Kaolin Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2033

This report describes and explains the kaolin market and covers 2018-2023, termed the historic period, and 2023-2028, 2033F termed the forecast period. The report evaluates the market across each region and for the major economies within each region.

The global kaolin market reached a value of nearly $8.6 billion in 2023, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.10% since 2018. The market is expected to grow from $8.6 billion in 2023 to $10.7 billion in 2028 at a rate of 4.57%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.84% from 2028 and reach $12.9 billion in 2033.

Growth in the historic period resulted from increase in demand for agricultural products, the growing construction industry and the rising demand for paper and ceramic products. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period was availability of substitutes in the paper industry.

Going forward, the increasing demand from the cosmetic industry, the growing investments in infrastructure projects and the rising adoption of kaolinite in medical formulations will drive the growth. Factor that could hinder the growth of the kaolin market in the future include fluctuating raw material prices and regulatory constraints.

The kaolin market is segmented by type into synthetic and natural. The natural market was the largest segment of the kaolin market segmented by type, accounting for 81.78% or $7 billion of the total in 2023. Going forward, the synthetic segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the kaolin market segmented by type, at a CAGR of 5.02% during 2023-2028.

The kaolin market is segmented by process into water-washed, airfloat, calcined, delaminated and surface-modified and unprocessed. The water-washed market was the largest segment of the kaolin market segmented by process, accounting for 34.65% or $2.9 billion of the total in 2023. Going forward, the calcined segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the kaolin market segmented by process, at a CAGR of 5.41% during 2023-2028.

The kaolin market is segmented by end-use industry into ceramics and sanitarywares, paper, fiberglass, paints and coatings, rubber and other end-users. The paper market was the largest segment of the kaolin market segmented by end-use industry, accounting for 35.11% or $3 billion of the total in 2023. Going forward, the paints and coatings segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the kaolin market segmented by end-use industry, at a CAGR of 5.99% during 2023-2028.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the kaolin market, accounting for 36.20% or $3.1 billion of the total in 2023. It was followed by Western Europe, Eastern Europe and then the other regions. Going forward, the fastest-growing regions in the kaolin market will be Africa and South America where growth will be at CAGRs of 10.87% and 9.65% respectively. These will be followed by MiddleEast and Asia Pacific where the markets are expected to grow at CAGRs of 8.76% and 4.04% respectively.

The global kaolin market is fairly fragmented, with a large number of small players in the market. The top ten competitors in the market made up to 13.06% of the total market in 2022. KaMin LLC was the largest competitor with a 4.06% share of the market, followed by IMERYS S.A. with 4.02%, Sibelco Group with 1.31%, Thiele Kaolin Company with 1.11%, Ashapura Group with 0.85%, Quarzwerke Group with 0.68%, Kaolin AD with 0.52%, Arcilla Mining & Land Company LLC with 0.23%, Burgess Pigment Company with 0.17% and G&W Mineral Resources with 0.10%.

The top opportunities in the kaolin market segmented by type will arise in the natural segment, which will gain $1.7 billion of global annual sales by 2028. The top opportunities in the kaolin market segmented by process will arise in the water-washed segment, which will gain $752.24 million of global annual sales by 2028. The top opportunities in the kaolin market segmented by end-use industry will arise in the ceramics and sanitary wares segment, which will gain $720.32 million of global annual sales by 2028. The kaolin market size will gain the most in China at $236.67 million.

Market-trend-based strategies for the kaolin market include strategic partnerships for enhanced kaolin production, strategic collaborations for emission reduction initiatives and kaolin exploration projects for resource expansion and rare earth element discoveries.

Player-adopted strategies in the kaolin market include expanding business through strategic acquisitions and strengthening business through new product developments.

To take advantage of the opportunities, the analyst recommends the kaolin companies to focus on exploration projects, focus on synthetic segment growth, focus on calcined and water-washed segments, expand in emerging markets, continue to focus on developed markets, focus on strategic partnerships, provide competitively priced offerings, participate in trade shows and events, continue to use B2B promotions and focus on paints and coatings and ceramics and sanitary wares segments.