Global Silica Gel Market Report and Forecast 2024-2032

Global Silica Gel Market Size

The global silica gel market reached approximately USD 647.65 million in 2023. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.3% between 2024 and 2032, reaching a value of around USD 839.73 million by 2032.

Silica Gel Market Outlook

• Silica gel is widely used to extend the shelf life of packaged foods in the food and beverage sector.

• Silica gel is finding applications in energy storage systems and batteries, particularly in lithium-ion batteries.

• Emerging markets, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, are experiencing significant growth in the silica gel market.

Silica Gel Market Growth Rate

Silica gel refers to a noncrystalline and highly porous form of silica used for removing moisture from liquids and gases for imparting a dull surface to synthetic films and paints and for thickening liquid, among other purposes. The gel can hold and absorb moisture due to the presence of millions of tiny pores.

The expansion of the electronics sector is bolstering the requirement for desiccants, aiding the silica gel market growth. Condensation and humidity can cause permanent damage to electronic products resulting in huge financial losses for manufacturers. The presence of stringent regulatory standards for ensuring the quality of medicines and other pharmaceutical products is providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. Silica gel acts as a conditioning agent, anti-settling agent, adsorbent, defoaming agent, and stabiliser, among others, ensuring the safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products. Increasing demand for footwear due to rising celebrity endorsements and collaborations with athletes and sports professionals is propelling the requirement for silica gel as it locks away moisture, protecting leather shoes.

Key Trends and Developments

Increased demand in desiccant applications; use in chromatography; growing environmental concerns; and innovation in silica gel products are the major trends impacting the silica gel market expansion

January 9th, 2024

BASF, a provider of silica gel, partnered with Stena Recycling, a recycling company, to develop a new recycling process for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.

December 26th, 2023

AGC Inc., a Japanese company known for its production of glass, chemicals, and high-tech materials, announced that it aims to enhance its biopharmaceutical CDMO) capacity at the AGC Yokohama Technical Center.

November 28th, 2023

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, a global provider of silica gel, and Flagship Pioneering, an innovator in biotechnology, announced a strategic partnership to rapidly develop and scale multi-product platforms for commercialisation.

September 26th, 2023

Merck, a prominent science company, became the first organisation to provide comprehensive services covering all essential phases of mRNA development, production, and commercialisation, including products and testing.

Increased demand in desiccant applications

Silica gel is widely used as a desiccant to control humidity and avoid product degradation in various sectors such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, and food packaging.

Use in chromatography

The increasing use of chromatography in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors is driving the demand for high-quality silica gel.

Growing environmental concerns

Silica gel is non-toxic and can be reused, making it an attractive option for companies looking to reduce their environmental impact.

Innovation in silica gel products

Companies are innovating and developing new silica gel products with improved properties and applications, such as silica gels with higher adsorption capacities.

Silica Gel Market Trends

Chromatography is a widely used technique in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors for the separation, identification, and purification of compounds. For instance, high-quality silica gel provides better separation and resolution of compounds, which is essential for accurate analysis and purification in pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications.

Key players in the silica market are developing sustainable processes for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries which incorporate silica gel. BASF and Stena Recycling collaborated in January 2024 to create a more efficient and sustainable recycling process for lithium-ion batteries. This partnership combines BASF's expertise in chemical processing and material science with Stena Recycling's experience in waste management and recycling.

Silica Gel Industry Segmentation

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

Market Breakup by Type

• Indicating

• Non-indicating

Market Breakup by Industry Vertical

• Pharmaceuticals

• Paint and Coating

• Food and Beverages

• Personal Care

• Plastic

• Others

Market Breakup by Region

• North America

• Europe

• Asia Pacific

• Latin America

• Middle East and Africa

Silica Gel Market Share

Non-indicating silica gel are increasingly being used due to its widespread usage in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and electronics

Non-indicating silica gel occupies a substantial share of the market. It is a transparent or white form of silica gel that does not change colour when it adsorbs moisture. Non-indicating silica gel is widely used in a variety of applications, including in pharmaceuticals, food packaging, electronics, and industrial processes, due to its high adsorption capacity and cost-effectiveness.

Indicating silica gel is anticipated to gain a sizeable share in the coming years. It contains a colour-changing indicator that allows users to visually monitor the level of moisture adsorption. When the silica gel absorbs moisture, it changes colour, signalling that it needs to be replaced or regenerated. This feature is useful in applications where visual monitoring of moisture is important, such as in air drying systems, museum display cases, or small-scale packaging.

The food and beverage sector maintains its dominance in the market as silica gel is widely used to prevent spoilage of foods

The food and beverage sector is expected to account for a significant share of the silica gel market owing to the ability of silica gel to enhance the quality and flavour of non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, and oils, among others. The expansion of the food and beverage sector is propelling the demand for silica gel by the food and beverage sector as silica beads have millions of microscopic pores that lower vapour pressure and increase surface area. This allows silica gel to absorb moisture from its surroundings. Due to the non-toxic, chemically unreactive, and non-corrosive nature of silica gel, it is widely used in the food and beverage sector.

The pharmaceutical sector is expected to gain robust growth in the silica gel market in the forecast period, primarily due to its widespread use as a desiccant in drug packaging to protect products from moisture, which can lead to degradation or reduced shelf life.

Leading Companies in Silica Gel Market

The market players are introducing novel technologies to stay ahead in the competition, further increasing their collaboration efforts to meet the evolving regulatory landscape

BASF SE, headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, is one of the leading chemical manufacturing companies involved in the production of silica gel, agriculture solutions, and performance products, among others.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., headquartered in Massachusetts, United States, is one of the largest suppliers of analytical, laboratory, and diagnostic instruments.

AGC Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the leading manufacturers of display glass, automotive, ceramics, and chemicals, among other high-tech components and materials including silica gel.

Fuji Silysia Chemical, Ltd., headquartered in Japan, is a global chemical company that specialises in the production and development of synthetic amorphous silica.

Other market players include International Silica Gel Co., Ltd., Merck KGaA, SiliCycle Inc., W. R. Grace & Co., Ashirwad Chemicals, and Osaka Soda Co., Ltd., among others.

Silica Gel Market Analysis by Region

The Asia Pacific is anticipated to account for a significant share of the market in the coming years. This growth can be attributed to the rapid expansion of the pharmaceutical sector in various countries in the region. Silica gel is used to enhance the shelf life of vitamins and medicines that are packaged in containers and bottles. It is made of non-toxic substances and absorbs the moisture of the packaging, suppressing the odour of the medicines. The increased requirement from the power generation, media, and footwear sectors is further bolstering the market demand in the region.

The demand for the silica gel market in North America is driven by various factors across different industrial sectors. Silica gel is used as a catalyst and adsorbent in various chemical and petrochemical processes and the presence of a significant chemical and petrochemical sector in the region contributes to the demand for silica gel in this sector.

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Silica Gel Market Report Snapshots

Silica Gel Market Size

Silica Gel Market Growth

Silica Gel Market Trends

Silica Gel Market Share

Silica Gel Companies

Silica Gel Market Regional Analysis