many countries in the automotive sector. This growth is because countries are taking strict measures to control emissions to achieve net zero emissions.

Further, China is one of the largest tire-producing countries. According to data General Administration of Customs P.R.China, the total export of rubber tires was 640,000 tons for  April 2022. This is a considerable increase of 11.6% year-on-year. This expansion increases the demand for specialty carbon black, which offers unique properties such as exceptional UV protection and conductivity and will also drive the demand for rubber carbon black.

The global consumption of specialty tires is in correspondence with the increase in demand for electric vehicles, the demand for new vehicles in developing economies, and other replacements of tires in existing vehicles. Owing to the above-mentioned factors the global demand for the rubber carbon black market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

Increasing demand from industrial rubber applications:

Carbon black is used to improve the performance properties of elastomer-based composites in most rubber applications. Carbon blacks are designed to improve treadwear and rolling resistance while maintaining traction. Applications included tubes and hoses, conveyor belts, molded products, extruded profiles, gaskets, wiper blades, rubber flooring, and seals. The increased industrialization around the world would lead to an increased demand for the rubber carbon black for its specific as well as generalized applications. The Industry sector value added to the GDP, according to the World Bank, has increased from 27.2% in 2021 to 27.5% in 2022.

This steady rise in industrialization is mostly taking place in the regions of Asia and Africa. This industrialization is also accommodated by growing urbanization where the consumption of automobiles is taking place the most. Further, different grades of carbon black are used for different applications. Such as N339, which is used for the conveyor belts, and motor mounts. N550 is used in inner liners, carcasses, and sidewalls for passenger tires, rubber goods, hoses, and extruded products. N660, which is utilized in inner liners, sidewalls, sealing rings, cable jackets for tires, and extruded goods. N990 applied in tire inner liners and rubber and plastic products

Asia Pacific region to dominate the rubber carbon black market during the forecast period.

The major economies like China, Japan, India, and South Korea dominate the Asia-Pacific region. Some of the fastest-growing emerging economies are from this region such as ASEAN countries. The growth of the automotive industry is driven by the two major economies in the region, that is, India and China. Further, China is leading in the adaptation of electric vehicles. The demand for specialty tires is needed in electric vehicles, for better traction and energy efficiency. The sales of electric cars in China surged by 81.82% from 2021 to 2022 and 35.00% from 2022 to 2023.

The sale of electric vehicles is expected to be 10.1 million in the year 2024. In China, electric cars are getting cheaper compared to counterparts internal combustion engine models. The share of electric cars already reached 35% of the total cars sold in the market in 2023. This has directly increased the demand for tires, which account for the largest share of carbon black consumption.

Further, the availability of raw materials also in APAC countries has access to abundant raw materials required for carbon black production, such as petroleum residues and natural gas, which are the primary feedstocks. Additionally, India is the third-largest producer of natural rubber and the fifth-largest consumer of synthetic rubber in the world. There are 6000 rubber manufacturing units in the country, which is manufacturing about 35000 rubber products.

Another significant factor driving the growth of the rubber carbon black market in the Asia-Pacific region is industrial growth and urbanization. The region is experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, leading to increased demand for various industrial products, including tires and other rubber goods. This growth in industrialization is a significant driver of the demand for different products made of rubber.

In summary, the combination of a rapidly growing automotive industry, industrial demand for rubber products, thriving tire manufacturing, demand for electric vehicles in the automotive industry, increasing population, and disposable incomes, favorable government policies, and availability of raw materials have made Asia Pacific an important region in the carbon black market, particularly in the rubber industry.

Global Rubber Carbon Market Key Developments:

• In November 2023,  Orion S.A.  a specialty chemicals company, opened its first greenfield project, a carbon black plant in eastern China in the city of Huaibei in Anhui province. This facility would provide carbon black for applications such as coatings, printing inks, rubber, polymers, fiber, and rubber. The production capacity is 70 kilotons per year, with two production lines. The company has another production facility in Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong.
• In August 2023,  Cabot Corporation announced an increase in carbon black products by its Reinforcement Materials segment in North America. The price increase would range between 6% to 9%. The price increase is due to the inflationary impacts on manufacturing operations, and maintenance costs associated with the production. The price increase is also linked with the sustainability objectives of the company.
• In February 2022, Orion Engineered Carbons announced the beginning of commercial sales of carbon black. The production has started from the new 25-kiloton line in the facility of Ravenna in Italy. The company produced both specialty and technical rubber carbon blacks for Europe. The investment also includes the conversion of waste heat into electricity for the generation of 120 MWh of electricity per year. It is serving electricity to about 30,000 households.

The global rubber carbon black market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

By Application

• Tires
• Hoses
• Belts
• Gaskets
• Vibration Control
• Footwear
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of South America
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Rest of the Middle East and Africa
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Rest of Asia-Pacific