South & Central America Talc Market Forecast to 2030 - Regional Analysis - by Deposit Type (Talc Chlorite and Talc Carbonate) and End-Use Industry (Plastics, Pulp & Paper, Ceramics, Paints & Coatings, Rubber, Pharmaceuticals, Food, and Others)

The South & Central America talc market is expected to grow from US$ 330.11 million in 2022 to US$ 446.00 million by 2030. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2022 to 2030.

Growing Demand for Plastics in Automotive Industry Fuels South & Central America Talc Market

As per data by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), the global car and vehicle production reached over 85 million in 2022, indicating a 6% increase from the previous year. South America recorded production of over 2.7 million commercial and passenger cars in 2021, which increased by 9% rate and registered production of around 2.9 million in 2022. The automotive industry in SAM is going through a transitional shift toward electric vehicle mobility. The government has played a substantial role in developing the automotive industry. The increase in commercial and passenger vehicle sales in Brazil over the past decade was primarily driven by national economic growth, favorable consumer credit policies, and fiscal incentives offered by the government. The growing production capabilities of electric vehicles from leading players are creating potential opportunities for market growth. For instance, Daimler Truck Holding AG, a German automotive manufacturer, started manufacturing its first Mercedes-Benz electric bus in Brazil between November and December 2022. The company projected that the demand for electric buses in Brazil would reach 1,000 buses in 2023 and 3,000 buses by 2024. As per a report by the Automotive Association of Peru (AAP), in 2021, the sales of hybrid and electric vehicles in Peru exceeded the sales in 2020 by 151.7%, the highest level yet recorded. Plastics have improved the performance, structure, and safety of automobiles. Plastic use helps reduce the weight of vehicle parts, which increases fuel efficiency and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Spurred by rigorous regulations, especially regarding fuel efficiency, plastics are key material in manufacturing and designing automotive vehicles. Materials such as polypropylene (PP) and other engineering thermoplastics are extensively used for automotive interiors, exteriors, and under-the-hood applications and replacing the usage of metal parts. Talc is added to polypropylene to enhance its performance and durability. Vehicle's interior parts such as instrument panels, door panels, pillar covers, seat backs, consoles, and headliners are commonly made of talc-filled polypropylene. Thus, the increasing investments by major automobile manufacturers and surging production of automotive vehicles would propel the demand for automotive plastics, which is expected to boost the talc market growth during the forecast period.

South & Central America Talc Market Overview

The talc market in South & Central America is segmented into Brazil, Argentina, and the Rest of South & Central America. South & Central America is one of the largest producers of pulp and paper due to the wide availability of raw materials. Talc is widely used to reduce pitch-related deposits during pulp, paper, and board production and improve machine performance. According to the Indústria Brasileira de Árvores (Ibá) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Brazil held 11.3%, and Chile held 2.8% of global pulp production in 2020. Thus, the large quantity of pulp and paper production in the region is anticipated to drive the demand for talc. Further, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), the total number of vehicles produced in South & Central America grew from ~2.3 million in 2020 to 2.7 million in 2021, registering an increase of 18%. In addition, rising car ownership due to increased spending power and higher living standards is expected to boost the market for automotive refinishes. This growing production of vehicles is boosting the demand for talc in the region.

South & Central America Talc Market Segmentation

The South & Central America talc market is segmented into type, application, and country.

Based on type, the South & Central America talc market is bifurcated into talc chlorite and talc carbonate. The talc carbonate segment held a larger share of the South & Central America talc market in 2022.

In terms of application, the South & Central America talc market is segmented into plastics, pulp and paper, ceramics, paints and coatings, rubber, pharmaceuticals, food, and others. The pulp and paper segment held the largest share of the South & Central America talc market in 2022.

By country, the South & Central America talc market is segmented into Brazil, Argentina, and the Rest of South & Central America. Brazil dominated the South & Central America talc market in 2022.

Elementis Plc, Golcha Minerals Pvt Ltd, Imerys SA, Liaoning Aihai Talc Co Ltd, Minerals Technologies Inc, and SCR-Sibelco NV are some of the leading companies operating in the South & Central America talc market.