Axiom MRC has updated all it's market research reports with the Economic Impact Analysis of COVID19 Pandemic on the market. Our team of analyst are following Comprehensive Three Dimensional (3D) Research Methodology along with large number primary interviews with key industry participants to bring insightful market reports to meet the current market requirements.
The exclusive COVID-19 impact analysis report by Axiom MRC provides a 360-degree analysis of micro and macro-economic factors on the Europe zircon sand market. In addition, complete analysis of changes on the Europe zircon sand market expenditure, economic and international policies on supply and demand side. The report also studies the impact of pandemic on regional economies, international trade, business investments, GDP and marketing strategies of key players present in the market. The COVID-19 impacted various end use industries of the zircon sand market in the Europe region. The nationwide shutdown and the lockdowns of non-essential industries have caused a downfall in the economy. Several construction activities and projects, including government infrastructure projects, commercial and residential projects which were initially running, were completely stopped due to lockdowns regulations. The region’s construction sector witnessed some major difficulties with labor shortages, material supply chain disruption, and the city-wide lockdown or shutdown of construction sites. The region’s construction market depends heavily on national shipments of construction materials. Thus, surged supply chain disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the region’s construction industry. This is in turn hindered the growth of zircon sand market across the region.
Increasing building and construction industry across the European countries such as the UK, Germany and France is major driving factor behind the zircon sand market in the region. A surge in the demand for housing new builds, and repair, maintenance and improvements works and commercial space and rising use for products that improves look of the homes interiors is supporting the market growth in the country. For instance, according to Office for National Statistic, the value of construction new work in Great Britain increased in 2019, reaching its highest level on record at £118,977 million. This was driven by growth in both private sector of £2,897 million and in the public sector work of £3,008 million.
Growing significance of zircon sand in ceramic industry of number of applications is boosting the market growth. The United Kingdom is home to hundreds of ceramics manufacturers, collectively employing over 22,000 people. The United Kingdom has always been associated with pottery and ceramics and, over the past few years, the country’s ceramic sector has gone through a revival thanks to the number of manufacturers that have presence in the country. On the other side, ceramic is one of the most significant sectors in France. The growth in the France ceramic market has been mainly driven by the increasing demand for home decor products and designer bathroom from the residential sector of the country. Growing demand for designer ceramic products, as contributed by the factors such as rising incomes, high population growth, and a rising middle class is expected to further stimulate the country’s overall ceramic production in the coming years. This, in turn, likely to make more demand for zircon sand in the ceramic industry.
Factors such as gap between demand and supply is expected to hamper the zircon sand market. Moreover, high tariffs and stringent mining policies are anticipated to hinder the zircon sand market. From the past few years, there has been a global increase in regulation within the areas of the transport, environment, and health and safety. Regulations are becoming more stringent, whilst seeing a global trend in harmonization.
Increase in prices of zircon sand is likely to restrict the market growth in the coming years. For instance, there has been a steady increase in zircon sand pricing on the back of Iluka Resources raising their prices by USD 70/mt for Q2 2021 deliveries. Other key producers, such as Tronox, have followed suit and raised their prices by a similar amount. Prices now stand at about USD 1490-1520/mt CIF China port. Prices are expected to continue upwards heading into Q3 owing to a healthy demand for downstream zirconium products.
The report provides in-depth analysis of Europe zircon sand market, market size, and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the forecast period of 2022-2028, considering 2021 as the base year. Booming end use sectors across the Europe region and rising demand for zircon sand from ceramic industry is expected to contribute to the market growth.
The Europe zircon sand market is bifurcated into product, end-use industry and country.
The Europe zircon sand market is studied for various products such as colourless, yellow-golden, brown and others. The colourless segment is expected to account for the major market share and is anticipated to grow with a significant share. The factors can be accredited to its high demand in end-use industries. Zircon sands are rounded, naturally occurring sands used in refractory, ceramic, foundry, and precision investment casting applications. They are important components in the production of ladle brick, glazes, coatings, wall tiles, shell molds and cores, and metal chills. Thus, an increasing use of zircon sand in refractory, the steel foundry industry, weld fluxes and ceramics application is accredited to the growth of the market.
The report analyses various end-use industries of zircon sand such as ceramics, refractory materials, medical & healthcare, building & construction and others. The building & construction and ceramic are major segments of the zircon sand market by end-use industry. This is primarily accredited to the surge in the investment in the building & construction industry across the globe. In addition, increasing use of zircon sand in ceramic industry is also likely to fuel the growth of the market in the coming years. Advanced ceramics is a well-known commercial application for zircon sand. Traditional ceramics, such as bricks and clays, are usually porous, hard, and brittle. Advanced ceramics refers to ceramic materials that have been specially designed to enhance those features.
In addition, during the manufacturing of ceramic tile, zircon sand is mostly used in the form of flour. Zircon sand is sometimes used to enhance abrasion resistance of glazed surfaces, particular floor tiles. The characteristics that make zircon an ideal opacifier are its high refractive index. Fine zircon grains also scatter visible light, making ceramics appear opaque and white. An additional characteristic that makes zircon sand attractive for ceramic manufacturing is its high hardness, which helps to resist mechanical damage and scratching.
The report analyses various countries of the Europe regions such as Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain and rest of Europe. Countries such as the UK and Germany are major market for the zircon sand. Booming building and construction industry across the region is primary factor behind the market growth. In Europe, Germany is the major building and construction market and home to the region’s largest building stock. A number of drivers have led to a boom in German construction investment and this is largely anticipated to continue in the foreseeable future. The construction industry is growing in Germany. Demographic changes, population growth, and a favourable economic environment are propelling high demand for residential as well as commercial buildings.
The zircon sand market is witnessing high competition owing to presence of many major players in the market. The key companies operating in the zircon sand market are catering to the demand by collaborating, innovative, acquiring small players. Some of the major companies operating in the market are V.V Mineral, Imerys, Remet, and LKAB Minerals among others.
The key players studied in market are Allegheny Technologies Inc, Neo Materials Technologies Inc, Tronox Limited, V.V Mineral, Imerys, LKAB Minerals, Remet, and Iluka Resources among others.
Zircon, also known as zircon silicate (ZrSiO4), is found in ancient mineral sand deposits. In the form of crystal sands, zircon is normally brown, but could also vary from colourless to pink, yellow-golden, and red to blue and green. The most of the zircon sand is mined in the African continent and Australia, with present annual global production is greater than one million tons. Mining of mineral sands can be done by both wet (dredge) mining and dry mining methods. The major use of zircon sand is its conversion into opacifier, flour, zirconium chemicals, fused zirconia, zirconium metal and chemical zirconia. Zircon sand is directly used in refractories and foundry applications and other minor applications. Zircon sands provides properties such as high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, high bulk density, low reactivity with most alloys, nonwetting surface to molten metals and excellent refractory properties. Likewise, Europe zircon sand market comprises of different market segment like product, end-use industry and country. Zircon sand market by product is segmented into colourless, yellow-golden, brown, others. The colourless segment is likely to be the major market over the forecast period. Major end use industries of the market are ceramics, refractory materials, medical & healthcare, building & construction, and others. The building & construction treatment segment is likely to register noteworthy growth in years to come. Country wise, the study is comprised of the key countries such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and rest of Europe.
1) What are the major drivers and opportunities in the zircon sand market?
Increasing demand from ceramic industry and rapidly growing market for building and construction industry. In addition, surged use of zircon sand in applications such as glazes, opacifiers, and frits, decorative and floor tiles, steel and glass refractories, specialized glass and metal castings.
2) Which is the emerging end-use industry segment for zircon sand market?
Ceramics and building and construction are emerging end-use industry segments of the zircon sand market.
3) Which country contributes to the largest market share in zircon sand market during the forecast period?
Germany and the UK is expected to gain major market share during the forecast period (2021-2028).
