Global Flame Retardant Market By Type (Halogenated and Non-Halogenated), By Application (Polyolefins, Epoxy resins, Styrenics, and Other Applications), By End-User, By Region and Companies - Industry Segment Outlook, Market Assessment, Competition Scenario, Trends, and Forecast 2023-2032

Report Overview

The Global Flame Retardant Market size was valued at USD 7.6 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 13.7 billion in 2032 growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period of 2023-2032.

Chemicals called flame retardants market size are added to combustible materials like textiles, plastics, and coatings to either stop a fire from starting or slow it down. They are a variety of chemicals with various physical and chemical properties and molecular structures.

During the polymerization process, these chemicals are either incorporated into the products as an additive or added as a copolymer. Products like foams, mattresses, computers, electric wires, insulation materials, and automobile parts contain these chemicals.

Organohalogen and organophosphorus compounds can be reactants or additives, whereas mineral compounds are typically additives. The demand for these retardants to meet government standards has grown as a result of fire and safety regulations, propelling the market for flame retardants.

The increasing use of fire-resistant products in a variety of end-use industries, including transportation, construction, electrical and electronics, and others, is anticipated to drive demand for flame retardants. To comply with regulations regarding fire safety and prevention, these industries are increasingly utilizing materials based on flame retardants market.

Consumer awareness of the need to improve the fire safety of combustible materials and products is also driving product demand. In more and more electrical and consumer goods, flame retardants eliminate the risk of fire in homes and offices.

Key Takeaways

• Market Size and Growth: The Flame Retardant Market was valued at USD 7.6 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 13.7 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. This highlights a significant growth opportunity in the market.
• Purpose and Use: Flame retardants are chemicals added to materials like textiles, plastics, and coatings to either prevent fires from starting or slow down their spread. These chemicals serve a crucial role in enhancing fire safety across various industries.
• Diverse Chemical Composition: Flame retardants encompass various chemicals with different properties and structures. They can be incorporated into products during the polymerization process or added as copolymers, finding applications in products like foams, mattresses, computers, electric wires, and more.
• Market Drivers: Increasing regulations related to fire and safety standards are a driving force behind the market’s growth. These regulations are prompting industries such as transportation, construction, electrical, and electronics to utilize flame-retardant materials to enhance safety and meet compliance requirements.
• Consumer Electronics: The electronics industry, driven by factors such as increased competition and the need for fire safety, is a significant consumer of flame retardants. Fire-resistant materials are used in products like televisions and laptops to prevent electrical fires.
• Trends: Market trends include manufacturers sourcing raw materials competitively, consolidations through mergers and acquisitions, and a focus on product innovation and differentiation to meet growing demand.
• Types of Flame Retardants: Flame retardants fall into two broad categories on the market: Halogenated and non-Halogenated types, with non-halogenated varieties growing more popular due to their eco-friendlier attributes.
• Applications: Flame retardants are used in a range of applications, including polyolefins, epoxy resins, PVC, and engineering thermoplastics. Polyolefins’ increasing usage in various applications propelled it to hold a 26.3% market revenue share in 2022.
• End-User Segments: electrical and Electronics Dominance: In 2022, the electrical and electronics end-use segment accounted for a substantial revenue share of 38.15%. Significant Construction Industry The construction end-use segment held a notable share, contributing 28.1% of the total revenue in 2022.
• Regional Analysis: The Asia Pacific region is expected to exhibit the fastest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2032, with a revenue share of over 46% in 2022. North America, particularly the United States, also plays a vital role due to its focus on electric vehicles and construction projects.
• Key Players: Major companies in the market include Clariant, ICL Group, LANXESS, Lubrizol Corporation, BASF SE, Albemarle Corporation, Akzo Nobel N.V., and more. These players are continuously innovating to capture market share.

Driving Factors

Increasing Regulations Regarding Fire & Safety to Aid in Expansion

Market growth is driven by increased safety and fire regulations. The governments of different countries are working together to prevent explosion-related fires in offices, factories, and other public areas. These regulations have been enforced by the industry to encourage the use and safe use of retardants.

These retardants are used in wires, cables, construction products, insulation material, textiles, automobile components & interiors, paints, and coatings to slow the spread of fires. Manufacturers are required to use flame retardants when making products. This is according to different regulations. This will encourage the market’s growth in the future.

Rising Consumer Electrical and Electronic Goods Manufacturing

As a result, electronics are becoming cheaper due to increased competition. Chemicals that stop fire are essential for the electrical and electronic industries. Electric fires are a leading cause of fire in homes and businesses around the globe. To comply with fire safety regulations, flame retardants can be included in modern electronic devices such as televisions and laptops. Electrical and electronic components are encased in tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), a halogenated flame retardant.

Electronic applications include printed wire boards, housings, and cables, as well as flame retardants that contain phosphorous, organic, and nitrogen bases. The WEEE Directive and RoHS Directives in Europe are the result of greater political attention to electronic waste and potentially hazardous substances over the last ten years. These regulations should be used to ensure that electronic waste is properly collected and recycled.

Restraining Factors

Environmental and health Concerns Related to the Use of Flame Retardants May Restrict Growth

The major obstacle of the global flame retardant market is high loading connected with the help of mineral-based flame retardants. Mineral fillers like magnesium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum are endothermically environmentally safe and decomposable flame retardants. The retardants are used like fillers which are loaded in huge quantities in a polymer matrix to ensure flame retardation.

The minerals are generally cheap but require higher loading at the time of use in flame retardant. The excessive loading of mineral fillers increases the density and decreases the thermal stability of the product. This reduced property can be an obstacle in the global flame retardant market.

By Type Analysis

In 2022, the non-halogenated product category had a revenue share of more than 59% of the market. This is because there is a growing demand for flame retardants that are better for the environment and less harmful to humans.

In mounding compounds, a combination of antimony trioxide and brominated organic compounds is frequently used as a flame retardant. These compounds are known to have negative effects on the environment.

Combining antimony trioxide with hydromagnesite fillers provides flame-retardant properties. Antimony trioxide’s environmental effects are expected to increase demand for safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives in the future.

By Application Analysis

Due to the increasing use of polyolefins in plastics in many applications, the polyolefins segment of the market dominated with a 26.3% revenue share in 2022. The product is added to polyolefins to reduce flame spread, stop the polymer from dripping, and prevent smoke formation. There are many products that require flame retardants. These include construction fabrics, mattress covers, roofing, siding, components for trains and planes, carpet backing, and automotive fabrics.

The most common polymer is polyvinyl chloride, which is used in insulation, communication, and exterior applications like doors, gutters, siding, and window frames. It is extremely resistant to combustion. PVC, on the other hand, isn’t considered safe because of smoke and toxic gases like benzene, chlorine compounds, and others with aromatic compounds.

Due to its fire resistance, it is attracting customers’ attention. Due to its thermal instability, PVC must be stabilized before being processed. The formulation gains flame resistance as a result of the higher concentration of PVC’s “impact modifier” and “processing aid” additions.

This is because applications in construction, civil engineering, aerospace, rail, and marine use flame-resistant epoxy resins. These are made to deliver laminates with high performance while adhering to fire safety regulations. Epoxy resins are also infused with a variety of additives, such as flame retardants, accelerators, fillers, and curing agents.

The automotive, construction, heavy engineering, transportation, electronics, food and beverage packaging, coatings, composites, adhesives, aviation, aerospace, and wind energy industries all use flame retardants found in epoxy resins. As a result, the epoxy resins sector of the global market for flame retardants is expanding.

By End-User Analysis

With a revenue share of 38.15% in 2022, the market was dominated by the electrical and electronics end-use segment. The product’s high share is due to its increased use in electrical product plastic casings to ensure consumer safety and reduce fire risk.

Another important segment is the construction end-use segment, which was responsible for 28.1% of the total revenue share in 2022. The demand for fire retardants is anticipated to rise over the forecast period due to the expanding construction industry and rising awareness of the significance of fire protection.

Product demand is expected to rise due to the rapid development of the transportation industry and the need for fire safety in the automotive industry. There will be a rise in environmental concerns that will drive the demand for flame retardants that are halogen-free. Manufacturers are creating a variety of products with diverse chemical compositions.

ICL is a global manufacturer that produces unique products for the agriculture, food, and engineering markets. It manufactures over 50 flame-retardant solutions for various uses in the automotive and transportation industries.

Key Market Segments

Based on Type

• Halogenated
• Brominated
• Chlorinated Phosphates
• Antimony Trioxide
• Others
• Non-Halogenated
• Aluminum Hydroxide
• Magnesium Dihydroxide
• Phosphorus Based

Based on Application

• Polyolefins
• Epoxy Resins
• UPE (Unsaturated Polyester)
• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
• ETP (Engineering Thermoplastics)
• Styrenics
• Other Applications

Based on End-User

• Construction
• Transportation
• Electrical & Electronics
• Other End-Users

Growing Opportunities

Development of More Effective Synergist Compounds

Bromine, nitrogen, and phosphorous are added to polymer blends in greater amounts to improve the performance of flame retardants. The properties of flame retardants can be affected when mineral fillers are added with high loadings. Synergist compounds are added to flame retardants with high loadings.

These synergist compounds can be used in combination with polymer blends to improve their performance. The combination of these blends in a polymer matrix is more effective than individual compounds. The effectiveness of synergist blends is reduced by halogenated flame retardants in percent weight, decreases toxicity, and improves the retardant properties.

The ongoing efforts in development and research

The opportunity factor for market expansion is the introduction of more effective synergist compounds, customers’ rising disposable income, and emerging economies. Additionally, educating customers about fire safety regulations and environmentally friendly flame retardants is an opportunity for market expansion.

In addition, the growth of the market is fueled by the use of consumer electronics and automotive technology in residential areas. The market’s expansion is also being fueled by the products’ widespread use in a variety of applications, such as building and construction, household appliances, and a variety of other appliances. In addition, new regulatory guidelines for reducing toxic chemicals and rising security measures are contributing to the growth during the forecast period.

Latest Trends

Nowadays, manufacturers are more likely to purchase raw materials at prices that are competitive. Contracting with suppliers of raw materials on a long-term basis is necessary for raw material procurement. To sell their products, some independent manufacturers employ third-party suppliers.

Manufacturers of retardants are steadily moving toward consolidation through mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and collaborative partnerships, and they are placing an increasing emphasis on product innovation and differentiation. This market is currently experiencing these kinds of trends, which is increasing demand for these products.

Regional Analysis

Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2032, leading the global market with a revenue share of over 46% in 2022. This is because end-use markets like construction, automotive, electrical and electronics, and others have high product demand and strict fire safety regulations.

A sizable portion of the product market is accounted for by Asia-Pacific production facilities. China and India dominate the market. The market development can likewise be credited to the rising mindfulness about security guidelines and the continuous foundation improvement projects in rising economies like India, China, and Japan.

The rising demand for electrical components in numerous applications, such as power cables, wiring, and connectors, primarily utilized in construction, transportation, and electronic devices, is the primary market driver in North America. The North American regional market is dominated by the United States, followed by Canada.

This is because of the large-scale production as well as the expanding electrical and electronics, automotive, and construction industries in the United States. The expanding automotive and construction industries are the result of increasing investments in electric vehicles and private construction projects.

Key Regions and Countries:

• North America
  • The US
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Western Europe
  • Germany
  • France
  • The UK
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Portugal
  • Ireland
  • Austria
  • Switzerland
  • Benelux
  • Nordic
  • Rest of Western Europe
• Eastern Europe
  • Russia
  • Poland
  • The Czech Republic
  • Greece
  • Rest of Eastern Europe
• APAC
  • China
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • India
  • Australia & New Zealand
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Rest of APAC
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Colombia
  • Chile
  • Argentina
  • Costa Rica
  • Rest of Latin America
• Middle East & Africa
  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Israel
  • Kuwait
  • Nigeria
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Turkey
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Rest of MEA

Key Players Analysis

In an effort to strengthen their position in the global market, major corporations are constantly launching new initiatives to develop novel products as an alternative to halogen-based flame retardants. New manufacturers are entering the market as a result of the rising demand for products free of halogens.

The existing businesses are entering the manufacturing sector with the intention of capturing a sizable portion of the market from their rivals. The manufacturers are able to meet the rising demand from both new and existing customers thanks to their extensive product portfolio.

Key Players

• Clariant
• ICL Group
• LANXESS
• Lubrizol Corporation
• BASF SE
• Albemarle Corporation
• Akzo Nobel N.V.
• Nabaltec AG
• Italmatch Chemicals S.p.A.
• Kisuma Chemicals
• Huber Engineered Materials
• Other Key Players

Recent Developments

• In January 2022, The acquisition of MAGNIFIN Magnesiaprodukte GmbH & Co. KG by Huber Engineered Materials was completed. Martinswerk GmbH, a strategic business unit of HEM Fire Retardant Additives (FRA), produces a wide variety of halogen-free fire retardants, smoke suppressants, and specialty aluminum oxides. Martinswerk GmbH sells MAGNIFIN products worldwide.
• In May 2022, For use in batteries, LG Chem developed a new fire-resistant plastic. Polyamide resin and polyphenylene oxide are used in their production. The procedure for acquiring patents in the United States, Korea, and a few European countries has already begun.

Report Scope