BALL CLAY MARKET ANALYSIS

Ball clay is a sedimentary rock composed primarily of kaolinite. Commonly, they contain 20 to 80% kaolinite, 10 to 25% mica, and six to 65% quartz. Variations in composition may occur within a single deposit, particularly between localized seams. It is also possible to find variations in carbonaceous materials. Ball clay is less plastic than kaolins. However, it is still a vital part of ceramic mixtures. Ball clay is extracted using surface working, which is a method of mining.

Market Statistics:

The global ball clay market was valued at US$ 375,031.81 Mn in 2021 and is forecast to reach a value of US$ 542,534.0 Mn by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.0% between 2022 and 2030

Asia Pacific held dominant position in the global Ball clay market in 2020, accounting for 38.5% share in terms of volume, followed by Europe and North America, respectively.

Figure 1. Global Ball Clay Market Value Share (%), By Region, 2021

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Recent Developments:

Market Drivers:

Growing demand from construction industry it is widely used in wall and floor tiles application is primarily fuelling growth of the ball clay market. It is used for the manufacturing of wall and floor tiles because of its high plasticity and strength. Wall and floor tiles are used in various residential to commercial construction applications. Moreover, they are also used in swimming pools, bathrooms, kitchen, etc. Thus, rapid growth in the construction sector will favour the market growth over the forecast period.

Increasing demand from sanitary ware especially from Asia Pacific region is estimated to positively shape the market growth. A ceramic products for sanitary ware produced from ball clay offer excellent plasticity and workability. The sanitary ware generally composes 30% ball clay, 20% kaolin, 30% feldspar, and 20% quartz/silica.

Figure 2. Global Ball Clay Market Value Share (%), By Application, 2021

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Market Restraints:

Availability of alternative filters is a prime factor expected to hinder the ball clay market growth. Plastics, rubber, fertilizers, insecticides, adhesives, and sealants are some of the fillers that can be broadly used as an alternative of ball clay.

High shrinkage property of ball clay is another key factor expected to restrict its adoption in construction industry. The drying time of the ball clay is extremely higher compared to the other clays.

Market Opportunities:

Increasing demand from non-ceramics application such as adhesives and sealant is expected to serve abundant opportunities for the players involved in ball clay market. For instance, according to the Coherent Market Insights, demand for adhesives and sealants in automotive is led by the increasing demand from the electric and plug-in vehicles during the forecast period. In 2019 the global plug- in vehicle deliveries reached 2,264,400 units, 9% higher than in 2018. This is a clear departure from the growth rates of the previous six years, which were between 46% and 69%. The plug-in sales increased to 3.24 million vehicles in 2020, compared to 2.26 million in 2019, which registered a staggering growth of 43%.

Growing focus of government for developing sanitation infrastructure in African countries is expected to create significant growth opportunities during forecast timeframe. For instance, Uganda is one of the poor economic countries. Kampala, the capital city, has a plan to set up 200 toilets by 2025, with the support from a German development agency, GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH). Thus, the developing economic situation in some of the African countries is projected to provide a better future for sanitation in the region. The countries, like Ethiopia, have been investing in development of sanitation facilities in the country.

Market Trends/Key Takeaways:

Increasing use of extended ball clays in soundproofing and building acoustic barrier walls is one of the emerging trend in the market. Extended ball clay offer optimum fire resistance and favourable drainage & insulation properties, hence gaining tremendous popularity as a lightweight construct material.

Growing trend of go-green is again projected to augment market growth in the near future. The high eco-friendly quotient of ball clay will support the market growth.

Competitive Landscape:

1. Amarnath Industries
2. Ashok Alco - chem Limited (AACL)
3. Golcha Associated (Associated Soapstone Distribution Company Pvt. Ltd.)
4. Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Ltd
5. Modkha Marine Sdn Bhd
6. Stephan Schmidt KG
7. Imerys
8. JLD Minerals
9. Mota Ceramic Solutions
10. Old Hickory Clay Company
11. Sibelco