Synthetic Graphite Market-Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 – 2026
Synthetic Graphite
Market - Snapshot
Synthetic graphite
is a man-made substance manufactured through the high-temperature
processing of amorphous carbon materials. The types of amorphous
carbon used as precursors to graphite are many and can be derived
from petroleum, coal, or natural and synthetic organic materials. The
main application of high-purity synthetic graphite is as a carbon
raiser additive in iron and steel. This application consumes a
significant portion of synthetic graphite.
Increase in Demand
for Graphite Electrodes to Drive Synthetic Graphite Market
Synthetic graphite
is extensively used for manufacturing graphite electrodes, which are
used in electric arc furnaces for smelting metals such as steel and
in the metallurgy industry. China is a major producer and consumer of
steel at the global level despite a fall in demand for the metal in
the country as compared to 2015. Furthermore, increase in demand for
synthetic graphite, and, in turn, steel, from India and other
countries in Asia, North America, and the European Union (EU) is
expected to compensate for the decline in demand for steel in China.
Moreover, steel manufacturers prefer the electric arc furnace (EAF)
method for the production of steel over the blast furnace-blast
oxygen furnace (BOF) processes, owing to stricter environmental
regulations. About 0.2 to 0.3 kilograms of graphite electrodes are
required to produce one ton of steel utilizing the BOF process.
Whereas, 0.7 to 0.8 kilograms of graphite electrodes are required to
produce the same amount of steel by employing the EAF process. This
leads to a sudden increase in demand for synthetic graphite.
synthetic-graphite-material-market.jpg
Additionally,
environmental regulations in China are becoming increasingly
stringent. This suggests that deploying the blast furnace-blast
oxygen furnace (BOF) process using iron ore is likely to incur
increasingly higher environmental taxes compared to using the
electric arc furnace (EAF) process. Currently, steel scrap is in
short supply in China, due to the closure of a large number of
induction furnaces. However, in the long-term, the supply of domestic
steel scrap is set to increase rapidly along with electricity supply.
These factors are fueling the usage of the EAF method for the
production of steel, thus driving the synthetic graphite market
during the forecast period.
Synthetic graphite
is a manufactured product made through the high-temperature treatment
of amorphous carbon materials. The overall production cost of
synthetic graphite is very high. For instance, in the U.S., the
primary feedstock used for making synthetic graphite are calcined
petroleum coke and coal tar pitch. This makes it up to 10 times more
expensive to produce than conventional graphite, and as a result,
hampers the market growth.
Leading Players
Focusing on Geographical Expansion
Key players profiled
in the synthetic graphite market include GrafTech International,
Showa Denko K.K., SGL Group, Graphite India Limited, HEG Limited,
Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd., Nippon Carbon Co., Ltd., SEC Carbon, Ltd.,
Kaifeng Carbon Co., Ltd., and Nantong Yangzi Carbon Co., Ltd..
Production capacity expansions, geographical expansion, and
acquisitions are strategies implemented by major players. For
instance, in October 2016, Showa Denko K.K. acquired SGL GE Holding
GmbH, which engages in the graphite electrode business and was a part
of the SGL Carbon group based in Germany, for an enterprise value of
EUR 350 Mn. The company’s decision to acquire SGL is in line with
its medium term growth plan, ‘Project 2020,’ for increasing
competitiveness of its graphite electrode business by enhancing cost
competitiveness, reducing fixed costs, improving efficiency in
logistics, reinforcing brand equity, and increasing purchasing power
in raw material procurement. Additionally, in August 2017, Brookfield
Asset Management Inc. completed the acquisition of GrafTech
International Ltd. at a cost of US$ 5.05 per share, or a total value
of US$ 706.5 Mn. GrafTech International Ltd. became a fully owned
subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. after the acquisition.
Graphite Electrode
Segment to Dominate the Synthetic Graphite Market
Graphite electrodes
are large cylindrical structures made up of needle coke (petroleum
coke). These electrodes are available in small or large diameters for
high-temperature and high-intensity applications such as ferrous and
non-ferrous metal production. Graphite electrodes are primarily used
in the manufacture of steel in electric arc furnaces. They are also
employed in the steel refining and smelting processes. This
contributed to the significant share of the graphite electrodes
segment in the global synthetic graphite market.
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Storage and Energy
Transmission End-use Industry Segment to Register the Fastest Growth
Rate
The storage &
energy transmission segment includes large energy storage such as
battery storage. It involves the generation, distribution, switching,
storage, and conversion of electrical energy to and from other energy
forms (generators, batteries, transformers, etc.). The increasing use
of synthetic carbon as anodes in lithium-ion batteries is anticipated
to drive the storage & energy transmission end-use industry
segment.
Emerging Economies
to Create Opportunities in the Synthetic Graphite Market
In terms of volume,
Asia Pacific and North America are leading regions of the synthetic
graphite market. In terms of value, the market in Asia Pacific is
projected to expand at a substantial pace during the forecast period,
followed by that in North America and Europe. The market in Latin
America is estimated to expand considerably, owing to a rise in
demand for lithium-ion batteries in the storage & energy
transmission industry and increase in demand for synthetic graphite
in the electronics industry. In terms of country, the market in
India, China, Canada, and Germany is anticipated to expand at a
significant pace, due to an increase in demand for synthetic graphite
in various end-use industries such as electronics, nuclear industry,
chemical industry, mechanical engineering, and metallurgy.
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