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...Chemicals and Advanced Materials

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The chemical and materials industry is one of the fastest growing segments in manufacturing industry, transforming raw inputs into more than 70,000 products for intermediate or final consumption. The majority of the industry's output comes from polymers and plastics. These materials are vital for other industries such as manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Advancements in technology allow the chemical industry to remain innovative and cater for the specific demands of its consumers.

The chemical and materials industry serves a broad range of adjacent industries, and features at the beginning of the value chains of numerous sectors, such as agriculture, food and beverages, consumer goods, construction, the plastics industry, automobile industry, glass industry and pharmaceuticals.

The advent of novel products and applications, rising environmental awareness, and changing consumer preferences are positively impacting the growth of chemicals and materials industry.

The chemicals market covers chemicals produced via the transformation of organic and inorganic raw materials by a chemical process and the formulation of products.

Chemicals broadly include bulk petrochemicals, lubricants and intermediates, minerals, polymers, and other derivatives, resins, polymers and speciality chemicals, industrial gases, fertilisers, paints and coatings, adhesives and sealants, plastics and rubber products. A number of consumer goods are also included, such as synthetic fibers, pharmaceuticals, hygiene and personal care products, cosmetic additives, fragrances, and toiletries, cleaning materials, soap, detergents, bleaches.

Bulk inorganic chemicals, or commodity chemicals, (such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, ammonia, sulphur, limestone, halogens, soda ash, serve as intermediates for a range of specialty chemicals - like adhesives, sealants, anti-oxidants, additives, coatings and corrosion inhibitors with applications in construction, marine, aerospace and defense, automotive and other industrial applications.

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The Paints & Coatings sector is one of the most regulated sector that has undergone several technological developments. focusing on developments in both organic and inorganic paints and coatings and nanocoatings.

The growth of ancillary industries in emerging economies, as well as the new trend in bio-based and renewable chemicals, have been key to the growth of the chemical and materials industry over the recent past.

Environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic growth are the prerequisites that the industry needs to satisfy to sustain growth, against a background of concerns regarding emissions of hazardous materials, and stringent regulations.

Demand for bio-based products, organic fertilizers, bio plastics, and renewable chemicals, as well as government regulations endorsing the use of eco-friendly products are driving growth, as green chemicals , such as green dyes, bio succinic acids, and green plastics are increasingly adopted in commercial, residential and infrastructural projects.

A large part of the high investment required in the chemical industry is for equipment, machines, and tools that are used to process chemicals. The capital intensity of bulk chemicals (equipment for material handling, mixing, polymer processing, heat transfer, reactors, evaporators, separators, dryers, pollution control) act as an entry barrier for new entrants in this market, and have relatively little scope for product differentiation and product development. The industry also needs technologists and designers to respond to the worldwide demand for more versatile, lightweight, energy-saving products and applications.

The global chemical industry will retain a focus on production efficiencies, managing cash flow, securing raw materials, abide to regulations and carbon emissions quotas pushing companies towards greener products and limit the use of petrochemical-based intermediates.

Companies like Dow Chemical, DuPont and LyondellBasell from the U.S., BASF and Bayer from Germany, and Saudi-Arabian Saudi Basic Industries are leading the chemicals sector.

Adhesives & Sealants

The adhesives and sealants market enjoys industry-wide usage across every manufacturing industry – FMCG, textiles, flexible packaging, construction, automotive, aviation, and healthcare sectors.

Adhesives and sealants have discovered widespread popularity in. As per recent studies, growth in emerging nations is likely to grow at a fast pace driven by rapid industrialization.

Plastics & Rubber

With both products being derived mainly from petrochemicals, the synthetic rubber industry and the plastics industry form a coherent subsector.

The plastics industry is an important segment of the chemical industry, largely dominated by the top global players of the branch, like LyondellBasell, Dow Chemical, DuPont, BASF, and Bayer.

The total global production of plastics amounts to approximately 300 million metric tons annually. The leading producer of plastics is China, manufacturing around a quarter of the world’s production.

The rubber industry is also a subdivision of the chemical industry. Around 60 percent of the total global rubber production today is produced synthetically.

Industrial gases

Industrial gases (nitrogen, oxygen, acetylene, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, argon) are used in a wide range of industries, which include manufacturing, oil and gas, chemicals, power, mining, steelmaking, food, water, fertilizers, electronics, aerospace, medicine, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology.

Research focus areas are in the competitive landscape, key players, present and future market scenarios, growth inducing trends and challenges in petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, including petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, agrochemicals, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, renewable chemicals, traditional and biodegradable plastics, resins, paints and coatings, water treatment chemicals.

Chemicals
Agrochemicals, petrochemicals, bio-chemicals and also synthetically derived chemicals. Coatings, specialty chemicals, fine chemicals, commodity chemicals, catalysts, resins, gases, pesticides and others.
Plastics
Plastics additives, thin films and coatings. Polyethylene, polyurethane, polystyrene, polypropylene, packaging, rigid plastics, thermoplastics and others.
Advanced Materials
Metals, alloys and non-metal products, composite materials, liquid crystals, ion exchange, engineering plastics, polymers, cellulose, ceramics, glass, construction materials, plasma and others.
Separation Technologies for membranes, recycling, water and waste treatment, -reverse osmosis, ultra-filtration, microfiltration, desalination-, as well as physical separation technologies -activate carbon, carbon block, dust filters, and ion exchange materials.
Nanotechnology
This area covers the latest movements and opportunities for nanotechnology, including nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, nanocomposites, nanoclays, nanofibers, quantum dots, nanoceramic powders, graphene, Mxene.

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Recent advancements in product lifecycle and technologies have expanded the application scope of advanced materials that display superior properties, such as durability, toughness, elasticity, and hardness, and include polymers, metal alloys, ceramics, semiconductors, superconductors, fibres, resins, advanced engineering polymers, composites and biomaterials, carbon nanomaterials, activated carbon, titanium, and other new materials such as superconductors and advanced engineering polymers, spintronics, amphiphilic materials, and phase changing materials, with broad applications into high value markets like aerospace, electronics, defence and healthcare.

Membranes | Resins and Polymers

Membranes are composed of various polymers (bulk polymers, engineered polymers, ceramic, bitumen, and are used for separation/filtration operations, and in waterproofing applications.

Resins (non-crystalline and viscous liquids) and Polymers (monomers joined together by chemical bonds) form one of the basic building blocks of the chemical industry. With the exception of the rubber industry, natural resins have almost been replaced by synthetic resins, (phenolic, polyesters, amino, acetal, acrylic, epoxy, and others) due to their superior physical and chemical properties.

Applications of resins include plastics, paints, coatings, adhesives, composites, inks.

Polymer composite processing is another area which is set to grow. Polymer composites are used in a wide range of industries including aerospace, medical, transport and packaging.

Polymers, namely thermoplastic, thermostat and elastomers, are versatile materials that can be customized into different shapes as per the requirement, and are increasingly used in automotive, packaging, furniture, and consumer durables.

Polymers are either bio-based or synthetic-based, depending on their source of origin (fossil fuel, living organisms) and production methods.

Synthetic polymers (PE, PP, PS, PVC) are sourced from fossil fuels (crude oil, natural gas) and are produced by chemical processes, with broad applications in automotive, construction, medical, electrical & electronics, agricultural, piping, packaging. Biopolymers sourced from living organisms are obtained by chemical enhancements of natural polymers. Some biopolymers, such as, PLA, bio-PET, bio-PE, can be converted into plastics with industrial applications similar to synthetic polymers.

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Ceramics and Glass | Fibers and Composites

Important types of ceramics like porcelain, pottery and tiles, and their respective application markets are covered in our reports.

Industrial fibers and Composites are one of the most important products in organic chemicals, with types of fibers like carbon fibers and glass fibers, polymer fibers.

Foam and Insulation | Yarns, Fabric and Textile

Foams (air bubbles trapped inside any synthetic solid or liquid material) are used as cushioning, and insulation materials are used to stop the flow of electricity, heat, and sound.

The yarn, fabric and textile sector, includes performance and protective fabrics, and aramid and modacrylic yarns, the technologies involved, and the applications of coated fabrics, high temperature fabrics, fire resistance fabrics, anti-microbial fabrics, textile yarn, textile composites, geotextiles, protective clothing, gloves, and chemical protective clothing.

Our reports provide key statistics and analysis on market operating conditions, business challenges, current and historical industry growth trends, and more. They offer an explanation of the structure of the industry and analysis across the value chain, market sizes, revenue growth, market and product trends, demographics, price trends, product/company rankings or comparisons, key players profiles, comparing national and multinational operators by sales, market share, investments, projects, partners and expansion strategies,designed to provide a better understanding of a market's competitive landscape, and market forecasts, projecting how current trends will influence industry sales and consumption patterns in the future, latest market developments and analyzing the potential effects of regulatory changes in conjunction with the background macroeconomic outlook.

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