United States
Share | 
Calcium Carbonate, Fine-Ground and Precipitated
Purchase
You can purchase from this page directly by clicking the 'Purchase' link below.
If you haven't previously registered, you will be taken through a registration process as part of the purchase procedure.
Reports are provided electronically as pdf files. We attempt to email full report pdf files to your registered e-mail address.
Global enterprise-wide online access for a period of one year from date of purchase is also available.
Please contact us using the sales link found to the right on this page for additional information on this option, or if you would prefer not to purchase online.
Published: January 2011
-
Fine-ground calcium carbonates (FGCC) are widely used as fillers in paper, plastics, paints and coatings, and adhesive and sealants. The adhesive and sealant applications encompass a wide spectrum of products ranging from household caulks to joint cement compounds and carpet backings. The North American market for FGCC had been increasing until 2008, but experienced drastic losses in 2008 and 2009 as a result of the downturn in the construction and automobile industry, which account for the largest end-use markets of fine-ground calcium carbonate filler materials. Demand decreased for uses in plastics, coatings, sealings, and also in the paper industry. Downturn in the European construction and automobile industry negatively affected the same application areas; however, only beginning in the last quarter of 2008. In 2010, markets started to rebound and a continuing recovery is expected throughout the 2010–2015 forecast period. Growth in Europe is expected to be higher, where volumes in 2015 could reach the high 2008 levels, whereas slower growth is expected to occur in North America, with 2015 volumes still below record consumption in 2007. In the plastics industry, the general trend toward higher loading levels will continue, and contribute to an increase in the consumption of calcium carbonate in this sector globally. In other parts of the world, particularly Asia, the global economic downturn had less impact, since consuming markets are driven by domestic consumption. The Asian market is expected to continue to grow in the forecast period.
The following pie charts show world consumption of fine-ground and precipitated calcium carbonate.
Six major players supply most of the FGCC market in the United States: Omya, Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI), Imerys, Carmeuse Group, Franklin Minerals, and Huber Engineering Materials. Together they account for almost all of the FGCC market.
The largest market for precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in the United States is the paper industry, where it is used predominantly as a filler. In 2010, approximately 90% of the PCC produced was consumed by the paper industry. In the United States, PCC had been experiencing a growth surge during 1986–2007. Growth was attributed to the paper industry's conversion from acid papermaking technology to alkaline and to the success of the PCC on-site satellite plant concept where producers supply product from plants located adjacent to paper mills. The Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI) subsidiary of Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI) holds a dominant position in the PCC on-site plant business and has the largest share of the PCC paper filler and paper coating markets. As of September 2010, the company owns and operates about sixty satellite plants worldwide. The second-largest producer is Omya, with 22 facilities worldwide.
Similarly to the FGCC market, PCC consumption drastically declined with the reduced paper output in the economic downturn. Lower paper output was most pronounced in North America and Europe. Both regions are expected to make up for most of the losses; however, there is an underlying decline in production for both regions as a result of an unfavorable production cost position compared with world regions that have access to lower-cost pulp and manpower.
Contact Us
Americas
+1 877 658-6355
+1 303 858-6355
Europe Middle East & Africa
+44 (0)1344-328155
Asia Pacific
+65 6226-5363
To talk to an IHS Customer
Care representative, please
contact: