Global Abrasives Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032

Global Abrasives Market Outlook

The global abrasives market size reached approximately USD 49.74 billion in 2023. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% between 2024 and 2032, reaching a value of around USD 76.34 billion by 2032.

Key Takeaways

• There is a rise in the development of abrasive materials, particularly super abrasives, that offer improved performance and efficiency.

• There is a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly and sustainable abrasive solutions that generate less waste and pollution.

• The abrasives market in the Asia Pacific region benefits from rapid urbanisation, increased infrastructure development, and favourable policies supporting the manufacturing sector.

Abrasives are defined as hard and rough substances or materials used in a wide range of industrial or domestic applications to shape, clean, or finish a workpiece through rubbing. The high strength and toughness of abrasive materials make them ideal for cleaning hard surfaces. Abrasives are integral to numerous industrial, domestic, and technological applications, and they come in various forms, including grinding wheels, sandpaper, and compounds for polishing.

As abrasives are widely used in metal production, the global increase in the demand for metal owing to the expansion of various end-use sectors including automotive, construction, electronics, and aerospace, among others, is anticipated to favour the abrasives market growth. Moreover, the construction sector expansion, including residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects, fuels the demand for abrasives as they are used in cutting, grinding, and polishing applications, from shaping building materials to finishing floors and surfaces.

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Key Trends and Developments

Higher market penetration of synthetic abrasives; eco-friendly and safer abrasives; online sales and distribution channels; and advancements in precision and nano-abrasives are the major trends impacting the abrasives market expansion

Abrasives Market Trends

The market penetration of synthetic abrasives over natural ones is relatively higher due to their superior properties and cost-effectiveness. Synthetic abrasives, such as silicon carbide and aluminium oxide, are engineered materials designed to offer superior characteristics compared to their natural counterparts, which include minerals like diamond, corundum, and garnet. Synthetic abrasives are manufactured through controlled processes that ensure uniform particle size, shape, and distribution. This uniformity is crucial for applications requiring precise material removal, surface finish, and dimensional accuracy. Unlike natural abrasives, whose characteristics can vary significantly due to natural formation processes, synthetic abrasives offer predictability and consistent performance.

Besides, the market players are focusing on collaboration and research and development to increase their reach and improve visibility. In September 2023, Saint-Gobain Abrasives announced a collaboration with Dedeco to promote Dedeco’s Sunburst line, consisting of abrasives bonded with thermoplastic. This partnership is significant because it combines Saint-Gobain’s extensive market reach and expertise in abrasives with Dedeco’s innovative product line, potentially enhancing the visibility and availability of the Sunburst line to a wider range of customers.

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Market Segmentation

“Abrasives Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032” offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments:

The synthetic abrasives segment is further divided, based on type, into metallic abrasives, aluminium oxide, and silicon carbide, among others.

Super abrasives account for a major abrasives market share due to their growing applications across multiple end-use sectors

Super abrasives possess extraordinary hardness, unparalleled performance, and longevity, which has significantly enhanced their demand in end-use sectors such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and electronics, among others. Super abrasive grinding wheels offer significant advantages when utilised in industrial applications such as low cost of tooling and fixturing, smaller and more wheels on the spindle, less requirement of floor space for manufacturing, consistent surface speed, and high rate of material removal, among others. In addition to this, growing investments in research and development of super abrasives, such as in areas involving high-speed and high-performance grinding of hardened steel, are expected to aid the market growth over the forecast period.

The abrasives market is also supported by the growing usage of bonded abrasives. Bonded abrasives are materials wherein the abrasive grains are bonded together into a matrix, which can be made of resin, rubber, glass, or other materials. As global manufacturing sectors expand, the need for materials and processes that can enhance efficiency, precision, and productivity increases. Bonded abrasives are integral to machining, metal fabrication, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace industries for material removal, surface preparation, and finishing tasks.

The automotive sector maintains its dominance in the market owing to the implementation of abrasives in manufacturing, finishing, and maintenance of automotive and different automotive parts

The automotive sector is a significant consumer of abrasives and holds a major share of the abrasives market. Abrasives contribute to the aesthetic and functional finishing of automotive parts, including bodywork, interiors, and engine components as they are used to achieve smooth surfaces, remove imperfections, and polish parts to the desired finish. In the automotive maintenance and repair sector, abrasives are used for tasks such as removing rust, repairing bodywork, and refurbishing parts as they are crucial for ensuring that vehicles are kept in good condition and can extend their service life.

The rising application of abrasives in metal manufacturing is also driving the market growth. Abrasive is an ideal component for the grinding, drilling, and cutting of metals in order to procure light sheet metals, metal components, and metal casework, among others. Abrasives are critical for the initial stages of metal manufacturing, where large amounts of material need to be removed to shape the metal into its preliminary form. Grinding wheels and belts, made from abrasive materials, are used to cut through metal quickly and efficiently, reducing the time and effort required, compared to traditional machining methods. The use of high-end equipment in the medical, automotive, and construction sectors, among others, facilitate precise industrial operations, further adding to the demand for abrasive solutions.

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Competitive Landscape

The market players are increasing their collaboration efforts and are focusing on launching innovative products to gain a competitive edge in the market

Other major players in the abrasives market include Saint-Gobain, Pan Abrasives, and Robert Bosch Power Tools GmbH, among others. The market players engage in a variety of strategic activities to enhance their market position, address the evolving needs of customers, and adapt to the dynamic industrial environment.

Abrasives Market Analysis by Region

The abrasives market in the Asia Pacific is supported by rapid urbanisation, growing infrastructural development, and favourable policies in the region for manufacturing activities. The growing research activities to enhance the use of abrasives in end-use sectors including construction, aerospace, and automotive, among others, are anticipated to boost the market growth in the forecast period. Moreover, the development of synthetic abrasives to meet the rising demand for the product is likely to be another factor aiding the regional market growth.

The North America abrasives market is anticipated to experience robust growth in the coming years. The region's focus on technological advancements and high-precision manufacturing techniques increases the need for specialised abrasives. End-use sectors are looking for abrasives that offer precision, efficiency, and compatibility with automated and advanced manufacturing processes. This includes the demand for super abrasives and precision abrasives for applications in electronics, aerospace, and medical device manufacturing.

Key Highlights of the Report