Insoluble Sulfur Market Forecasts to 2028 – Global Analysis By Product (Non-Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur, Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur), Grade (High Dispersion, High Stability, Regular Grade, Special Grade), End User, and By Geography

Insoluble Sulfur Market Forecasts to 2028 – Global Analysis By Product (Non-Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur, Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur), Grade (High Dispersion, High Stability, Regular Grade, Special Grade), End User, and By Geography

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Insoluble Sulfur Market is accounted for $1,094.72 million in 2022 and is expected to reach $1,385.17 million by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 4.0% during the forecast period. Insoluble sulfur is amorphous form of sulfur made from heat-polymerizing of sulfur. It can also be obtained by reacting sulfurated hydrogen with sulfur dioxide. It is a macromolecule polymer, and there are several thousands of sulfur atoms in its molecular chains. It does not dissolve in carbon disulfide; therefore, it is called insoluble sulfur or polymeric sulfur. Insoluble sulfur is an important rubber additive agent. It improves product quality, wearability, and resistance to fatigue and aging. In addition to being universally recognized as the best vulcanizing agent, it is widely used in the manufacture of tire, rubber pipe, shoes, cable and wire insulating materials, latex, and all kinds of automobile rubber parts. It is also a vital component of belt tires.

In 2021, China produced around 17 million metric tons of sulfur, making it by far the world's leading sulfur producer. Sulfur is one of the most common chemical elements found in nature. It is a pale yellow, tasteless, and odorless brittle solid commonly found in volcanic regions and hot springs. Nowadays very little sulfur is mined from nature, as most of the production is recovered due to environmental reasons. Byproduct elemental sulfur recovered from natural gas and petroleum is the main source of sulfur worldwide.

Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Growing demand form rubber and tires industry

Insoluble sulfur is largely used in the tire industry. Demand for convenient and low-maintenance tire replacements has been rising due to the growing number of on-road vehicles across the globe. Tire manufacturers across the globe are under intense pressure from regulators and consumers to develop more fuel-efficient tires, while also facing technological challenges in order to gain a competitive edge in the highly competitive market. Increase in usage of insoluble sulfur to convert raw rubber into complete rubber at high heat to improve the strength and flexibility of the rubber is a major factor that is expected to drive the global insoluble sulfur market during the forecast period. Insoluble sulfur can increase the resistance of all forms of rubber products to fatigue and aging. Furthermore, it is used as an ideal vulcanizing agent for rubber. It is also widely used in the manufacture of rubber chemistry such as tires, rubber pipes, shoes, cables and wires, insulation materials, latex, and all kinds of automotive rubber parts. Rise in demand for insoluble rubber in various applications in the rubber industry is expected to drive the global insoluble sulfur market in the near future. For instance, Eastman Chemical Company introduced CrystexCure Pro in February 2018, which is a non-blooming vulcanizing agent utilized for rubber formulation to enhance the qualities of the radial tires. Furthermore, Nynas, a specialty bitumen, and naphthenic oil producing company introduced a range of products under Nytex brand, which is commercially available in various viscosities, which are highly compatible with robust types of rubber as well as sulfur.

Restraint:

Complexities with insoluble sulfur

When using insoluble sulfur, it can suppress to stack bin cure. Insoluble sulfur is only utilized to carry out reacting when reaching sclerosis (sulfuration) temperature, therefore under low temperature, do not produce any reaction. Under low temperature, insoluble sulfur only remains with the solid of the dispersion of being surrounded by rubber, until there is sulfuration.

Opportunity:

Increasing number of on-road vehicles across the globe

With increasing number of on-road vehicles across the globe, the demand for convenience and high maintenance tire replacements has been rising. Competitive pricing offered by automotive manufacturers across the globe has also created a surge in consumer spending on passenger cars in developing economies. This, backed by rising penetration of radialized tires in both passenger cars and commercial vehicles would further strengthen the role of Insoluble Sulphur across the automotive sector of the world.

Threat:

Disruption of the market chain due to the pandemic

The outbreak of COVID-19 triggered an unprecedented slowdown in the global automotive industry which seemed to lose its grip due to waning demand and curtailed plant operating rates due to coronavirus led nationwide lockdowns imposed across several nations to curb spreading of the deadly virus. Renowned tire makers across the world remained shut for more than a quarter which further reflected downfall in their quarterly sales figures. Hit by the demand downturn, the global tyre giant Goodyear announced permanent closure of its tire manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America. For example, Brussels-based Bridgestone announced halt in production at its two major tire plants and decreased production at six others in response to the pandemic. Apollo Tires Ltd. also, stopped production of passenger car tires at its plant in the Netherlands. These factors proportionately impacted operating rates across Insoluble Sulphur manufacturing units, leading to double digit fall in the sales figures of renowned manufacturers such as Oriental Carbon & Chemicals and Eastman.

Covid-19 Impact

In light of the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, the overall tire manufacturing and automotive production sectors took a marginal hit due to disrupted supply chain and temporary operational shutdown globally. Automakers have put production on hold, which led to reduced demand for tires from OEMs. Furthermore, the pandemic has disrupted the supply chain networks worldwide, leading to longer procurement timelines and increased pricing due to a shortage of materials. These factors are projected to affect market growth in the tire manufacturing sector in 2020 and 2021.

The high dispersion segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

The high dispersion segment is estimated to have a lucrative growth due to the widespread usage of the substance for application in tire production on account of its key characteristics, such as excellent dispersibility and high thermal stability. It usually contains around 20% of insoluble sulfur in powder form, which is oil treated. It usually has lower concentrations of insoluble sulfur as compared to the other grades and is typically composed of polymers, such as various dispersing agents, SBR, and EPDM among others.

The high stability segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The high stability segment is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR growth during the forecast period. The high stability product grade exhibits similar properties to that of high dispersion grade, which includes a reflection of high thermal stability. However, this form is typically mixed with various additives to enhance their performance, in terms of thermal stabilization of the product, which is done by adding ash-less stabilizing agents like esters, phenols, and carboxylic acid. The upgraded product has high demand by rubber producers due to high-performance productivity and lower costing compared to other counterparts.

Region with largest share:

Asia Pacific is projected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period due to the increasing number of rubber processors in the region, majorly across countries, such as China, India, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. Major companies are shifting their production bases to Asia Pacific due to eased regulations, surplus availability of land, skilled & low cost labour, and positive trade affairs with economically strong nations. Moreover, the countries, such as Japan, India, Thailand, South Korea, and Indonesia, are rapidly becoming major hubs for automobile manufacturing, which has led to high consumption of rubber in tire manufacturing applications across the region. China is the major contributor to the rubber manufacturing sector, which is also a key exporter of rubber products across Asian countries.

Region with highest CAGR:

North America is projected to have the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the rising demand in terms of the rubber industry, with rapid imports of rubber from China, Germany, Thailand, and Japan. This reflects the heavy consumption of rubber by the tire manufacturing sector in the country. Furthermore, U.S. also dominates the heavy trucks, buses, and commercial vehicle sectors, which utilizes high performance tires on periodic intervals. This is projected to result in increased product consumption in North American regional market.

Key players in the market

Some of the key players profiled in the Insoluble Sulfur Market include Eastman Chemical Company, Henan Kailun Chemical Co., Ltd., LANXESS Deutschland GmbH, Lions Industries s.r.o, Luoyang Sunrise Industrial, Nynas AB, Oriental Carbon and Chemicals Limited, Sennics Co. Ltd., Shanghai Shangyi Chemical Technology Co. Ltd., Shikoku Chemicals Corporation, and Weifang Jiahong Chemical Co. Ltd.

Key Developments:

In January 2018, Eastman Chemical Co. has unveiled new insoluble sulfur that it said will help tire manufacturers improves the productivity of their compounding operations. Compared to traditional insoluble sulfur materials, Eastman said the Crystex Cure Pro line offers superior dispersion, improved thermal stability, enhanced flow, less oil and more sulfur.

In August 2021, LANXESS announced that it is expanding its production capacity for light-color sulfur carriers at its Mannheim site by several kilo tons. The specialty chemicals company is investing a double-digit million amount to expand the facilities in response to growing demand.

In January 2019, Nynas AB has launched NYTEX® 810'. Insoluble sulfur benefits from NYTEX® 810’s relatively high polarity, which helps to wet the sulfur surface. Its high solvency power is also promoting the stability of formulations, prolonging the shelf life of products.

Products Covered:
• Non-Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur
• Oil-Filled Insoluble Sulfur

Grades Covered:
• High Dispersion
• High Stability
• Regular Grade
• Special Grade

Distribution Channels Covered:
• Direct/Institutional Sales
• Retail Sales
• Other Distribution Channels

Applications Covered:
• Tire Manufacturing
• Footwear
• Industrial Application
• Cable and Wire
• Pipe
• Other Applications

End Users Covered
• Automotive
• Medical
• Consumer Goods
• Other End Users

Regions Covered:
• North America
US
Canada
Mexico
• Europe
Germany
UK
Italy
France
Spain
Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
Japan
China
India
Australia
New Zealand
South Korea
Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Qatar
South Africa
Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:
- Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
- Covers Market data for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2028
- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements