According to International Trade Center’s Trade Map, in 2018, the global import value for kaolin coated paper and paperboard products was evaluated at 28,919,972.[1] Increasing paper product consumption has inadvertently incremented the supply and demand for kaolin clay globally. Kaolin is an essential industrial mineral paving its way through paper and pulp, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and mining industry. Metakaolin (anhydrous calcined kaolinite), a derivative of kaolin, is used in sustainable supplementary cementing material (SCM) for producing blended cements owing to less carbon dioxide emission and better yield. Kaolin is now widely adopted as a raw material in paints, rubber, cable insulation, and agricultural industries, hence, the market will show up a considerable growth in upcoming years. The global kaolin market was valued $5.8 billion in 2018 and this constantly increasing revenue and huge demand pull for kaolin products will boost the market growth with a CAGR of 8% during 2019-2025.
Kaolin Market Outlook:
The history of kaolin dates back to 7th and 8th century when the Chinese created the porcelain using kaolin.[2] Owing to its unique physical and chemical traits, kaolin is largely imported to several countries worldwide. With more than $2.6 billion import value, China was the leading kaolin importer worldwide as of 2018.[3] APAC region is the largest center of paper industry and exerts demand pool for its raw material: kaolin-requirement. As a filler in paper industry, kaolin improves the paper quality creating a brighter and polished appearance. Moreover, it reduces overall cost of producing high quality paper. Opening up a wide scope of opportunity for global kaolin market, APAC held a major regional share of 45% in 2018. Other than China, provinces such as the U.S. and Brazil have valuable deposits of kaolin clay.
Kaolin Market Growth Drivers:
Increasing Paper Industry:
Paper industry is growing rapidly as it is used in many industrial sectors. Rising awareness related to pollution leads to avoidance of non-biodegradable products. Being eco-friendly and easily recyclable, paper and pulp industry is supplying the finished products such as high gloss paper and paper boards to leading industries including packaging and print media. Rising demand for paper products boost the kaolin market owing to its application for coating paper to reduce abrasion, enhance appearance and as a filler, reducing overall expenses.
Wide Application as Natural Cosmetic:
There are various benefits of kaolin for skin and it gain a wide acceptance from cosmetics industry. Kaolin mask is prepared by mixing kaolin powder with water resulting in clear complexion and removal of blackheads. It finds place in various cosmetics since it absorbs excess oil. These effective outcomes result in rising demand of kaolin from general population and the cosmetics industry.
Growing Medicinal Utilization:
The potential benefits of kaolin clay as a medicine has carved a path for the pharmaceutical sector. It is used to treat gastrointestinal problems, stomach irritation, diarrhea, and other problems. As an active hemostatic agent, it is used to absorb pus and blood in veterinary medicines. All these properties significantly increases the application of kaolin in pharmaceutical sector.
Other Segments:
Growing demand from other industrial sectors for manufacturing of rubber and fiberglass, spare parts of automobiles, and for treating wastewater has subsequently tailored huge demand of kaolin.
Kaolin Market Challenges:
Significant challenges affecting the global kaolin market is high mining cost of kaolin with higher accidental incidences. Additionally, purity of kaolin is highly dependent on mining land and its nearby area. Kaolin mining in anthropogenic surroundings chiefly extracts toxic kaolin ores which may require adequate refining due to its wide application in pharmaceutical and cosmetic segment. Market players are innovating novel and efficient methods with technology to reduce mining cost and toxicity of kaolin clay.
Kaolin Market Key Players:
The leading market players include Sibelco N.V., Thiele Kaolin Company, LB Minerals Ltd., BASF SE, Imerys S.A., KaMin LLC, EICL Ltd, and others.
Thiele Kaolin Company specializes in kaolin and silica enhanced products which include paper and packaging, de-inking, paints and coatings, adhesive, caulks and sealants, ceramics, fiberglass, and so on.
LB Minerals is associated with mining, processing, and delivering of various mineral compound such as kaolin, clays, and feldspars. They deal in supplying raw materials to various industrial sectors used for the production of dynamic end-products.
Kaolin Market Trends:
High-Quality Printing Ink
Kaolin is rampantly overpowering the ink market owing to its traits in creating fine printing inks partially replacing cost-inflating titanium dioxide without compromising on overall properties. Maintaining color quality and glossy appearance, resisting ink bleeding, and reduced film permeability are beneficial in resulting high quality printing.
Kaolin Market Research Scope:
The base year of the study is 2018, with forecast done up to 2025. The study presents a thorough analysis of the competitive landscape, taking into account the market shares of the leading companies. It also provides information on unit shipments. These provide the key market participants with the necessary business intelligence and help them understand the future of the kaolin market. The assessment includes the forecast, an overview of the competitive structure, the market shares of the competitors, as well as the market trends, market demands, market drivers, market challenges, and product analysis. The market drivers and restraints have been assessed to fathom their impact over the forecast period. This report further identifies the key opportunities for growth while also detailing the key challenges and possible threats. The key areas of focus include the types of kaolin in market, and their specific applications in different areas.
