Global Tabular Alumina Market - 2024-2031

Overview

Global Tabular Alumina Market reached US$ 33.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 51.0 billion by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period 2024-2031.

Tabular alumina offers superior refractory qualities, mechanical strength, wear resistance, chemical purity, dielectric capabilities and corrosion resistance in acidic and alkaline conditions. The growing demand from automotive, process industries and water treatment is driving the use of tabular alumina in adsorbents and desiccants, leading to market expansion.

Desiccants serve as desiccant bed supports, whereas adsorbents are used in a variety of sectors for purification. Furthermore, the increased demand for tabular alumina adsorbents and desiccants in end-user categories including construction, oil & gas, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, refineries and water treatment plants is positively impacting the growth of the tabular alumina market.

In 2023, North America is expected to be the second dominant region, holding about 25% of the global tabular alumina market. In accordance to the American Institute of Architects, overall non-residential building construction in U.S. is expected to increase by 3.1% in 2022. Hotels are anticipated to grow by 8.8% in 2022, while office spaces will grow by 0.1%. The subsequent increase is likely to drive the expansion of the tabular alumina market during the forecast period.

Dynamics

Rising Demand from Refractories

Tabular alumina is widely utilized in the manufacture of high-performance refractory materials due to its exceptional thermal characteristics, high purity and resilience to thermal shock. The growing need for refractories in sectors like steel, cement, glass, petrochemicals and ceramics is driving the tabular alumina market. Companies are developing ways to increase their footprint to meet demand.

For example, in December 2022, Shinagawa Refractories Co. Ltd., purchased the Brazilian refractory and alumina-based ceramics companies from Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. in U.S. The acquisition was intended to help the company grow its product line in the future years. Also, in April 2022, Saint-Gobain bought Monofrax, a New York-based manufacturer of fused cast refractories. The strategic decision was expected to boost the company's position in the American market.

Rising Steel Production

The steel industry is a major user of tabular alumina, primarily for the production of refractory linings for steel making furnaces and ladles. As global steel production increases due to urbanization, infrastructural expansion and industrialization in emerging economies, so will the demand for tabular alumina for refractory applications.

According to data from the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, crude steel production in the country will reach 89.2 million tons in 2022, up from 96.3 million tons in 2021. In September 2022, Essar revealed its plans to invest US$ 4 billion in building and completing a four-mtpa steel complex in Saudi Arabia by 2025.

High Costs and Availability of Raw Materials

The production of tabular alumina requires sophisticated manufacturing processes such as calcination, sintering and crushing, all of which demand considerable energy inputs and specialized equipment. As a result, tabular alumina has a greater production cost than other alumina-based materials, like fused alumina or white fused alumina, which may limit its use, particularly in cost-sensitive applications.

Tabular alumina is generally made from high-purity aluminum oxide feedstock, which may be limited in supply or subject to price volatility. Dependence on specific raw materials can generate supply chain vulnerabilities and impair the stability of tabular alumina production, potentially causing supply shortages or cost rises.

Segment Analysis

The global tabular alumina market is segmented based on type, application and region.

Rising Demand for Iron & Steel Drives the Refractory Segment Growth

Refractory industry is expected to be the fastest growing segment with 1/3rd of the market during the forecast period 2024-2031. The refractory industry supplies steel, cement, glass, ceramics, petrochemicals and non-ferrous metals. Increasing industrialization, infrastructure development and consumer goods demand stimulate the demand for refractories in these sectors, resulting in increased usage of tabular alumina as a crucial raw material.

Internal furnace linings are used to manufacture iron and steel, in furnaces to heat steel before further processing, in vessels to contain and transport metal and slag and in a variety of other uses. The World Steel Association said that 63 countries produced 142.4 million metric tons of basic steel in February 2023. It shows the global demand forecasts that are driving the expansion of the tabular alumina market.

Geographical Penetration

Rising Focus on Prefabricated Construction in Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific is the dominant region in the global tabular alumina market covering more than 30% of the market. Rising infrastructure investment, including building, transportation and urban expansion, drives up demand for construction materials such refractories, ceramics and abrasives. Tabular alumina is utilized in a variety of construction applications, including high-performance refractory linings, ceramic tiles and abrasive surface finishing.

In line with China's Five-Year Plan, which was released in January 2022, the country's construction industry is expected to rise by 6% in 2022. China intends to increase the use of prefabricated buildings to cut pollution and waste on construction sites. Prefabricated parts, either partially or completely made and then delivered to the construction sites for assembly, can account for more than 30% of the country's new construction.

Competitive Landscape

The major global players in the market include Almatis BV, AluChem Inc., Bisley & Company Pty. Ltd., Imerys, KT Refractories US Co., Luoyang Zhongsen Refractory Co., Possehl Erzkontor GmbH & Co. KG, Ransom & Randolph Co., SILKEM Doo and Zibo Biz-Harmony International Co. Ltd.

COVID-19 Impact

The pandemic impacted globally supply networks, including raw material, transportation and manufacture. It caused delays in the production and delivery of tabular alumina, reducing supply availability and creating logistical issues for manufacturers and suppliers. The economic slump lowered demand for tabular alumina in a variety of industries, including steel, ceramics, refractories and abrasives.

Many end-user industries reduced operations, postponed projects or had financial difficulties, resulting in diminished demand for tabular alumina products. The epidemic caused varied degrees of interruption in industries that rely significantly on tabular alumina, such as steel making, refractories and ceramics. Lockdown measures, reduced consumer demand and supply chain issues impacted production levels and infrastructure expenditure, resulting in decreased demand for tabular alumina in these industries.

Russia-Ukraine War Impact

Ukraine is an important producer of raw materials like bauxite and alumina, which are required for the production of tabular alumina. Any delays to Ukraine's mining operations, transportation networks or export routes cause raw material supply problems for tabular alumina production. Geopolitical concerns arising from the conflict may have an impact on trade relationships and export-import dynamics, causing volatility and uncertainty in the global tabular alumina market.

Export restrictions, taxes or sanctions imposed on important producing countries may disrupt supply chains and alter market dynamics. Prices for raw materials such as bauxite and alumina may rise due to supply shortages or geopolitical risk premiums, increasing the cost of tabular alumina manufacturing. Higher prices affect the competitiveness of tabular alumina goods and downstream uses.

By Type

• Coarse Tabular Alumina
• Fine Tabular Alumina

By Application

• Abrasive
• Ceramic
• Refractory
• Others

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Russia
  • Rest of Europe
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• Middle East and Africa

Key Developments

• In January 2024, Almatis introduced reduced carbon tabular alumina, which is roughly 15% lighter and in line with sustainability. The discovery lowers the carbon footprint from 1.1 to 0.9 Mt CO2e/Mt alumina, resulting in a stunning 13% CO2e reduction.
• In November 2022, Almatis, an OYAK Group firm, marked the official commissioning of its fully integrated tabular alumina factory in Falta, India. The venture is the first of its kind in India, integrating a whole new sintered tabular processing factory to the existing sizing facility.

Why Purchase the Report?

• To visualize the global tabular alumina market segmentation based on type, application and region, as well as understand key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities by analyzing trends and co-development.
• Excel data sheet with numerous data points of tabular alumina market-level with all segments.
• PDF report consists of a comprehensive analysis after exhaustive qualitative interviews and an in-depth study.
• Product mapping available as excel consisting of key products of all the major players.

The global tabular alumina market report would provide approximately 54 tables, 42 figures and 181 pages.

Target Audience 2024

• Manufacturers/ Buyers
• Industry Investors/Investment Bankers
• Research Professionals
• Emerging Companies