Brown Fused Alumina Market Analysis

Brown fused Alumina Market Overview

The global brown fused alumina market share is likely to attain a global CAGR of 7.23% during the ongoing forecast period of 2019-2030. The global brown fused alumina market was valued at USD 622.86 million in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 1165.03 million by the end of 2030.

Brown fused alumina is produced by a reduction fusion of bauxite ore in an electric arc furnace at about 2,250℃. It has a high bulk density and high hardness, making it the perfect raw material for the abrasives production process.

Brown fused alumina is widely used to produce abrasives due to its high bulk density, hardness, and consistent particle size. Additionally, the expansion of steel production capacities worldwide is also expected to generate significant demand for high alumina refractory products, thereby increasing the demand for brown fused alumina market over the forecast period. However, stringent regulations on mining activities are expected to limit raw material availability and affect market growth in the upcoming period.   .

COVID-19 Impact on the Textile Fabric  Market:

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had a slightly negative impact on the global brown fused alumina market due to the disruptions in the supply chain and the non-availability of labor to carry out the production activities. Limited or full-fledged lockdown strategies were implemented across the world to contain the spread of the virus. During the initial phases, these lockdowns severely led to a significant drop in global industrial production. According to the World Bank's January 2021 Global Economic Prospects report estimations, the real gross domestic product of the world contracted by around 3.5%.

Furthermore, the raw material prices also increased for a significant part of 2020 due to limited market availability. Thus, disruption in the supply of key raw materials and limited availability of labor had an adverse impact on the brown fused alumina production facilities located across the world.

Market Dynamics

• High demand for abrasives from various end-use industries: Abrasives are utilized to perform various surface preparation operations, including grinding, polishing, buffing, honing, cutting, drilling, sharpening, lapping, and sanding. They are extensively utilized in various end-use industries such as capital goods, automotive, aerospace & defense, metalworking, and jewelry making. Thus, the growth of these industry sectors is expected to generate a positive demand for abrasives over the forecast period.


• Growth of the global steel industry: Global steel demand is a vital indicator of the health of the global economy. The rapid growth of the building & construction industry and the rise of automotive and capital manufacturing sectors in the Asia-Pacific region have boosted global steel production. Thus, a global increase in steel production is expected to generate increased demand for refractory materials and thereby brown fused alumina market over the forecast period

• Stringent government regulations on mining activities: Bauxite ore is the primary raw material used in the production of brown fused alumina. Mining poses significant environmental challenges. It generates large volumes of waste rock, tailings, acid mine drainage, airborne dust, and other contaminants, which are deposited on land and in the air and water. For these reasons, there are several stringent environmental regulations on mining activities. Apart from environmental damage, mining activities are prone to dangers to the miners and have safety issues concerning exposure to poisonous gases and dust, mine cave-ins, equipment problems, explosions, hearing loss from loud machinery, and heatstroke. Due to this, the International Labor Organization determined a convention was needed to protect the health and safety of mineworkers. The convention that was eventually adopted for this purpose was the Safety and Health in Mines Convention of 1995. Some of the federal laws that regulate mining in the US are Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Clean Air Act (CAA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

• Potential recovery of alumina from coal fly ash: Depletion of bauxite reserves across and the growing restrictions on bauxite mining activities across the world have led scientists to look for alternate sources of alumina. Coal fly ash has emerged as one of the highly promising alternative sources of alumina.

• Emergence of pink fused alumina as an alternative to brown fused alumina: Pink fused alumina is obtained by adding chromium oxide to high purity aluminum oxide during the fusion process. The addition of chromium oxide helps improve its toughness and consistency of grain shapes and sharpness. Pink fused alumina may replace brown fused alumina in abrasives production owing to its superior cutting ability and resistance to highly aggressive environments.

Segmentation 

By Type

• Low Purity (<95%)


• High Purity (>95%)

By Application

• Bonded & Coated Abrasives


• Blasting


• Refractory


• Grinding/Ball Mining


• Others

By Region

• North America


• Europe


• Asia-Pacific


• South America


• Middle East


• Africa

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific dominated the global market with a value share of 49.21% in 2020 and is projected to register the highest CAGR of 8.1% to reach USD 531.84 million by the end of 2028. The market growth can be attributed to the growing urbanization and increasing demand in the refractory industry, especially in the metal manufacturing sector in the emerging economies of Asia-Pacific, particularly in China, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. China is the leading producer and consumer of brown fused alumina in Asia-Pacific, accounting for about 35.05% value share of the regional market in 2020. The growing industrial base and population in China is the prime factor propelling the market growth. The brown fused alumina market in India is expected to register a CAGR of 9.0% during the forecast period.

The North American market accounted for the third-largest share in 2020 and is projected to record a CAGR of 5.7% during the review period. The established presence of metal manufacturers in the region is the prime factor propelling the growth of the brown fused alumina market in North America. The US accounted for a significant share of the brown fused alumina market in North America and is expected to register a CAGR of 5.6% during the review period.

The market in Europe is primarily driven by the demand for brown fused alumina in abrasives and refractory applications. In 2020, Germany accounted for the largest share in Europe and was followed by France. The growth of markets in Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are likely to be driven by the increasing industrialization of global metal manufacturers and shifting upward trend in the regions' economy coupled with the rising per capita disposable income of the consumers in the region.Competitive Landscape

Asia-Pacific led the global brown fused alumina market with a revenue share of 49.21% in 2020 and is expected to register the highest CAGR of 8.09% during the forecast period and is is moderately fragmented in the region. The industry is likely to become more competitive as partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions increase. Furthermore, a growing number of players will enter the market within the estimated assessment period, boosting competition in the market.

The major players in the market include Imerys, Bosai Minerals Group Co., Ltd, LKAB Minerals, Kuhmichel Abrasiv GmbH, Saint-Gobain, Washington Mills, Shandong East Grinding Materials Co., Ltd, Elfusa Geral de Eletrofusão Ltda, and Yichuan Shengyu Abrasives Co., Limited.

The players in this market have shown an aggressive approach towards expansion and increasing production capacities. This is because the key players aim to capture the large consumer base of building & construction, refractory, and sandblasting. The global brown fused alumina market consists of several major players, including Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers. The market represented massive numbers in terms of volume. However, it has shown steady growth in terms of consumption. The market is heading toward expansion, wherein the industry players are, specifically, focusing on capacity expansion. To match with the current and anticipated rise in terms of demand, collective alliances among industry players are expected to be seen over the coming years. As per the industry experts, acquisition and expansion are the widely adopted strategies by prominent players.

Report Overview:

The global brown fused alumina market is segmented by type, application and region in the report. In terms of insights, this report has focused on various levels of analysis such as market dynamics, value chain analysis, Porter's five forces, competitive landscape, and company profiles—all of which comprise and discuss views on the global brown fused alumina industry emerging and fast-growing segments, regions, and countries.

Objectives of the Study

• To provide a detailed analysis of the market structure along with a forecast for the next six years of the various segments of the global brown fused alumina market


• To provide insights into factors affecting the market growth


• To analyze the global brown fused alumina market based on various tools such as supply chain analysis and Porter’s five forces analysis


• To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to respect to regions and their respective key countries


• To provide country-level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and prospects


• To provide segment-level analysis of the market for type, application, and region


• To provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape of the market


• To track and analyze competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, and research and developments in the global brown fused alumina market.

Intended Audience

• Industrial sector


• Broadcast sector


• Enterprise sector


• Digital communication