Refined Clay Market Overview
The Refined Clay Market size is forecasted to reach US$795.4 million by 2027, after growing at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Refined clay composed of fuller earth, activated clays, earthenware and other materials is rigorously processed for quality consistency and refined for specialty performances. This results in high viscosity, gelling and anti-settling properties in water and aqueous formulations such as coatings and textured finishes, welding electrodes, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The benefits and characteristics of Refined Clay include high purity, fine particle sizing, lubricity, absorbency, bonding strength and ease of dispersion tailored to user requirements. These advantages are ideal for cosmetics & personal care, building & construction, pharmaceuticals and more. The Refined Clay Market is majorly driven by the growth of the cosmetics & personal care industry. However, in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic compelled the governments to restrict production activities. As a result, the production of various industries was halted, including cosmetics & personal care, building & construction, pharmaceuticals and more. This, in turn, negatively impacted the Refined Clay industry's growth. However, the pro-government measures to improve economic growth resulted in industrial production growth, which resulted in Refined Clay Market growth. Also, the surge in building & construction activities will fuel the demand for Refined Clay. As a result, the Refined Clay Market size will grow in the coming years. Nonetheless, the availability of various substitutes of refined clay such as activated bauxite, porcelain and more may confine the Refined Clay industry growth during the projected forecast period.
Report Coverage
The "Refined Clay Market Report – Forecast (2022-2027)” by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments in the Refined Clay Market.
Key Takeaways
- Asia-Pacific dominated the Refined Clay Market, owing to the growth of the cosmetics industry in the region. For instance, according to Accord Australasia, a local personal care association, the Australian personal care industry was valued at $26.3 billion in 2020, a 1% increase over 2019.
- The Bengel clays are a refined specialty clay of attapulgite, fullers Earth and others have several key properties such as yielding fine particle sizing, controlled gelling and more. These characteristics are fueling segmental growth in the Refined Clay Market.
- Moreover, refined clay is utilized in the production of paints and coatings to enhance the appearance of the coating products. The growth of the paints and coatings applications is monetarily benefiting the market growth.
- Also, the ongoing research and development related to the manufacturing of refined clay will create an opportunity for the refine clay industry growth during the forecast period of 2022-2027.
Figure: Asia-Pacific Refined Clay Market Revenue, 2021-2027 (US$ Million)
Refined Clay Market Segment Analysis – by Application
The cosmetic formulation-based segment held the largest Refined Clay Market share in 2021 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Refined clay such as bengel clays, refined bentonite clays and others are employed as cosmetic ingredients because it has several beneficial properties such as higher cleaning, anti-aging, anti-wrinkling and sun-care properties. Refined clay is used in a variety of cosmetic and personal care formulations, including sunscreens, deodorants, creams, hair cosmetics, makeups, nail polish, facial masks and shampoos, to improve organoleptic and physicochemical properties, increase stability and facilitate elaboration. These beneficial properties of refined clay often result in high skin gloss. Thus, the use of refined clay in the formulation of cosmetics and personal care products is increasing. As a result, market growth is accelerating.
Refined Clay Market Segment Analysis – by End-Use Industry
The cosmetics & personal care segment held the largest Refined Clay Market share in 2021 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Refined clay made from fuller earth, activated clays and more has various critical properties, including high viscosity, gelling and anti-settling, which results in high gloss. Thus, owing to such properties it is often utilized in the cosmetics and personal care industry. The surging disposable income of people, a gradual consumer shift toward premium and luxury cosmetic brands and others are the key variables boosting the demand for cosmetics and personal care products. For instance, according to the Cosmetics Europe Personal Care Association, in 2020, Europe's cosmetics and personal care industry was valued at €76.7 billion (US$87.61 billion) and in 2021, it was €80 billion (US$94.62 billion), an increase of 4.4%. Furthermore, in 2021, the key European market for the personal care industry was Germany, France, Italy and other countries. Hence, the growth of the cosmetics industry is fueling the demand for refined clay. This, in turn, is propelling the market growth.
Refined Clay Market Segment Analysis – by Geography
Asia-Pacific is the dominating region as it held the largest Refined Clay Market share in 2021 up to 40%. The economic growth of the Asia-Pacific region is aided by the growth of several industries, including cosmetics & personal care, building & construction, pharmaceuticals and more. The key factors such as convergence of advancements, beauty & lifestyle and others are vital factors driving the cosmetics and personal care industry growth in Asia-Pacific. For instance, according to the data considered from International Trade Administration and Invest Korea, in 2019, the South Korean cosmetics industry was valued at US$9.43 billion and in 2020, it was US$12.6 billion, an increase of 33.6%. Moreover, according to the International Trade Administration (ITA), in 2019, the retail sales value of China's cosmetics products was US$46.18 billion and in 2020, it was US$52.47 billion, an increase of about 13.6% when compared with the year 2019. Also, the skin care segment of the personal care industry in China was the major contributor in China and accounted for about 51% of the total share in personal care. Therefore, the growth of the cosmetics and personal care industry in the Asia-Pacific region is boosting the demand for refined clay. As a result, the Refined Clay Market size will grow during the coming years.
Refined Clay Market Drivers
The Surging Application of Refined Clay in Paints and Coatings
Refined clay is used in the production of paints and coatings to improve the appearance of the coating products. The key factors such as growing demand for repainting & new construction, increasing production of automobiles, rising demand for paints and coatings from the oil and gas industry, increasing purchasing power of people and expansion of the paint and coatings new manufacturing facilities are aiding the growth of the paints and coatings industry. For instance, according to the Japan Paint Manufacturers Association (JPMA), in 2018, the total synthetic resin base paints and coating manufactured in Japan was 1,089,167 tons and in 2019, it was 1,101,715 tons. This was about 1.2% higher when compared with 2018. Moreover, according to British Coatings Federation (BCF), due to continued strong consumer demand for DIY commodities such as paints and wall coverings, as well as a strong manufacturing and construction industry rebound, the first 5 months of 2021 achieved remarkable sales results in both industrial and decorative coatings in the United Kingdom. Overall, paint and coatings sales in the UK increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2020. Hence, the surging application of paints and coatings is fueling the demand for refined clay, which, in turn, is driving market growth.
Growth of Building and Construction Industry
Refined clay acts as a binding agent and contributes to the plasticity, workability and strength of a pre-fired ceramic body. Thus, refined clay manufactured from activated clays, earthenware and other clay materials is deployed in the manufacturing of ceramics, paints & coatings and bricks. The surging demand for increasing demand for commercial space, affordable housing and other factors are vital factors accelerating the growth of the building and construction activities. For instance, according to the United States Census Bureau, in 2020, in Q3 of 2021, the development of various offices started in Germany, which included Markisches Zentrum Redevelopment (completion year Q4 2023), Minden Headquarters Building (completion year Q3 2024), Kolbenhoefe Mixed-Use Complex (completion year Q4 2023) and others. Moreover, in August 2021, New Zealand's Auckland Airport announced plans to develop 100 retail stores. The new retail area would entail the construction of a 23,000-square-meter-plus outlet center on undeveloped property near the airport's northeastern boundary. Therefore, the growth of the building and construction industry is propelling the demand for refined clay. This, in turn, is accelerating market growth.
Refined Clay Market Challenges
Availability of Substitutes
There are several substitutes for refined clay, which include activated bauxite, porcelain and more. These substitutes offer similar or superior properties over refined clay, which makes them ideal for use in various end-use industries such as cosmetics & personal care, building & construction, pharmaceuticals and more. For instance, activated bauxite is preferred over clay and fullers earth to achieve superior product quality in most adsorption-based applications. Moreover, porcelain clays are less porous than refined clay. This means they are harder and more glass-like. As a result, it chips and cracks less easily than its refined clay counterparts. Thus, the availability of substitutes such as activated bauxite, porcelain and more may create a bottleneck for the Refined Clay Market growth during the forecast period of 2022-2027.
Refined Clay Industry Outlook
Technology launches, acquisitions and increased R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Refined Clay Market. The top 10 companies in the Refined Clay Market are:
- Thiele Kaolin Company
- Imerys S.A.
- LB Minerals Ltd.
- BASF SE
- Sibelco
- KaMin LLC
- Maoming Xingli Kaolin Co. Ltd.
- EICL Ltd.
- I-Minerals Inc.
- Quazwerke GmbH
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