Anti-Fingerprint Coating Market

Market Overview

The global anti-fingerprint coating market size was valued at USD 745 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 1,240 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 5.82% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

Coatings are applied to protect, preserve, and beautify the products. They also aid in obtaining durability and additional customized features such as corrosion resistance, wear and tear resistance, and fouling resistance. As a result, the industry has gradually shifted from the traditional usage of coating for providing finishes and aesthetic feel to being used as a surface treatment process, thereby adding more value to a product.

Anti-fingerprint coatings are applied to a surface to decrease or remove the visibility of fingerprints, smudges, and oil. Typically, these coatings are put on surfaces such as glass, stainless steel, and ceramic tile, and they are most frequently found on electronic devices such as cell phones and tablets. The coatings are typically composed of fluoropolymers, which provide a hydrophobic and oleophobic layer on the surface. This indicates that the coating repels both water and oil, reducing the sight of fingerprints and smudges. The anti-fingerprint coating reduces product maintenance costs by facilitating less dirt and moisture adhesion. Therefore, end-user companies utilize an anti-fingerprint coating to differentiate their products in the competitive market.

Highlights

• Building and construction dominate the application segment.
• Vacuum deposition dominates the technology segment.
• China is the highest shareholder in the global market.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Rising Applications in Consumer Goods Industry

With the changing global economic activities, consumer demand has been rapidly changing, with various urban areas increasing in developing and developed countries. The U.N. predicts the world's population will increase from 7.8 billion in 2020 to approximately 9.9 billion by 2050. Out of the total population, an estimated 90% of population growth is expected in emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, South Korea, and South Africa. With the rise of the high middle-class population in these economies, various urban areas are expected to witness significant development. This will be anticipated to boost demand for consumer items, including tablets, smartphones, televisions, and wearable technology, which will encourage using the anti-fingerprint coating.

The anti-fingerprint coating in consumer goods applications is used for maintaining the cleanliness of the product and keeping it free from fingerprints. Furthermore, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of anti-fingerprint coating help reduce the visibility of fingerprints, thereby increasing the visual perception of the consumers. All the factors mentioned above are estimated to drive the global market for anti-fingerprint coating during the forecast period.

Increasing Demand from End-Use Applications

The demand for anti-fingerprint coating has constantly been evolving over a significant period. Increasing applications of anti-fingerprint coating due to their properties, such as being anti-smudge, easy to clean, and providing clear viewing in various end-use applications such as medical, automobile, consumer goods, aerospace, and building and construction, have led to significant growth in the anti-fingerprint coating market. Architectural glass is one of the major application areas of anti-fingerprint coating. The stainless-steel industry is the second-largest market for anti-fingerprint coating among all the end-user industries. Furthermore, the increasing demand from the aerospace and medical industry is also fueling the growth of the anti-fingerprint coating market.

Market Restraint

Stringent Environment Regulations

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) constantly encourage anti-fingerprint coating manufacturers to look for eco-friendly products and manufacturing techniques. In Europe, the formulation of anti-fingerprint coating by companies is examined by REACH before the product is sold to the market. This can result in a loss of intellectual property, leading to the manufacturers losing their competitive edge. Additionally, the regulations by REACH compelled many manufacturers across the globe to upgrade their technologies, which has led to these manufacturers incurring additional costs. These factors have led the anti-fingerprint coating manufacturers to be skeptical of expanding their facilities in the Europe anti-fingerprint market, which otherwise has excellent market potential.

Market Opportunities

Adoption of Anti-Fingerprint Coating in Premium and Luxury Cars

The growth in the market is expected to rise owing to the rising demand for anti-fingerprint coating for their applications in the automotive industry, especially from countries such as India, China, Taiwan, Thailand, and Brazil. Furthermore, large-scale investments by companies such as Fingerprint Cards AB to introduce biometric solutions for luxury and premium segment cars to increase security through driver identification and authentication are expected to further expand the market for anti-fingerprint coating during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

The global anti-fingerprint coating market is segmented based on region: North America, Europe, the U.K., China, Asia-Pacific, and Rest-of-the-World.

China Dominates the Global Market

China holds the largest market share and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.47% during the forecast period. China is one of the most prominent countries in terms of growth for anti-fingerprint coating. The anti-fingerprint coating is applied extensively on glass surfaces, and China is one of the major exporters of glass across the world. The Government of China aims to establish multiple R&D coating centers and programs in its Made in China 2025 strategy. In August 2018, PPG Industries, Inc. announced the opening of a paint and coatings R&D center in China, which is scheduled to be completed by 2021. In China, the demand for anti-fingerprint coating arises mainly from the building, construction, and stainless-steel industries. Lately, China has primarily been focusing on product quality and development, which has made the adoption of coating a necessity in the country. Coating exhibitions and associations present in China, such as CHINACOAT and China National Coatings Industry Association (CNCIA), further help generate more awareness about the functional properties of the coating and boost their expansion in the country.

Europe is projected to boost at a CAGR of 5.38% during the projected period. The Europe anti-fingerprints coating market is expected to witness robust growth as the region is on the cusp of a technological transformation. One of the primary factors for developing and establishing the anti-fingerprint coating market in this region is the introduction of stringent regulations mandated by the government, focusing on enhancing the overall product quality. Various European governments are strongly pushing for a change in their energy ecosystems by adopting advanced and effective technologies, which is expected to propel the growth of anti-fingerprint coating in the region. Furthermore, the rapid evolution of the Europe automobile and consumer goods industry is providing opportunities for the adoption of anti-fingerprint coating. The presence of key players such as AGC Inc., Izovac Ltd., PPG Industries, Inc., NAGASE and CO., LTD., and Cytonix LLC fuel the market's growth in the European region. Germany is the highest revenue-generating country in Europe and is expected to be the fastest-growing country in the anti-fingerprint coating market during the forecast period. 

The North American region consists of several coating agencies and laboratories, such as the American Coatings Association (ACA), Canadian Paint and Coatings Association (CPCA), and North American Coatings Laboratories (NACL), which further helps in raising awareness related to the use of coatings in the region. North America also boasts the highest number of R&D facilities compared to other geographies due to the heavy focus on emerging and innovative technologies to promote sustainable products. Cytonix, LLC, PPG Industries, Inc., and Essilor International S.A. are a few of the key manufacturers in North America.

In North America, the U.S. is the largest market with the fastest growth rate in the anti-fingerprint coating market. Technological advancement in the U.S. has significantly led to the anti-fingerprint coating market's growth. The high disposable income and demand for better display technology are key factors promoting the growth of anti-fingerprint coating in the country. Additionally, several smartphone manufacturers, such as Apple and Samsung, are now focusing on innovation and development of display technologies, thereby paving the way for the growth of anti-smudge coating. Shifting consumer preferences toward glasses with anti-smudge properties will boost the country's anti-fingerprint coating market.

Asia-Pacific is a dynamic market for anti-fingerprint coating, which has expanded considerably owing to the high growth rate in countries such as India and Japan. Product designs and quality for various end-user industries, such as automotive, consumer goods, building and construction, and steel, are being taken to higher levels of sophistication with the help of these coatings. Rapid industrialization and the extensive adoption of anti-fingerprint coating have led to the availability of a low-cost manufacturing structure. The region consists of multiple small and medium businesses (SMBs) transitioning to make innovative changes to achieve optimal efficiency and enhance product quality. The region is experiencing the highest growth rates for various technologies. Favorable economic conditions, low cost of production, and several environmental regulations are vouching for the high growth of different end-use segments. The region needs adequate research and development due to insufficient skilled labor and sound investments. This is a huge challenge faced by the anti-fingerprint coating market in the Asia-Pacific region.

The rest of the world includes the Middle East, Africa (MEA), and South America. The growing use of automobiles in the region is predicted to impact the anti-fingerprint coating manufacturing industry positively. While Asia-Pacific is expected to be the significant contributor in implementing these coatings, it is anticipated that MEA will accelerate its position, and its share of anti-fingerprint coating investment is expected to grow significantly.

Segmental Analysis

The global anti-fingerprint coating market is segmented by application and technology.

Based on application, the global market is divided into consumer goods, building and construction, automotive, stainless steel, and others. 

The building and construction segment is responsible for the highest market share and is anticipated to boost at a CAGR of 5.79% throughout the forecast period. The building and construction end-user industry is one of the key industries in the anti-fingerprint coating market, as it allows large-scale application of coatings, especially in architectural glasses. The usage of this coating in sanitary fittings is also growing in demand owing to hygienic issues. Growing technological advancements, a high adoption rate, and an increase in investments are the key drivers behind the growth in the adoption of this coating in architectural glass and sanitary fittings applications. Daikin Industries, Ltd., Izovac Ltd., Natoco Co., Ltd., and Cytonix, LLC are leading market players providing anti-fingerprint coating.

The increasing adoption of consumer goods constantly demands innovation, which has led to the development of touch-based displays used in various consumer goods products such as smartphones, notebooks, tablets, and smartwatches. With the advancement of display accuracy and aesthetic quality, display manufacturers, such as Samsung Electronics, L.G. Display, and Innolux Corporation, have been integrating anti-fingerprint coating technologies into their manufacturing processes to satisfy increasing demands and market tastes. The following sections present the usage pattern of anti-fingerprint coating in different consumer goods available in the market.

The global market is segmented on technology into vacuum deposition, sol-gel, and others. 

The vacuum deposition segment dominates the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.50% during the forecast period. Various end-user industries, such as automotive, consumer goods, and building and construction, use the vacuum deposition process to deposit a thin layer of coating on the surface of different products. In this coating technology, the parts to be coated are kept in a chamber, whereby vapors start diffusing on the substrate of the part due to condensation under high pressure. Compared with the conventional method, the coatings applied by the vacuum deposition process offer noteworthy wear and corrosion resistance improvement. The process enables the deposition of coating in a vacuum by condensation. Several techniques, such as sputtering, electron beam, ion plating, and arc deposition, are used for the deposition of coatings on metallic and glass surfaces. The vacuum deposition technology is widely used to produce thin film coating due to its versatility and positive ecological impact.

Sol-gel is among the widely used technologies for the development of anti-fingerprint coatings. In this method, any organic or inorganic compound is exposed to an aqueous or organic solvent, forming a gelled oxide from the resulting solution. The benefit of sol-gel technology is that it facilitates the easy coating of large areas while maintaining uniformity in thickness. The commonly used methods for applying sol-gel are spray, spin coating, and dip coating. This technology is adopted extensively in the consumer electronics industry to meet the needs of several display coating applications. The sol-gel technology can be used in wide applications of anti-fingerprint coatings, such as stainless steel, automotive, and consumer goods. Thus, this technology is expected to witness high demand in the coming years.

Recent Developments

• October 2022- Xiaomi introduced the Smart Band 7 in China in March and globally in June. Today, the business released the Pro model, which features a 1.64-inch rectangular AMOLED color touchscreen and compatibility with over 150 in-app watch faces. The display of this watch is protected by anti-fingerprint-coated glass.
• February 2023- Stahl introduced Relca PD-805, a new water-based and additive-free matting resin, to its portfolio of Relca Matt Binders. The 100% clean, VOC-free solution is aimed at the paint, coating, printing, and packaging businesses, giving a safe, cost-effective, and high-quality matt finish for wood, metal, plastic, and glass.