Silica Flour Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Silica Flour Market Overview

Silica Flour Market size is forecast to reach US$530.1 million by 2027, after growing at a CAGR of 3.8% during 2022-2027. Silica flour is manufactured by grinding silica sand containing high silica content to minuscule particle size. Minute-sized particles of silica flour make it suitable for applications including sodium silicate, fiberglass, reinforcing filler, and additives. These applications require a high content of silica which is usually more than 95%. Besides these applications, silica flour is used in foundry work, ceramic frits and glaze, oil well cement, and glass & clay production. These are used in end-user industries such as polymers and glass, chemical, construction, oil and gas, and paints and coatings. Quartz surfacing materials may contain up to 93% crystalline silica. The demand of fiberglass for construction is driving the market growth. Furthermore, in 2022 U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. announced that a portion of its Industrial and Specialty Products business will increase prices for most of its non-contracted whole grain and ground cristobalite products. These products are produced in its Millen, GA, Berkeley Springs, WV, and Columbia, SC facilities and used primarily in building products, foundry, plastics, paints and coatings.

Covid-19 Impact

COVID-19 can affect the global economy in three main ways by directly affecting production and demand, by creating supply chain and market disruption, and by its financial impact on firms and financial markets. The outburst of the covid-19 has specified several extraordinary challenges to all manufacturers and production companies. The Silica Flour Market manufacturer also confronted a lot of difficulties in receiving the workforce as the whole world was under quarantine. The gathering of the raw material and the delivery of the end product all was at stake during the lockdown. The unanticipated outrages had rapidly interrupted the demand and supply chain dynamics were badly hampered.

Report Coverage

The “Silica Flour Market Report– Forecast (2022-2027)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Silica Flour Industry.

By Type: Quartz, Tridymite, Cristobalite, Coesite, Stishovite, and Moganite
By Application: Polishes and Cleaning products, Pharmaceuticals, Fiberglass, Foundry, Glass & Clay, Ceramic & Refractory, Oil Well Cement , Skin-care Products (Exfoliants, Scar and Acne Treatments, Corn, Callus, Wart Removers, Mineral-based Cosmetics, Hair and Nail Care Products, and Others), Filter (Beer and Wine, Sugar and Sweetener Liquors, Oils and Fats, and Others), Additives (Cement, Soaps, Toothpastes, Paints, and Others), Reinforcing filler (Rubber, Polymers, Paper, Wood Fillers, Road Surfacing Materials, and Others), and Others
By End-Use Industry: Building and Construction, Infrastructure, Healthcare and Medical, Food and Beverages, Personal Care and Cosmetics, Oil and Gas, Mining, Paper and Pulp, Paints and Coatings Chemical, Automotive, Aerospace, and Others
By Geography: North America (USA, Canada and Mexico), Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, Netherlands, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), APAC (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Rest of South America), and Rest of the world (Middle East and Africa)

Key Takeaways

• Asia-Pacific region dominates the Silica Flour Market owing to a rapid increase in the Oil and Gas industry.
• The rising demand of fiberglass from construction and the demand of oil-well cement from oil and gas industry are driving the market growth of Silica Flour Market
• The adverse effect of silica on human health might hamper the market growth.

Silica Flour Market Segment Analysis - By Type

Quartz segment is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period. Quartz silica, often called quartz sand, white sand, industrial sand, and silica sand includes sand with high silicon dioxide (SiO2) content. It is a hard, crystalline mineral that consists of silicon and oxygen atoms. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica and is the second most common mineral on the earth’s surface. It is found in almost every type of rock i.e., igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Since it is so abundant, quartz is present in nearly all mining operations. Quartz is extensively used in the production of paints, cosmetics, fiberglass, silicone rubber, and ceramic and in oil well cementing. Due to its hardness, high density, and high chemical resistance offered by quartz flour are likely to contribute to the higher demand for this segment. For instance, yroGenesis Canada Inc. invested US$7 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to develop a novel production process to transform quartz into fumed silica. The company has now signed a contract for US$4MM with HPQ Silica Polvere Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon Resources Inc.

Silica Flour Market Segment Analysis - By End-Use Industry

Personal care and cosmetic segment accounted for approximately 18% of the market share in 2021 and is estimated to grow at a 4.1% CAGR during the forecast period. Silica flour is a mineral that has continued to grow in popularity for use in cosmetics and personal care products. The Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015 is still challenging formulators to find alternatives for plastic microbeads used in cosmetic and personal care products. Silica flour is an attractive replacement because it is safe, multifunctional, and consistent in purity and physical properties. Therefore, the development of the personal care and cosmetic industry drives the market growth of silica flour. For instance, in recent years, the rising growth of cosmetic and personal care products has raised the market growth of cellulose ether in this country. According to the International Trade Administration, the beauty and personal care product market revenues are expected to reach US$ 7.5 billion in 2022 and expand at a 6.5% compound annual growth rate through 2025. Also, the personal care sector has the largest market category (US$ 3.2 billion), followed by skincare (US$ 2.1 billion), and cosmetics (US$ 1.7 billion). On the other hand, in 2021, the beauty industry in China is recognized as the largest globally, at US$38.8 billion in retail sales, as disclosed by Central Information Commission (CIC) Report. 

Silica Flour Market Segment Analysis - By Geography

Asia Pacific had accounted for the largest share of 42% in 2021 and is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 4.9% for the Silica Flour Market during the forecast period 2022-2027, followed by North America and Europe. APAC holds the dominance in the market particularly due to emerging economies like China and India. The increasing number of new housing units, increase in population, and significant investments in the construction sectors are driving the demand for Silica Flour Market in the region. According to the International Trade Administration (ITA), China is the world’s largest construction market, and the industry is forecasted to grow at an annual average of 5.2% in real terms between 2022 and 2029. On the other hand, according to the International Trade Administration, IQVIA, one of the world's largest contract research organizations, foreign corporations, especially American companies, boosted their market share for prescription pharmaceuticals to almost 70% in Japan in 2019, based on sales among the top 20 manufacturers. Thus, anticipating the growth of Global Silica Flour Market.

Silica Flour Market Drivers

Demand for Fiberglass from Building and Construction Industry

The use of fiberglass in concrete structures has been increased in the construction sector due to its excellent corrosion resistance, high tensile strength, and lightweight characteristics. fiberglass is a type of composite material and it has obtained broad attention in the rehabilitation of concrete structures. Fiberglass is made from silica flour, which melts at 1720°C/3128°F. It is also the basic element in quartz, a naturally occurring rock. Compared with carbon fiber and aramid fiber, fiberglass has good mechanical properties, acid-alkali resistance, excellent electrical properties, high wave permeability, non-conductive, and excellent sound insulation and insulation performance. They are widely used in the construction of residential and commercial buildings. Thus, development in construction anticipates the market growth of Silica Flour Market. For instance, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly developed new residential construction statistics for May 2021, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in May was 1,681,000, which is 34.9% (2.4%) higher than the May 2020 rate of 1,246,000.

Growing Use of Oil-Well Cement in Oil and Gas Industry

Silica flour is one of the most commonly used materials in cementing oil wells at high-temperature conditions of above 230 °F to prevent the deterioration in the strength of the cement. With the constant construction and investments in the development of the oil and gas sector, oil-well cement demand rising, which anticipates the Silica Flour Market. Oil-well cement is widely used in the end-use as are brittle fracture of cement sheath, induced by perforation and stimulation treatments, can cause crossflow of formation fluid and increase casing damage. The construction projects for oil and gas projects, for instance, the projects of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), South Africa passed its upstream legislation, Somalia’s first-ever licensing round in early 2021, and the speedy development of Tanzania LNG Liquefaction project, point to a future of reliable energy production for Sub-Saharan Africa indicates the upcoming developments in the region. Additionally, Rovuma LNG Liquefaction Plant project is worth US$22.4 billion, expected to produce 8.2 million tonnes of LNG per year. The constant development of oil and gas industries in the region and considering the demand for oil-well cement from the sector will enhance the market growth of Silica Flour Market.

Silica Flour Market Challenges

Adverse effect of silica flour on human health

One of the foremost effects of silica flour on human health is silicosis, which is a long-term lung disease caused by inhaling large amounts of crystalline silica dust, usually over many years. The handling or processing of silica flour can create a risk for the workers, as silica flour has a very fine dust-like structure that can be easily inhaled, causing adverse effects on human health. Around 2.3 million workers are exposed to silica flour and other forms of very fine particles of crystalline silica worldwide. Operations such as cutting; sawing; grinding; drilling; and crushing stone, rock, concrete, block, etc. create respirable dust, which is released into the air. This leads to inhalation of respirable crystalline silica, causing serious health hazards. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has also warned the manufacturers and users of silica flour that the risk of developing silicosis may be very high for workers exposed to silica flour. NIOSH stated that workers exposed to silica flour are at serious risk of developing silicosis. Therefore, the adverse effects of silica flour on human health act as a major challenge for the growth of the market

Silica Flour Industry Outlook

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Silica Flour Market. Silica Flour Market top 10 companies include:

1. SCR-Sibelco N.V.
2. International Silica Industries Company Plc.
3. U.S. Silica Holdings Inc.
4. Adwan Chemical Industries Co. Ltd.
5. AGSCO Corporation
6. Evonik
7. FINETON Industrial Minerals Ltd.
8. Saudi Emirates Pulverization Industries Co.
9. Sil Industrial Minerals, Inc.
10. Opta Minerals, Inc.

Recent Developments

• In May 2021, Evonik Industries launched its new active filler for the tire industry that significantly improves the traction of winter tires in snowy and slushy conditions. It claims Ultrasil 4000 GR is the first low-surface-area (LSA) silica to also offer very good dispersibility, enabling very high filler levels in the tire tread and improving traction compared with tires using conventional silica.
• In July 2019, U.S. Silica announced the acquisition of a former ceramic proppant facility in Georgia, U.S. The new facility was to be converted for the manufacturing of high-end products for the company’s Industrial and Specialty business segment. The new facility is anticipated to help the company in lowering its production cost, improve the supply chain and move down in the value chain. It shall also accelerate product development for the company and facilitate product customization as requested by the clientele.

Related Reports:

Synthetic Wet Silica Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)

Report Code: CMR 1391

Silica Fume Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)

Report Code: CMR 0187

Pharmaceutical Grade Silica Gel Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)

Report Code: CMR 44862

For more Chemicals and Materials Market reports, please click here