EUROPE CARBON BLACK MARKET FORECAST 2023-2032

The Europe carbon black market growth assessment includes the evaluation of Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Rest of Europe.

Germany holds a prominent position as a leading producer of paints and coatings within the European region. This industry comprises roughly 300 manufacturers and many small to medium-sized businesses. Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) reports that the country boasts Europe’s largest construction market, with an expansive building stock. In 2020, the industry experienced a 5.9% increase in revenues, resulting in approximately EUR 143 billion. Additionally, the German tire industry’s major players are adapting to market changes within Europe, favoring larger rim-diameter tires through expansion and contraction efforts.

On the other hand, in France, the demand for rigid plastic products holds a prominent position, and an overall increase in packaging plastics is expected in the years to come. Although the production of plastic products overall is expected to remain stable, significant growth in demand is anticipated within the packaging sector, with a particular emphasis on small-scale packaging units. 

The French Construction Industry Association reports that civil engineering activity is on the path to recovery with the emergence of the Greater Paris project and other developments. Various small and large cities in the country have implemented the construction of modern tramways, leading to convenient transportation networks, improved circulation, and renovated city centers.

The Europe carbon black market assessment entails segmentation by process type and application. Market by process type covers thermal black, gas black, furnace black, and lamp black.

The furnace black process is the preeminent technology used for carbon black production, with the majority of manufacturers employing this method. This process involves partially combusting petroleum or coal (feedstock) oil by blowing it into high-temperature gases, forming carbon black. The resulting carbon black is available in various particle sizes and structures, making it a versatile material widely used in industrial rubber production as a filler and pigment in plastics, inks, paints, and coatings.

In addition to its use as a pigment and filler, furnace black is also utilized as a rubber reinforcing agent in tires and other rubber goods, providing superior resilience, tear strength, and conductivity. The furnace black process produces carbon black with primary particle sizes ranging from 10 nm to 80 nm and offers both environmental and work-safety benefits, thanks to its fully closed installation, which minimizes emissions of process gases and dust.

Apart from its environmental, economic, and technical advantages, the furnace black process provides greater flexibility since it can produce various grades of carbon black that other currently used processes cannot. Moreover, the process allows manufacturers to control the particle aggregation of the carbon black structure by adding small quantities of an alkaline metal salt. Furthermore, the increasing demand for furnace black in the coatings and polymers sectors for pigmentation is expected to drive this segment’s growth.

Some of the key players in the Europe carbon black market include Imerys Graphite & Carbon, Orion Engineered Carbons SA, International CSRC Investment Holdings Co Ltd, etc.

Imerys Graphite & Carbon is a reputable manufacturer and distributor of various natural and synthetic graphite powders, conductive carbon blacks and water-based dispersions. Their products are known for their consistency and reliability and include silicon-carbon composites, calcined petroleum cokes, aqueous dispersions, and silicon carbide. The company operates across several business segments, including mobile energy, polymers, engineering materials, and refractories & metallurgy. Its headquarters are based in Bironico, Switzerland.

One of their notable products is C-NERGY, a top-tier graphite and carbon black product specifically developed to cater to the lithium-ion battery industry. This product is designed to provide efficient operational processes while reducing overall costs.