Global Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Market: Emerging Economies Expected to Influe

Posted by Arslan on December 18th, 2018

Polydimethylsiloxane or PDMS is highly utilized in the industrial processing sector owing to its beneficial physical and chemical properties. Uncomplicated fabrication process, optical transparency, controllable elasticity and quick and reversible adhesion against different commonly used substrates like polystyrene and glass are some of the important properties of PDMS that are highly exploited in industrial processes for applications such as surfactants, hydraulic fluids, anti-foaming agents, and water-repellent coatings among others. Growing demand for surfactants in some of the major core industrial processes is likely to bode well for the Polydimethylsiloxane Market in the future.

Growing Consumption of Adhesives, Sealants and Coatings in the Construction and Automotive Sectors

A polydimethylsiloxane or silicon-based sealant is stable in the absence of moisture as well as during exposure to moisture, facilitating modifiable modulus of flexible elastomer. Important properties as such and others are highly explored in the manufacturing of adhesives, sealants, and coating formulations that are highly used in the construction sector. The construction industry is consistently flourishing against the backdrop of rapid urbanization and significant investments in the infrastructure developments, especially the commercial sector. That said growing demand for construction industry-specific adhesive sealants and protective coatings is driving the growth of the polydimethylsiloxane market.

Adhesives, sealants, coatings, polish, water repellants and many others that contain polydimethylsiloxane find humongous application in the automotive industry, too. As the industry is progressing at an appreciable rate, demand for automobile-specific surfactants is likely to grow, thereby driving the growth of the polydimethylsiloxane market in the coming decade.

Cosmetics and Personal Care Industry to Report Substantial Demand for Polydimethylsiloxane

The cosmetics and personal care industry is the major consumer of surfactants, anti-foaming agents and other chemicals with properties similar to polydimethylsiloxane. Use of polydimethylsiloxane can be observed in a variety of cosmetics and personal care products such as hair care, skin care and beauty products. In particular, as a thickening or conditioning agent, a silicone-based organic polymer like polydimethylsiloxane is one of the most commonly used ingredients in shampoos. Beauty and skin care products – skin cleanser, perfume, lipstick, toothpaste, creams and lotions contain polydimethylsiloxane.  Demand for cosmetics and personal care products is on the rise and is likely to propel the polydimethylsiloxane market in parallel.

Import Tariffs on Raw Materials of Polydimethylsiloxane to Threaten Sustainable Production

Countries across the globe including the United States have imposed tariffs on chlorine and silicon which are basic raw materials of polydimethylsiloxane. North America has recently imposed trade tariffs on the import of goods from China, following which the import of silicon and silicon products from China has declined significantly. In 2016, European Union and the Commerce Department of the U.S. imposed anti-dumping duties on silicon imported from China. Even though these duties have been recently overturned from Australia, Brazil, Norway and Kazakhstan by the U.S., they continue to hold trade tariffs for other countries, significantly impacting the global demand for polydimethylsiloxane and growth of the polydimethylsiloxane market. 

Competition Landscape

This competition landscape section elaborates on company profiles in terms of relative market presence, product offerings and key strategies undertaken by the key players operating in the polydimethylsiloxane market. Some of the players reported in this study on the global polydimethylsiloxane market include Wacker Chemie AG, DowDuPont Inc., Elkem ASA, Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., Gelest Inc., LGC Ltd, Elkay Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., Evonik Industries AG,KCC Corporation., CHT Group, Nusil Technology LLC., Specialty Silicone Products and Shandong Dayi Chemical Co., Ltd, among others.