Mineral Fillers Market

Mineral Fillers Market Outlook (2022-2032)

The global mineral fillers market was valued at around US$ 22.9 Billion in 2021. With a projected CAGR of 6% for the next ten years, the market is likely to reach a valuation of nearly US$ 42.6 Billion by the end of 2032.

Demand for mineral fillers is expected to witness a boost as automotive manufacturers look towards the usage of lighter materials so they can benefit from the emission and safety enhancements.

Fact.MR analysis reveals that most of the market revenue is grossed from Mineral Fillers in paper-related applications, which have a forecasted CAGR of 7.1% by 2032. The global market for Mineral Fillers witnessed a CAGR of 11.6% during 2017-2021. Mineral Fillers, or mineral-based particles added to enhance properties or increase volumes to reduce costs, are witnessing a boost in demand in recent years.

Report Attributes	Details
Global Market Size (2021A)	US$ 22.9 Billion
Estimated Market Value (2022)	US$ 23.9 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (2032)	US$ 42.6 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2022-2032)	6% CAGR
United States Market Growth Rate(2022-2032)	5.9% CAGR
Key Companies Profiled	Akrochem Corporation Albemarle Corporation Covia Corporation Elementis GCR Group Hoffmann Minerals Huber Engineered Materials Imerys SA Kärntner Montanindustrie GmbH LKAB Minerals AB Lhoist S.A. Minerals Technologies Inc. Omya International AG Quarzwerke GmbH US Minerals Vanderbilt Chemicals 20 Microns Ltd.

Why the demand for mineral fillers is increasing among lightweighting vehicles?

The lightweighting of vehicles is a prominent trend in the automotive industry. This is an effort to meet emission norms and contribute to safety improvements. This is usually done by the replacement of traditional parts with parts made of lighter materials.

Studies show that 75% of fuel consumption is directly related to vehicle weight. According to estimates, a 220-pound weight reduction can lead to anywhere from 3% to 5% reduction in carbon emissions. Manufacturers in the current landscape, who have to deal with emission control that keeps getting more and more strict, are thus looking for ways to reduce their emissions, with lightweight being an attractive option.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency conducted a study on vehicle lightweighting and its effects on safety, with the modeling on material lightweighting showing that reductions in vehicle mass would lead to a reduction in fatalities. When used in crumple zones or areas designed to absorb crash impacts, plastic can save lives by the property of them being less stiff.

The usage of mineral-filler-enhanced plastic also allows for changes in manufacturing, with plastic composites having the ability to be precision machined, providing more flexible design opportunities. Multiple metal parts can be replaced with one singular plastic part, which can reduce production times while reducing weight. The usage of minerals in rubber parts can allow manufacturers to meet strict requirements and even improve the lifespan of their automobiles.

What types of mineral fillers are being used in plastics and how has the demand increased over time?

There has been an increasing desire to use mineral fillers in plastic, largely stemming from two prominent concerns – the enhancement of desirable properties and the reduction of costs. The increasing price of oil is a direct concern for plastic manufacturers since inputs for plastic manufacturing are petroleum-derived. Adding fillers is a relatively less expensive and less complex method to alter polymer matrices. Plastics can provide enhancements to moldability, stability, and thermal properties.

The most extensive filler usage in the industry has been the use of Calcium Carbonate, which has several benefits and has complete FDA approval in use as a plastic additive. For one, studies show that using (CaCO3) filler-enhanced plastic generated a 23% GGH saving. CaCO3 can also provide thermoforming benefits like higher conductivity, which helps in heating-up and cool-down times.

Commercially, 40% loading levels are commonly used, with thicker parts having higher levels. Containers for hot food, for example, can have almost 50% CaCO3 loading level, while containers such as drink caps can have as low as 3%.

ATH or alumina trihydrate is decomposed endothermically at temperatures more than 220 degrees. It is commonly used in solid surface composites production since its decomposition temperature limit is relatively low means it is limited to use in resins like polyethylene and polypropylene. Clay fillers can provide boosts to electrical and processibility properties. Talc, which is beneficial to rigidity and heat resistance, can also have a blocking effect on infrared rays, leading to its use in functional films for greenhouse night-time.

Region-wise Insights

Which regions contribute the most to the demand for Mineral Fillers?

The market in Europe with a 22.3% market share in 2021 is predicted to garner a market size of US$ 9.1 Billion by 2032. The IMA Europe is an umbrella organization for mineral-related individual-level specific organizations in Europe. The REACH or the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation was implemented in 2007 and requires manufacturers of certain substances to submit registration dossiers to the EU if their production exceeds one tonne in a year.

Companies who submit the same substances must jointly do the registration. Under the IMA-Europe, consortia were created to aid companies, such as the REACH consortium for Calcium Carbonate. The UK is a key country for demand in Europe, having witnessed a CAGR of 3.3% that grew to a forecasted CAGR of 6.3%, with a predicted market value of US$ 1.6 Billion by 2032 and an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 761 Mn between 2022 and 2032.

Country-wise Insights

US Mineral Fillers Market Analysis

The US accounted for over 36% of the global Mineral Fillers Market in 2021. The US accounts for a US$ 6.7 Billion absolute dollar opportunity between 2022 and 2032 and a forecasted market size of US$ 17.6 Billion by 2032 at a 6% CAGR. In June 2022, researchers and engineers from CU Boulder, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory announced that the US Department of Energy had awarded them a US$ 3.3 Mn grant through their Advanced Research Projects Agency.

The team was also selected by the HESTIA or Harnessing Emissions into Structures Taking Inputs from the Atmosphere program for developing and manufacturing on a larger scale of biogenic limestone-based Portland cement. This cement usually has 15% mineral filler in the form of ground limestone. The aim is to use biogenic limestone instead of conventional limestone in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

UK Mineral Fillers Market Analysis

The market in the UK was held at US$ 856 Mn in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 3.3% during 2017 – 2031. The market is likely to reach a valuation of US$ 1.6 Bn by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period. During 2022 – 2032, the market is projected to gross an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 761 Mn.

Japan Mineral Fillers Market Analysis

In Japan, the market stood at US$ 907 Mn in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 5.7%. During 2022 – 2032, the market in the country is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.7% to reach a valuation of US$ 2 Bn by 2032. During the forecast period, the market is expected to garner an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 1 Bn.

South Korea Mineral Fillers Market Analysis

The market in South Korea is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 942 Mn by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.9% during 2022 - 2032. The market is expected to garner an absolute dollar opportunity of US$ 457 Mn during 2022 – 2032.

Category-wise Insights

Why paper-making remains the highest revenue-generating application for the mineral fillers market?

Paper is the top application for global mineral fillers, contributing to 36.5% of the global market in 2021. This application witnessed a CAGR of 5.6% and has a forecasted market value of US$ 17 Bn at a CAGR of 7.1%. According to some studies on the paper industry, mineral fillers for both wet-end addition and coating account for nearly 8% of all materials used in the paper-making process.

Different grades of paper contain different amounts of minerals, with printing paper containing 5%-30%. Filler use has increased over time and this trend is expected to continue. Fillers tend to be a method for papermakers to achieve demand for brightness or opacity at rates cheaper than attempting to achieve the same using fibers alone would require.

The usage of fillers also has varied benefits. These benefits are especially useful for printing paper, where their users can allow a manufacturer to increase opacity at a lower overall mass/unit area. Increased use of fillers can also reduce energy requirements in the paper drying process. Using fillers, manufacturers can also control the brightness and opacity.

Furthermore, fillers are smaller particulate matter, which means using them to replace some parts of fibers can create a paper that is smoother even at a given weight since it allows for a higher degree of calendaring. However, the changes in the process and other properties of the final product due to the use of fillers also need to be considered and manufacturers must limit their usage to acceptable levels to meet their buyer’s needs.

Competitive Landscape

The key companies operating in the mineral fillers market include Akrochem Corporation, Albemarle Corporation, Covia Corporation, Elementis, GCR Group, Hoffmann Minerals, Huber Engineered Materials, Imerys SA, Kärntner Montanindustrie GmbH, LKAB Minerals AB, Lhoist S.A., Minerals Technologies Inc., Omya International AG, Quarzwerke GmbH, US Minerals, Vanderbilt Chemicals, and 20 Microns Ltd.

Some of the recent development in Mineral Fillers are as follows:

• In April 2021, Cimbar Performance Minerals, a division of United Minerals and Properties, Inc., Chatsworth, GA, acquired production and warehousing assets of business Tor Minerals, located in Chatsworth.
• In August 2021, Harwick Standard Distribution Corp. announced that they have signed a deal for the acquisition of Western Reserve Chemicals, which, amongst other offerings, distributes mineral fillers.
• In April 2021, Processing Technologies International and Farrel Pomini announced a collaboration. The two will jointly come up with a new technology for sheet barriers known as Direct-to-Sheet Compounding, which will facilitate the extruding of sheets from high levels of filler loading, like 60-70%.

Similarly, recent developments related to companies manufacturing Mineral Fillers have been tracked by the team at Fact.MR, which is available in the full report.

Key Segments Covered In Mineral Fillers Industry Survey

• By Application :

  • Paper Manufacturing
  • Plastic Manufacturing
  • Paints and Coatings Manufacturing
  • Adhesives and Sealants Manufacturing

• By Region :

  • North America 
  • Europe 
  • Asia Pacific 
  • Middle East & Africa 
  • Latin America