Rubber Additives Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Accelerators, Activators, Vulcanization Inhibitors, Plasticizers, Other Types), By Applications (Tires, Conveyor Belts, Electric Cables, Other Applications), By Fillers (Carbon Black, Calcium Carbonate, Silica, Other Fillers) and By Region(North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, LATAM) Forecasts, 2023-2031

Market Overview

The global rubber additives market size was valued at USD 5,315.52 million in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 7,618.18 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.08 % during the forecast period (2023-2031).

Rubber additives are rubber polymers that have undergone chemical processing to improve or increase overall performance. They are widely used in industrial manufacturing and production because of their high viscosity and cross-linking ability. They serve as ambassadors for the rubber sector by offering a wide range of products, including processing aids, tire bladders with excellent performance, anti-sun check waxes, wires and cables, insulation, tapes, gaskets, conveyor belts, and roll covers. Rubber additives are added during the vulcanization process to impart strength and specific properties to the final product. The number of additives added when processing rubber affects the rubber's quality. Each edition has a particular purpose that bestows the desired attribute on the finished rubber product.

Market Dynamics

Global Rubber Additives Market Drivers:

Growth in the Tire and Rubber Industry

By housing, some of the largest tire manufacturers in the world, including Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Cooper Tire and Rubber Co., Michelin, and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, the United States represents one of the largest and most developed tire markets in the world. The size of the US rubber sector has increased dramatically over time. In addition to being a large producer and consumer of synthetic rubber (SR), the nation continues to be a significant force in rubber consumption. This trend is projected to continue in the years to come. The Indian government has imposed import restrictions on tires to promote domestic manufacture. To reduce imports and support domestic businesses, the government has limited imports of tires for automobiles, buses, lorries, and motorbikes, including radial and tubeless tires.

Global Rubber Additives Market Restraint:

Environmental Constraints Pertaining to Rubber Chemicals

Due to direct product contact, wastewater from cooling, heating, vulcanizing, and cleaning processes may be contaminated and contain suspended particles, oil, grease, and trace metals like zinc. The additives used in the latex dipping procedure could contaminate the wastewater. BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), and SS (suspended solids), coupled with acidic effluent, ammonia, nitrogen compounds, and sulfate, are the most significant pollutants. The other pollutants are poisonous, while BOD and COD can deplete the oxygen in streams. As a result, they all provide risks to aquatic life. Human health is also at risk; for instance, ammonia is highly toxic and destructive when ingested or in contact with the skin or eyes.

Global Rubber Additives Market Opportunities:

Growing Demand from the Non-Tire Segment in the Construction Industry

One of the main factors influencing the use of rubber and, consequently, the demand for chemicals used in rubber processing is the rising level of construction activity around the world. The largest construction market in the world, the Asia-Pacific region, is expanding at a healthy rate due to urbanization, rising middle-class incomes, and population growth. The demand for these industrial components, such as conveyor belts, seals, gaskets, hoses, gums, adhesives, asphalt, and coatings and linings, is expected to be driven by the uptick in residential and commercial construction activities in the Asia-Pacific region, which will also increase the demand for rubber additives. China is experiencing a massive boom in development. The country accounts for 20% of all worldwide construction investments and has the most extensive building market in the world. Improving the nation's infrastructure is a top priority for the Indian government.

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific Dominates the Global Market

The global rubber additives market is divided into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. 

Asia-Pacific is the most significant revenue contributor and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.23% during the forecast period. China produces over 800,000 tons of natural rubber annually, making it one of the world's top producers. Rubber additives market have a potential market in China because they treat both natural and synthetic rubber. Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Co. Ltd. and the Petrochemical Research Institute of CNPC formally signed the "Technical License Contract for TBIR and Integrated Rubber." Butadiene and isoprene are copolymers in the rubber known as TBIR. It is an artificial rubber that China still needs to industrialize. The Indian government has imposed import restrictions on tires to promote domestic manufacture. To reduce imports and support domestic businesses, the government has limited imports of tires for automobiles, buses, lorries, and motorbikes, including radial and tubeless tires. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), part of the Union Commerce Ministry, amended its pneumatic tire import policy to notify people of the new regulations.

North America is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.74% during the forecast period. As the United States is not a producer of natural rubber, it buys rubber from Asian nations. As a result, imported rubber is processed and used to create a variety of rubber goods. Rubber is increasingly used in the construction industry for roofing materials, floor coverings, sealants, and sound insulation. Conveyor belts, seals, gaskets, hoses, gums, O-rings, coatings, and linings are all rubber and used extensively in construction. As the construction industry expands, so does the demand for rubber additives. The sector's expansion is aided by numerous government initiatives, including the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) and the New Building Canada Plan (NBCP). By Q4 2021, the Canadian construction sector is predicted to be back on track and have moderate growth, which could inadvertently increase demand for the country's market research.

In the United Kingdom, one of the top tire manufacturers, Michelin, is anticipated to shut down its facility in Dundee, Scotland, which might result in the firm saving USD 52 million annually. For its decision to close the operation, Michelin cited rising imports of cheap goods from Asia and dwindling demand for the smaller-sized tires made at the site. Only tires for passenger cars with rim diameters of 16 inches and under are produced at the Dundee facility. The final Michelin tire manufacturing facility in the UK is in Dundee. The business still operates one factory in the United Kingdom, Stoke-on-Trent, England, where steel cord, tire molds, and truck retreads are made. This illustrates the fragility of the nation's tire manufacturing sector, indicating a dismal forecast for the market under consideration.

Brazil is one of the top 10 producers of rubber worldwide. With the revitalized farming of rubber plantations, the production of rubber is anticipated to rise, which may open up more prospects for the expansion of domestic tire production in the nation in the future. The country is also expected to see an increase in the manufacture of synthetic rubber, which is further anticipated to open up the market for rubber additives there.

Segmental Analysis

The global rubber additives market is segmented by type, application, and fillers.

Based on type, the global rubber additives market is bifurcated into accelerators, activators, vulcanization inhibitors, plasticizers, and other types. 

The activators segment is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.08% during the forecast period. Both natural and synthetic rubber are given a variety of additives to provide them with certain qualities. In vulcanization chemistry, two key components are crucial and are referred to as "activators," often zinc oxide and stearic acid. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an inorganic chemical that comes as a white powder and is insoluble in water. It is made from raw materials such as primary metallic zinc, oxidized zinc waste, tainted composites made of zinc, zinc salts, etc. Stearic acid functions as an activator that sets off the accelerators' reactions. Knowing the differences makes it easier to understand why both elements are essential for the success of some operations.

An accelerator is a substance incorporated into a rubber compound to speed up vulcanization, enable it to take place at a lower temperature, and improve its efficacy. The accelerator also helps improve rubber vulcanizates 'aged' qualities by reducing the amount of sulfur required for vulcanization. Accelerators can also be divided into primary and secondary categories depending on their function inside a particular chemical. Thiazoles and sulfenamide accelerators typically serve the function of top accelerators because of their qualities, including acceptable processing safety, a broad vulcanization plateau, optimal cross-link density, and desired reversion latency. In most rubber compounds, the top accelerators are utilized at dosages of 0.5 to 1.5 phr.

Based on application, the global rubber additives market is bifurcated into tires, conveyor belts, electric cables, and other applications. 

The tire segment owns the highest market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 2.78% during the forecast period. During the study period, the tire industry dominated the rubber additives market. In the production of tires, natural rubber is frequently combined with synthetic rubbers like butadiene rubber or styrene-butadiene rubber. Arbon Depending on the needs of the tires, black can make up as much as 28% of the tire. Carbon black is utilized as a filler for tires driven all day because it prevents the rubber from eroding from friction. Tires benefit from additional UV ray protection provided by carbon black.

Conveyor belts play a vital role in the industrial process, moving raw materials to pack finished items. Industrial conveyor belts are made of several layers of material. Most belts used to convey materials have two layers. Carcass, the bottom layer, gives the structure its linear strength and shape. Cotton, nylon, and polyester make up the carcass. The cover refers to the outermost layer. Different types of rubber or plastic compounds are used to make the cover depending on the operation's needs. Precipitated silica is mainly used as a filler in conveyor belts to build the top layer to enhance the mechanical properties of the rubber vulcanizate and raise the tensile strength, tear strength, tear resistance, and abrasion resistance required for the belt's longevity.

Based on fillers, the global rubber additives market is bifurcated into carbon black, calcium carbonate, silica, and other fillers. 

The carbon black segment is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.06% during the forecast period. The main filler used in rubber compounds as reinforcement to increase strength and durability is carbon black. Based on specific performance needs, it is employed in various types of inner liners, carcasses, sidewalls, and treads for multiple types of tires, as well as being used in molded and extruded industrial rubber goods like belts, hoses, gaskets, diaphragms, vibration isolation devices, bushings, air springs, chassis bumpers, and various kinds of pads, boots, wiper blades, fascia, conveyor wheels, and grommets. Carbon black is also used in the production of plastics. Due to its influence on tires' mechanical and dynamic characteristics, carbon black is one of the reinforcements widely utilized in the tire business. It is used in various rubber formulations to alter the performance characteristics of tires.

Fumed silica is the main ingredient in high-consistency rubber since it can be the most active reinforcing filler (HCR). Fumed silica gives RTV silicone sealants thixotropy and reinforcement. Its shear-thinning feature makes application simple: thickening and sag resistance at rest or low shear and thinning at high shear. Silicone sealants with fumed silica are essential to building an automobile's body, drivetrain, cooling system, and electronics. Fumed silica fortifies cured rubber by boosting the rubber's hardness, modulus, tensile strength, and tear strength. Unlike other reinforcing fillers, it can be employed in translucent or transparent applications. Hydrophobic pyrogenic silica goods are more effective at strengthening HTV silicone rubber products than hydrophilic silica products in terms of strength qualities.

Impact of covid-19

Recent Developments

• September 2022- Performance Additives participated in the international rubber industry convention and expo in Kuala Lumpur.
• October 2022- Singapore-based China Sunsine Chemical Holdings expanded its rubber chemicals production in Shanxian, Shandong Province, to address the growing demand for products within the rubber industry.