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The US market for liquid silicone rubber (LSR) materials (i.e., the materials used to produce LSR molded parts) is forecast to increase 8.3% per year to $685 million in 2023, continuing robust growth as:
High-transparency LSR grades are increasingly specified for new high-power LED lighting technologies, which require materials that can retain optical clarity when exposed to high temperatures and ultraviolet (UV) light for long durations. Key outlets include automotive headlights and high-powered street and stadium lighting.
Other specialty LSR products gaining traction are grades that improve processing efficiency. Self-lubricating, self-adhesive, and non-post-cure types, for example, help eliminate additional fabrication steps such as post-curing and the application of coatings or binders.
Applications for LSR are rapidly expanding in the medical market, where the material is favored for its superior purity and biocompatibility compared to high consistency rubber (HCR) silicone. Among the fastest growing applications are these that also require high precision molding, such as implantable devices and wearables used to monitor variables such as blood pressure or heartrate. LSR materials used in additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing) are also expected to find growth opportunities in the medical market, where 3D printing will be increasingly employed for developing small-batch, custom devices.
The LSR materials industry remains highly concentrated, with the top five suppliers – Dow, Elkem Silicones, Momentive Performance Materials, Shin-Etsu Chemical, and Wacker Chemie – vying for a competitive edge by way of pricing, product performance, and customer service. Each of these firms is investing in the development of specialty LSR grades – such as types used with 3D printing and faster curing types – that offer unique benefits, particularly for the quickly expanding medical market.
Study Coverage
This Freedonia industry study analyzes the $460 million US liquid silicone rubber market. It presents historical demand (2008, 2013, 2018) and forecasts for 2023 by market (automotive, medical, consumer & baby care, electrical & electronic, industrial & other). Analysis and growth forecasts are also presented for specialty LSR grades (self-lubricating, non-post-cure, self-adhesive, high-transparency, LSR coatings). Demand data are provided in dollars; total LSR demand is also given in pounds. In addition, the study offers demand data for LSR molded parts and total silicone elastomers by product (HCR, LSR, and RTV) in dollars. The study evaluates company market share and analyzes industry competitors including Dow, Elkem, Momentive Performance Materials, Shin-Etsu Chemical, and Wacker Chemie.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
OVERVIEW
Key Findings
Silicone Elastomers Overview
LSR Technology
LSR Market Size & Historical Trends
LSR Demand Forecast
Regulatory Environment for Silicones
Pricing
Global LSR Demand
LSR MATERIALS
Key Findings
Key LSR Characteristics
Specialty LSR Types & Grades
Key Specialty Products & Applications
Self-Lubricating
Non-Post-Cure
Self-Adhesive
High-Transparency
LSR Coatings
Other Specialty Grades
Competitive Materials
HCR Silicone
Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE)
Other Elastomers
LSR MARKETS
Key Findings
LSR Demand by Market
Automotive
Automotive: Market Size & Outlook
Automotive: Growth Opportunities
Medical
Medical: Market Size & Outlook
Medical: Growth Opportunities
Consumer & Baby Care
Consumer & Baby Care: Market Size & Outlook
Consumer & Baby Care: Growth Opportunities
Electrical & Electronic
Electrical & Electronic: Market Size & Outlook
Electrical & Electronic: Growth Opportunities
Industrial & Other Markets
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Key Findings
Processes: Growth Opportunities
Overmolding
2-Component (2K) Molding
Micromolding
Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)
Applications: Growth Opportunities
Optical/Lighting
Automotive Sensors
Cleanroom Manufacturing
Wearable Devices
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
Key Findings
Injection Molding Machinery
Metering & Dosing Equipment
Injection Molds & Tooling
Key Industry Trends & Opportunities
Automation
Industry 4.0
Turnkey Manufacturing
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
Key Findings & Industry Composition
LSR Materials Market Share
LSR Molders
Mergers & Acquisitions
Marketing Strategies
Distribution Channels
APPENDIX
Scope
Definitions
Abbreviations
Freedonia Methodology
Study-Specific Methodology
Sources
Associations & Agencies
Related Studies & Reports
Macroeconomic Assumptions
Economic Environment
Demographic Trends
Consumer Spending
Manufacturers' Shipments
OVERVIEW
Table 2-1 | US Silicone Elastomer Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Table 2-2 | Silicone Elastomers: Major Markets & Functions
Table 2-3 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2018 (million dollars)
Table 2-4 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Table 2-5 | Regulatory Bodies: Key Responsibilities in Silicone Industry
LSR MATERIALS
Table 3-1 | Special LSR Types/Grades & Key Applications
Table 3-2 | Self-Lubricating LSR: Product Examples
Table 3-3 | Non-Post-Cure LSR: Product Examples
Table 3-4 | Self-Adhesive LSR: Product Examples
Table 3-5 | High-Transparency LSR: Product Examples
Table 3-6 | LSR Coatings: Product Examples
Table 3-7 | Other Specialty Grades: Key Properties & Product Examples
Table 3-8 | HCR Silicone: Key Material Properties & Comparison to LSR
Table 3-9 | TPE: Key Material Properties & Comparison to LSR
Table 3-10 | Selected Other Elastomers: Key Properties, Applications, & Comparison to LSR
LSR MARKETS
Table 4-1 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand by Market, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Table 4-2 | Automotive Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Table 4-3 | Medical Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Table 4-4 | Consumer & Baby Care Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Table 4-5 | Electrical & Electronic Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Table 4-6 | Industrial & Other Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
Table 6-1 | Major Liquid Injection Molding Machinery Suppliers & Brands
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
Table 7-1 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Sales by Company, 2018 (million dollars)
Table 7-2 | Leading Supplier: Key LSR Product Lines
Table 7-3 | Second Leading Supplier: Key LSR Product Lines
Table 7-4 | Third Leading Supplier: Key LSR Product Lines
Table 7-5 | Fourth Leading Supplier: Key LSR Product Lines
Table 7-6 | Fifth Leading Supplier: Key LSR Product Lines
Table 7-7 | Selected Injection Mold Suppliers & Key Markets Served
Table 7-8 | Selected Mergers & Acquisitions
APPENDIX
Table 8-1 | Relevant Industry Codes
Table 8-2 | Relevant HS Codes
Table 8-3 | Abbreviations & Acronyms Used in Study
Table 8-4 | Macroeconomic Indicators, 2008 - 2023 (billion 2012 dollars)
Table 8-5 | Population & Households, 2008 - 2023 (million persons)
Table 8-6 | Personal Consumption Expenditures, 2008 - 2023 (billion dollars)
Table 8-7 | Manufacturers' Shipments, 2008 - 2023 (billion dollars)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Figure 1-1 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Market Outlook
OVERVIEW
Figure 2-1 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Market Overview
Figure 2-2 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Demand, 2008 - 2023 (million pounds & million dollars)
Figure 2-3 | Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Pricing, 2008 - 2023 (dollars per pound)
Figure 2-4 | Global Demand Share for Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials, 2018 (billion dollars)
LSR MATERIALS
Figure 3-1 | LSR Materials Overview
Figure 3-2 | Key Properties & Processing Advantages of LSR
Figure 3-3 | Self-Lubricating LSR: Outlook, Advantages, & Applications
Figure 3-4 | Non-Post-Cure LSR: Outlook, Advantages, & Applications
Figure 3-5 | Self-Adhesive LSR: Outlook, Advantages, & Applications
Figure 3-6 | High-Transparency LSR: Outlook, Advantages, & Applications
Figure 3-7 | LSR Coatings: Outlook, Advantages, & Applications
LSR MARKETS
Figure 4-1 | Outlook for Key LSR Materials Markets
Figure 4-2 | LSR Demand Growth by Market, 2008 - 2023 (% compound annual growth)
Figure 4-3 | Automotive Market for LSR, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Figure 4-4 | Automotive Market for LSR: Key Applications
Figure 4-5 | Automotive Market for LSR: Key Opportunities & Growth by Application
Figure 4-6 | Medical Market for LSR, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Figure 4-7 | Medical Market for LSR: Key Applications
Figure 4-8 | Medical Market for LSR: Key Opportunities & Growth by Application
Figure 4-9 | Consumer & Baby Care Market for LSR, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Figure 4-10 | Consumer & Baby Care Market for LSR: Key Applications
Figure 4-11 | Electrical & Electronic Market for LSR, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Figure 4-12 | Electrical & Electronic Market: Key Applications
Figure 4-13 | Industrial & Other Markets for LSR, 2008 - 2023 (million dollars)
Figure 4-14 | Industrial & Other Markets for LSR: Key Applications
GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 5-1 | Growth Opportunities for LSR
Figure 5-2 | LSR Advantages for Overmolding
Figure 5-3 | LSR Advantages for 2K Molding
Figure 5-4 | LSR Advantages for Micromolding
Figure 5-5 | LSR Advantages for 3D Printing
Figure 5-6 | LSR Advantages for Optical/Lighting Applications
Figure 5-7 | LSR Advantages for Automotive Sensors
Figure 5-8 | LSR Advantages for Cleanroom Manufacturing
Figure 5-9 | LSR Advantages for Wearables
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
Figure 6-1 | Machinery & Equipment Overview
Figure 6-2 | Examples of Liquid Injection Molds & Tooling
Figure 6-3 | Examples of Automation Equipment for Liquid Injection Molding
INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
Figure 7-1 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market Share by Company, 2018 (million dollars)
Figure 7-2 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market: Leading Supplier, 2018
Figure 7-3 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market: Second Leading Supplier, 2018
Figure 7-4 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market: Third Leading Supplier, 2018
Figure 7-5 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market: Fourth Leading Supplier, 2018
Figure 7-6 | US Liquid Silicone Rubber Materials Market: Fifth Leading Supplier, 2018
APPENDIX
Figure 8-1 | Annual Growth in Real GDP, 2000 - 2018, Compared to 1980 - 2005 Average (percent)
Figure 8-2 | Annual Population Growth, 2003 - 2018 (percent)
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