Advanced Ceramics (US industry forecasts for 2012 & 2017)

Abstract

Demand for advanced ceramics in the United States is forecast to increase 4.0 percent per year to over $12 billion in 2012. Gains will benefit as advanced ceramics continue to penetrate several applications -- such as capacitors, cutting tools, joint implants and membranes -- where ceramics are valued for their favorable performance characteristics.

The use of advanced ceramics is highly dependent on the health of the electronic component and electrical equipment industries, which combined accounted for 43 percent of total demand in 2007. Opportunities in the electronic components industry will arise due to material substitution, as ceramics gain use over alternatives, as in the case with some capacitors. However, the electronic components industry is projected to remain sluggish, limiting further advanced ceramics demand. The electrical equipment market is sizeable but relatively mature with a comparatively low level of new product development. After experiencing significant gains during the 2002 to 2007 period, electrical equipment output will post a marked deceleration through 2012, restricting advanced ceramics demand for items such as insulators.

The chemical and plastic, environmental, industrial machinery and medical product markets will post above-average gains. Ceramics will find greater use in the chemical and plastic market, with the most growth arising from membranes. In this application, growth will accrue due to ceramic' s performance advantages such as toleration of high temperatures and harsh chemicals that boosts gains for ceramic membranes in markets with more difficult processing conditions. Demand will also be driven by greater penetration into specialty applications such as natural gas purification. Interest in reducing the country' s dependence on foreign oil will provide opportunities for advanced ceramics in the environmental market. Emerging applications include the use of ceramic bearings in wind turbines.

Ceramics continue to gain use in various industrial machinery applications, such as cutting tools, as end users realize the performance advantages of these materials. Limiting further gains will be a deceleration in the industrial machinery industry. In the medical product market, gains will derive from the increasing utilization of ceramics in joint implants and dental procedures. Demographic trends will also provide opportunities, as older individuals tend to require more joint replacements or dental work. In joint replacement, ceramics are valued because they are chemically inert, promote tissue and bone growth, and are not susceptible to attack by the body' s immune system. In dental applications, ceramics are valued for their opalescent color and translucence.

Study coverage

Advanced Ceramics is a new Freedonia industry study presents historical demand data (1997, 2002 and 2007) plus forecasts for 2012 and 2017 in current dollars by product, type and market. The study also considers US market environment factors, evaluates company market share and profiles 32 key players.

• Establishing consistent economic and market forecasts
• Using input/output ratios, flow charts and other economic methods to quantify data
• Employing in-house analysts who meet stringent quality standards
• Interviewing key industry participants, experts and end users
• Researching a proprietary database that includes trade publications, government reports and corporate literature