Global Flame Retardants Market

Report Overview

Gains in US, India, Brazil, Eastern Europe to drive global market through 2020

Slower growth in China will be offset by improved flame retardant demand in India, and rapid growth in other developing markets, such as Mexico. Increases in value terms, on the other hand, will accelerate significantly, as global commodity prices improve from a low 2015 base.

Key Findings in the Flame Retardants Study:

Phosphorus flame retardants to win the halogen-free race

Phosphorus-based flame retardants will record by far the fastest market growth of any major product type. As halogenated retardants, such as decaBDE, are phased out across the world, end users have scrambled to find effective alternatives. Nonhalogenated phosphorus compounds have proven to be the best substitute on both a cost and performance basis. As a result, demand for these products overtook brominated retardants in 2015, becoming the second most widely used type of flame retardant. They will continue to record the fastest growth through 2020, as well.

Developing markets continue to see fastest growth, motor vehicles a bright spot

In percentage terms, the Africa/Mideast region will see the fastest expansion of any region. However, growth in the Asia/Pacific region will also be robust, and it will remain the largest regional market for flame retardants through 2020. In both regions, improvements in motor vehicle production activity will provide significant opportunities for flame retardant suppliers. In addition, rising living standards in both regions is expected to improve vehicle quality, creating demand for car components that more closely resemble their developed world counterparts. This will spur demand for high performance under-the-hood plastics, as well as interior paneling and upholstery that contain flame retardant chemicals.

Tough times for bromine lead to merger and acquisition activity for market leaders

Significant merger and acquisition activity has occurred in the flame retardant industry over the past year. In February 2016, JM Huber’s Huber Engineered Materials subsidiary acquired the mineral flame retardants business of Albemarle, to let the latter company focus on its brominated flame retardant business. In September 2016, German firm LANXESS agreed to purchase US-based Chemtura. Israel Chemicals is the only one of the major three brominated flame retardant suppliers that did not engage in any major acquisitions or divestitures in 2016.

Study Coverage

This study provides historical demand data (2005, 2010, and 2015), and forecasts (2020 and 2025). The industry is segmented by product (alumina trihydrate, phosphorus compounds, brominated compounds, antimony compounds, boron compounds, chlorinated compounds) and market (construction, electrical/electronic products, wire & cable, motor vehicles, textiles). The study also provides company market share and competitive analysis on industry leaders such as Albemarle, Chemtura, China Minmetals, Clariant International, Israel Chemicals, Jiangsu Yoke Technology, JM Huber, LANXESS, Nabaltec, US Borax (Rio Tinto), and Zhejiang Wansheng.