Pigments are mainly used in the production of paints and varnishes as well as the coloring of plastics and construction materials. Other applications include the manufacturing of printing inks and paper. The most important indicator for the development of the pigment industry is the construction sector, as total demand for construction material, paints, varnishes, and plastics largely depends on the development of this branch. In its latest study, Ceresana forecasts global revenues generated with pigments to increase to US$34.2 billion in 2020.

Growth Motors China and India
 
Asia-Pacific accounts for almost half of global consumption of pigments already and is expected to increase its share of the market even further. This region will continue to be the growth motor of the pigments industry, as China and India in particular are substantially increasing demand for pigments. Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America will see demand rise by more than 3% p.a. each as well and thus contribute to the positive development of the pigment industry. The rather saturated markets in Western Europe and North America will slowly return onto a growth path after they suffered losses in the past couple of years.

Regional Differences in Demand for Individual Products

The presence of pigment-processing industries is subjected to regional differences; the demand for individual types of pigments depends on the requirements of the industry in question. Hence, demand for specific types of pigments may vary widely among the regions. Titanium dioxide is dominating the pigment market, given its widespread use in paints, varnishes, and the processing of plastics. North America consumes a disproportionately large amount of organic pigments. In Asia-Pacific, on the other hand, iron oxides are accounting for a comparatively large share of regional consumption. The largest growth potential in Asia-Pacific is expected for carbon black pigments.

Dominance of Paints and Varnishes

Paints and varnishes are the by far most important sales market for pigments worldwide. More than 43% of global demand originates in this segment. "Processing plastics accounts for 27% of total demand for pigments. This segment will develop at the second highest growth rates in the future", explains Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana. Only the segment printing inks will grow at higher rates, thanks to an increase of demand for printed packaging. Ceresana expects the least dynamic development for the segment paper, as the completely revised 3rd edition of its market report on pigments explains.

The Study in Brief:

Chapter 1 offers a description and analysis of the global market for pigments — historical data from 2004 to 2012 and forecasts up to 2020: Data on demand for and revenues generated with pigments are given for the world and each region.
In chapter 2, pigment revenues and demand in the segments paints and varnishes, plastics, paper, construction materials, printing inks, and other applications in 16 countries are analyzed in detail. Additionally, the 275 most important manufacturers of pigments are listed according to their country of origin.
Chapter 3 provides a substantiated analysis of individual applications of pigments: data on demand development, split by the seven world regions Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa are given.
Chapter 4 is an analysis of demand for individual types of pigments such as titanium dioxide, iron oxides, carbon black, other inorganic pigments, and organic pigments. Demand is clearly arranged split by the 16 analyzed countries and all world regions.
Chapter 5 provides profiles of the largest manufacturers of pigments, clearly arranged according to contact details, turnover, profit, product range, production sites, profile summary, products, and applications. Extensive profiles of the 87 largest manufacturers are provided, including Aditya Birla, BASF, Cabot, Cristal Global, DuPont, Huntsman, Jiangxi Black Cat, KRONOS, Lanxess, Orion Engineered Carbons, Shenghua Group, and Tronox.

www.ceresana.com/en/Market-Studies/Additives/Pigments