The global transparent ceramics market was valued at ~ US$ 275 Mn in 2018, and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of ~ 22% during the forecast period.
The global transparent ceramics market is driven by the rise in the demand for electrical & electronics (E&E) and sensors & instrumentation applications.
Asia Pacific accounts for a prominent share of the global transparent ceramics market, led by an increase in the demand for electric, electronic, and healthcare products in the region.
Key Drivers of the Global Transparent Ceramics Market
Transparent ceramics are used as optically transparent materials in different forms. The global transparent ceramics market is anticipated to expand rapidly during the forecast period, owing to the increase in the adoption of energy-efficient materials across the world.
Transparent ceramics are widely employed in the production of components of eco-friendly optical fibers and humidity sensors. This is likely to drive the global transparent ceramics market during the forecast period.
Growth of the medical industry, led by the rise in population, is projected to drive the global transparent ceramics market during the forecast period. Energy-saving potential, cost-saving potential, and durability of transparent ceramics are key factors likely to augment the global market during the forecast period.
Sapphire Material to Offer Attractive Opportunities
The sapphire segment accounted for a major share of the global transparent ceramics market in 2018. It is estimated to be a highly attractive segment during the forecast period. Sapphire-based transparent ceramics are used in a broad range of end-use industries such as optoelectronics, aerospace & defense, and security.
Sapphire is a single-crystal aluminum oxide (Al2O3), which is primarily used when standard glass and technical ceramics cannot meet the demand of certain applications in terms of high transparency. It possesses exceptional optical properties such as high ultraviolet and infrared optical characteristics, high resistance to wear and scratches, high thermal conductivity, and high co-efficiency of linear expansion.
Single-crystal aluminum oxide is an excellent ceramic oxide with a wide range of applications, including adsorbents, catalysts, microelectronics, chemicals, etc. It is applied in aerospace and other high-technology fields also.
High Cost of Transparent Ceramics Likely to Hamper Market
Transparent ceramics require machining to obtain components with a specific shape and size, before they are employed in end-use industries, which entails high capital costs. This factor is hampering the global transparent ceramics market. Transparent ceramics are generally used in all major applications such as optics, aerospace, spacecraft, chemical, mechanical, and consumer products.
The high cost of transparent ceramics is likely to restrain the market in the near future. Furthermore, the high prices of raw materials raise the cost of these ceramics, thereby increasing the prices of end products. Thus, end-use industries are compelled to seek low-cost substitutes for these raw materials.
Asia Pacific a Prominent Transparent Ceramics Market
Asia Pacific accounted for a prominent share of the global transparent ceramics market. The region is expected to offer immense growth opportunities to the transparent ceramics market during the forecast period. Strong industrial growth is projected to fuel the demand for transparent ceramics in different applications in electrical & electronics (E&E) and healthcare industries during the forecast period. Additionally, growth of the military & defense sector in Asia Pacific led by the rise in government investments in the sector fuels the transparent ceramics market in the region.
China accounts for a substantial share of the transparent ceramics market in Asia Pacific, owing to the increased demand for defense equipment in the country over the last few years. The Government in China supports advances in the country's technological production capabilities. Chinas National Development and Reform Commission is in process of supervising a multi-trillion-dollar nationwide project to industrialize the underdeveloped Western provinces of the country. This project would support the continuation of high growth rates of automotive and electronics industries in the country. This, in turn, is projected to drive the transparent ceramics market in China during the forecast period.
Countries of ASEAN are investing highly and making significant advances in research on and commercialization of ceramic products. According to the U.S.ASEAN Business Council, the sub-region is expected to become the fourth-largest economy in the world after China, India, and the U.S. by 2050, surpassing the European Union and Japan.
Top Five Players Accounted for ~ 40% of Market Share in 2018
The global transparent ceramics market is dominated by a few large and medium players that operate across the globe. The top five players, i.e. 3M, II-VI Optical Systems, SCHOTT AG, Surmet Corporation, and CeramTec, accounted for ~ 40% of the market share in 2018. The global transparent ceramics market is dominated by II-VI Optical Systems, which is the largest manufacturer of transparent ceramics across the world.
II-VI Optical Systems designs, develops, and produces integrated optical components, optical assemblies, and optical systems for use in advanced applications. It also designs, manufactures, assembles, and tests precision optical systems and components such as visible, infrared, and laser-based systems and subassemblies. The company invests in mergers and acquisitions in order to maintain its leading position in the transparent ceramics market.
In August 2017, II-VI Optical Systems acquired Kaiam Laser Limited, Inc., a privately-held company based in Newton Aycliffe, the U.K. The latter currently operates as II-VI Compound Semiconductor Ltd. within the formers II-VI Laser Solutions operating segment.
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