Zirconia Beads Market Size, Share, Growth, Forecast 2030

Zirconia Beads Industry Prospective:

The global zirconia beads market size was worth around USD 488 million in 2022 and is predicted to grow to around USD 796 million by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 7.24% between 2023 and 2030.

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Zirconia Beads Market: Overview

Zirconia beads are small spherical particles made of zirconium dioxide. These beads are generally used for grinding & surface treatment. The properties of these beads can be improved through stabilization with Yttria or Ceria. The zirconia beads are manufactured using pressing, rolling, and titration. Large-sized zirconia beads are frequently molded using the press forming technique, which primarily comprises dry pressing & isostatic pressing. The isostatic pressing blank can be used to manufacture high-performance & high-quality grinding media balls, owing to its high strength & density, and good uniformity.

Roll forming method costs low for manufacturing zirconia beads. Moreover, roll forming is used for the fast production of zirconia beads and is widely considered in countries such as China, etc. Titration molding is used for manufacturing small zirconia beads, generally, with no pores inside. These beads are sintered at low temperatures. These small beads are used for the dispersion & grinding of electrode materials, paints & coatings, and other high-performance materials, as well as used in multilayer ceramic capacitor manufacturing. Rising demand for building products such as paints & coatings, adhesives & sealants, ceramic products, and others, across the globe, is supporting the demand for zirconia beads during respective manufacturing processes.

Key Insights

• As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global zirconia beads market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 7.24% over the forecast period (2023-2030).
• In terms of revenue, the global zirconia beads market size was valued at around USD 488 million in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 796 million, by 2030.
• The global zirconia beads market is projected to grow at a significant rate due to the increasing demand from the paints & coatings manufacturing industry.
• Based on type segmentation, zirconium silicate beads were predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2022.
• Based on size segmentation, R(1-3mm) was the leading revenue generator in 2022.
• Based on application segmentation, grinding media was predicted to show maximum market share in the year 2022.
• Based on end-user industry segmentation, paints, inks, & coatings were the leading revenue-generating end-user industry in 2022.
• On the basis of region, Asia Pacific was the leading revenue generator in 2022.

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Zirconia Beads Market: Growth Drivers

Increasing demand from the paints & coatings manufacturing industry to drive market growth during the forecast period.

The global zirconia beads market is projected to grow owing to the increasing consumption of zirconia beads during paints & coatings production. Zirconia beads are used as grinding media during paints & coatings manufacturing. Specifically, zirconia beads are used for grinding & dispersing pigments, along with milling other materials such as fillers, additives, etc. Owing to its high crushing strength & chemical resistance, these beads are widely preferred in high-pressure paints & coatings manufacturing applications. Current bead processing technologies offer homogeneous & defect-free structures for paints & coatings formulations. Its application in coatings can lower costs, enhance solid content, deliver good performance, and enhance operational conditions for the process.

Rising paints & coatings manufacturing, across the world, is supporting zirconia beads demand. In 2022, Asia Pacific accounted for one of the largest paints & coatings industries worldwide. Rapid urbanization & increasing investment in building infrastructures increased demand for paints & coatings in the region. As of June 2022, Akzo Nobel N.V. announced the construction of a new manufacturing line for water-based texture paints at its Songjiang site in Shanghai, China. Further, in India, as of January 2023, JSW Paints planned to increase its production capacities by 200,000 kiloliters per annum with an estimated capital expenditure of around INR 7.5 billion.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), Japan, the production volume of emulsion paint and water-based resin paint accounted for 231.91 kilotons and 147.44 kilotons, respectively, in 2022. Some of the other most produced types in Japan during the same year, include Urethane resin paint (112.98 kilotons), epoxy resin paint (104.42 kilotons), and others.

In Europe, the demand for paints & coatings is also increasing at a moderate rate. In December 2022, Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. planned the acquisition of global Railway Coatings business assets of Becker Industrie SAS, a subsidiary of Beckers Group. These factors will increase the demand & consumption of zirconia beads from the paints & coatings industry.

Zirconia Beads Market: Restraints

Availability of substitutes to restrict market expansion

Some of the key substitutes for zirconia beads are glass beads, carbide beads, steel beads, alumina beads, and others. Tungsten carbide beads are, generally, used for the nano-milling of hard materials & high viscosity slurries, with good efficiency. These beads beat yttria-stabilized zirconia beads in the manufacturing of nanomaterials. Considering these characteristics, tungsten carbide beads are used in the battery industry, ceramic sector, and others. Further, glass beads have less density than zirconia beads and are majorly used for filler, blasting, and traffic safety applications such as reflective paints, etc. Glass beads are also used in jewelry & craft sectors. Glass beads are also used for shot peening to offer a layer of compressive residual stress in the surface of a metal part. Moreover, steel beads are much denser than zirconia beads and are employed in the homogenization of harder materials, as well as used for dry grinding. These alternatives are widely used in different end-user industries such as paints & coatings, ceramics, and others, thereby, hindering the growth of the zirconia beads market.

Zirconia Beads Market: Opportunities

Rising investment in the lithium-ion battery manufacturing industry to provide growth opportunities

Zirconia beads are used as grinding media for the production of lithium-ion battery raw materials. In April 2023, TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. developed mass-production technology for rare-earth-free zirconia balls, which can grind & mill electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity accounted for 1.57 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2022 and is expected to reach around 3.97 TWh in 2025 & 6.79 TWh in 2030. As per IEA, automotive lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery demand reached around 550 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2022, registering a growth rate of around 65%, compared to the previous year. The rising technological development of smartphones, growing investment in energy storage systems, and increasing consideration of electric vehicles are expected to fuel the demand for lithium-ion batteries in the coming years, which is further likely to act as an opportunity for the zirconia beads industry.

Zirconia Beads Market: Challenges

High cost & bead breakage to challenge market cap growth

Silicate zirconia beads face breakage usage due to different possibilities such as beads manufacturing issues, material production operation faults such as improper viscosity of slurry, excess material flow rate, and others. The durability of these beads can be improved in yttria-stabilized zirconia beads & ceria-stabilized zirconia beads. However, the price of yttria-stabilized zirconia beads & ceria-stabilized zirconia beads is higher in comparison to silicate zirconia beads. The breakage issues of zirconia can be avoided by maintaining the optimal process conditions during its manufacturing & applications.

Zirconia Beads Market: Segmentation

The global zirconia beads market is segmented based on type, size, application, end-user industry, and region.

Based on type, the global market segments are yttria-stabilized zirconia beads, ceria-stabilized zirconia beads, zirconium silicate beads, alumina-toughened zirconia beads, and other zirconia beads. Currently, the global market is dominated by zirconium silicate beads, considering their high performance in different milling & grinding applications. Zirconium silicate beads are majorly used in manufacturing sanitary ceramics, building materials, and porcelain glaze, among others.

Based on size, the zirconia beads industry is segmented into R<1mm, R(1-3mm), and R>3mm. The R(1-3mm) segment dominated the market share in 2022. These beads are preferred for grinding and surface treatment applications.

Based on application, the global zirconia beads market segments are grinding media, surface treatment media, and other applications. Currently, the global market is dominated by grinding media, owing to its wide application in material preparation for paints & coatings, ceramics, and other sectors.

Based on the end-user industry, the global market segments are paints, inks, & coatings, adhesives & sealants, ceramics, cosmetics, medical & biotechnology, mining, battery & electronics, and other end-user industries. Currently, the zirconia beads industry is dominated by the paints, inks, & coatings segment. Zirconia beads are used for grinding & dispersing pigments, milling filler & additives, etc. Some of the key global paints & coatings manufacturers are PPG Industries Inc., The Sherwin-Williams Company, Akzo Nobel N.V., Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd., and RPM International Inc., among others.

Zirconia Beads Market: Report Scope

Zirconia Beads Market: Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific to lead the market during the forecast period

The global zirconia beads market growth is expected to be driven by Asia Pacific, during the forecast period. Various end-user industries such as paints & coatings, ceramics, adhesives & sealants, cosmetics, medical & biotechnology, and mining, among others, are the key consumers of zirconia beads. In May 2023, Jowat SE announced the construction of a manufacturing plant in Pinghu City, Jiaxing, China. Apart from manufacturing, the site will be also involved in storage, as well as research & development (R&D). The plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023. Earlier in 2022, Jowat SE founded its subsidiary Jowat China Adhesives Co. Ltd. to serve the domestic industry of China.

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Moreover, in February 2023, Berger Paints commenced operations at its automated manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh, India, with a production capacity of around 4,800 kiloliters (KL) per month of solvent-based paint and others. In addition, the paints & coatings industry of Southeast Asia is growing at a significant rate, considering the increased building & manufacturing infrastructure development.

Zirconia beads are also used in ceramic sectors.

Asia Pacific is well-developed in the ceramic sector, with major contributions from China, India, and Japan, among others. According to the L’Oréal, North Asia accounted for around 32% of the global beauty market. Yttria-stabilized zirconia beads are generally preferred in cosmetics applications such as skin & sun protection creams, lipsticks, and other products manufacturing. Some of the key manufacturers of zirconia beads in the Asia Pacific are TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC., Yixing Jiuzhou Grinding Media Co., LTD, Nikkato Corporation, Zhejiang Humo Polishing Grinder Manufacture Co., Ltd., Shandong Sinocera Functional Materials Co., Ltd., Shandong Sinoshine Advanced Materials Co., Ltd, and others.

North America is another significant consumer of zirconia beads, owing to its developed related industries in the region. The United States & Canada are the key contributors to the overall demand for zirconia beads in North America. In February 2022, Arkema completed the acquisition of the performance adhesives business of Ashland to increase its presence in the United States and other North American countries. Some of the key adhesives & sealants manufacturers in North America are H.B. Fuller Company, 3M, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Sika AG, and Arkema, among others. Zirconia beads are employed as grinding media in adhesives & sealant formulations.

Zirconia Beads Market: Competitive Analysis

The global zirconia beads market is dominated by players like:

• BioSpec Products
• CENOTEC
• CHEMCO
• Duratec Technical Ceramic Applying Co. Ltd.
• Dynamech Industries (M) Sdn Bhd
• Nicera Industries Private Limited
• Nikkato Corporation
• Saint-Gobain
• Shandong Sinocera Functional Materials Co. Ltd.
• Shandong Sinoshine Advanced Materials Co. Ltd
• Shandong Titan Industrial Ceramics Co. ltd
• Sigmund Lindner GmbH
• TORAY INDUSTRIES INC.
• Yixing jiuzhou grinding media co. LTD
• Zhejiang Humo Polishing Grinder Manufacture Co. Ltd.

The global zirconia beads market is segmented as follows:

By Type

• Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Beads
• Ceria Stabilized Zirconia Beads
• Zirconium Silicate Beads
• Alumina Toughened Zirconia Beads
• Other Zirconia Beads

By Size

• R<1mm
• R(1-3mm)
• R>3mm

By Application

• Grinding Media
• Surface Treatment Media
• Other Applications

By End-user Industry

• Paints, Inks, & Coatings
• Adhesives & Sealants
• Ceramics
• Cosmetics
• Medical & Biotechnology
• Mining
• Battery & Electronics
• Other End-user Industries

By Region

• North America
  • The U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • France 
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Southeast Asia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • GCC
  • South Africa
  • Rest of Middle East & Africa