Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Powder Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Linear, Crosslinked), By Application (PVC Modification, Automotive, Construction), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Report Overview

The global nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) powder market size to be valued at USD 586.0 million by 2025 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8% during the forecast period. The rising scale of automotive manufacturing and the use of modified plastics is expected to act as a key driver for the NBR market. The product finds extensive use in the automotive industry owing to its properties, such as resistance to oil and chemicals, structural stability in extreme temperatures, and impact resistance. NBR is used in automotive components, such as hoses, cables and belting, O-rings and seals, and other molded and extruded products. Nitrile butadiene rubber powder is extensively used as an adhesive, sealant, and PVC modifiers to form modified plastics with high impact and wear resistance. Also, NBR powder finds application in the automotive industry for gasket manufacturing.

The requirement of the product in the service of automotive also creates an opportunity in the aftermarket. An increasing automotive sale is also anticipated to augment the market for NBR in the upcoming years. PVC is a highly versatile polymer and is utilized for manufacturing a wide array of products, such as construction profiles, pipes and fittings, rigid plastics, flexible sheets and films, and coated fabrics. Growth of the PVC resins market is anticipated to boost the demand for performance-enhancing materials including nitrile rubber powder.

Moreover, NBR powder comprising nearly 33.0% acrylonitrile content, is highly suitable for use in PVC modification. Zeon Chemicals LP offers NBR powder under the Nipol brand name for PVC modification. Arlanxeo Performance Elastomers, a key business division of Lanxess and Saudi Aramco manufactures Baymod NXL nitrile rubber powder exclusively for PVC modification applications.

Although NBR finds applications in various industries in the manufacturing of numerous products, the presence of other NBR grades based on acrylonitrile content is anticipated to hamper market growth over the forecast period. Substitutes of nitrile butadiene rubber powder include other NBR grades such as medium acrylonitrile, low acrylonitrile, heat resistant, specialty, and liquid acrylonitrile.

However, the growth of the automobile industry in emerging markets including China, India, and Mexico coupled with increasing expenditure on personal safety and hygiene is expected to drive the NBR product market over the next few years. The product is primarily used in hoses, belting, and cables for industrial use on account of its oil and heat resistant characteristics. The automotive industry was one of the largest end-use industries for NBR where rubber was used in manufacturing applications including sealing, piping, and other molded components.

Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Powder Market Trends

The Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) material is used in the production of tires and cushioning of automobile components. The need for lightweight and fuel-efficient automobiles in the global automotive market in accordance with the rising vehicle demand, and the need for nitrile butadiene rubber in numerous automotive applications are the driving factors for the growth of nitrile butadiene rubber market.

The nitrile butadiene rubber has excellent oil resistance characteristics compared to other natural rubbers. This characteristic of NBR makes it suitable for the oil and gas industry owing to  susceptibility of NBR to fire accidents due to oil and gas leakage. Increase in investments in the oil and gas industry especially in the U.S. and UAE countries is expected to drive the NBR market.

However, the lack of standards and protocols, and the availability of replacement materialsare constraining the market expansion. It is substituted with Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) or fluor elastomers for aeronautical applications. Besides, volatility in prices of raw material is one of the key barriers to the market expansion.

The primary factors driving market growth include increased public awareness about radiation prevention and rising safety concerns in healthcare. Furthermore, the increase in the end-user industries offers favorable opportunities for the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) market to grow. Moreover, technical advancements, as well as innovations and untapped potential in the developing market will offer lucrative growth opportunities.

Product Insights

Based on the product, the market can be segmented into cross-linked and linear. Cross-linked NBR held around 82.0% of the global market share in terms of revenue in 2016. This product segment is likely to witness the fastest CAGR during the forecast period, on account of its increasing usage in consumer goods and PVC modification sectors.

Cross-linked NBR powder is a polymer comprising of a highly branched-chain structure. This product is polymerized at higher temperature conditions exceeding 40°C. This product is also referred to as cross-linked hot nitrile butadiene rubber that is polymerized by the addition of di-functional monomers.

The branched structure of the said product provides good adhesion and tacking, increases the dimensional stability of extruded and calendered products, and offers good impact resistance. Owing to the superior performance attributes of cross-linked nitrile butadiene rubber products, it is suitably utilized in compression molding, sponge formation, extrusions, and vulcanization applications.

Continuing further, Asia Pacific accounted for the largest volume share of the linear nitrile butadiene rubber product market in 2016. The rapid industrialization of major end-users such as plastic processing, automotive, and construction is estimated to drive the demand of linear nitrile butadiene rubber product market during the forecast period. This scenario is likely to reflect in major Asia Pacific countries including China, India, and countries in Southeast Asia.

Application Insights

The application segment of the global nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) powder market is segmented based on PVC modification, automotive, buildings, footwear, consumer goods, and others including gloves, food processing, and textile coatings. In the construction industry, the product is widely utilized for making adhesives and sealants.

Nitrile butadiene rubber powder is also utilized in the manufacturing of construction adhesives required in installations of plywood sub-flooring and wall panels. The product is used in the manufacturing of elastomeric seals that are required in fluid pipelines or ducts in buildings. Omnova Solutions, Inc. manufactures Chemigum P35 targeting various application markets including automotive and construction.

North America is projected to offer scope for NBR powder consumption to a certain extent during the forecast period. The revival of the U.S. construction industry is likely to act as a growth-supporting factor of the nitrile butadiene rubber powder demand, in the next couple of years.

Continuing further, shifting of bases by automotive manufacturers from Europe and the U.S. to emerging economies such as China and India, owing to the low cost of skilled labor and land rates in the region has resulted in a change of automotive manufacturing activities towards the eastern world. Policies presented by the governments of these countries, such as the “Make in India” initiative by the Government of India, offer a lucrative market for automotive manufacturers.

Regional Insights

In terms of region, Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest market growth both in terms of volume and revenue in 2016. Robust growth of residential as well as commercial construction sectors in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore and Malaysia is estimated to propel the demand for building materials over the next couple of years. This scenario is considered to drive the market growth of nitrile butadiene rubber powder by the end of 2025.

Significant consumption of PVC plastics coupled with strong industrialization of automotive and construction sectors in China, India, and Southeast Asia is projected to serve as key growth driving factors of nitrile butadiene rubber powder.

The rise in infrastructure activities in India is estimated to boost the market requirements of building materials during the forecast period. This in turn is expected to positively impact the consumption of nitrile butadiene rubber powder, owing to its extensive usage in PVC pipes, ducts, seals, and construction adhesives.

Moreover, cross-linked nitrile butadiene rubber powder is anticipated to be the fastest-growing product segment in Europe during the forecast period. The highly branched structure of crosslinked nitrile butadiene rubber powder makes it suitable for use as a resin modifier. Significant product consumption in automotive, consumer goods, and footwear is estimated to spur market growth during the forecast period. Lanxess and Sibur Holding are a couple of prominent players operating in the Europe NBR powder market.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The increasing entry of new companies across the value chain is likely to lead to market fragmentation over the years ahead. Moreover, technological breakthroughs, research expertise, distributorship, and emerging applications are the key factors that have a significant potential to provide room for new players to enter the market.

To strengthen the market positions, manufacturers are investing significantly in the research & development of nitrile butadiene rubber powders. The rising adoption of cross-linked nitrile butadiene rubber powder formulations over linear nitrile butadiene rubber powder is likely to serve as another growth opportunity for the market players, in terms of improving their product portfolios and ultimately propelling their business.

Some of the key companies present in the industry are Zeon Chemicals, L.P., Omnova Solutions, Inc., Sibur Holding, Taprath Elastomers LLP, Shijiazhuang Wuyuan Commercial and Trade Co. Ltd., Huangshan Hualan Technology Co. Ltd., Nitriflex S.A. Indústria e Comércio, and LG Chem. Ltd.

Recent Developments

• In May 2022, JSR Corporation, a leading manufacturer and supplier of synthetic rubber and fine chemical materials has been acquired by Eneos Corp. By dividing the firm, JSR is expected to create a new venture to transfer the elastomer business and the shares of worldwide subsidiaries and affiliates associated with this business.

• In February 2022, Blue Star NBR LLC, a Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) manufacturing company in the USA invested $714 million in Wythe County's Progress Park to create a nitrile glove manufacturing operation and advanced nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) manufacturing facility.

• In May 2021, The Department of Defense (DOD) granted US Medical Glove Company, LLC. a $63.6 million contract to boost domestic nitrile glove production capacity, on behalf of and in association with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Powder Market Report Scope

Global Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) Powder Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global and regional levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) powder market report based on the product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Linear NBR

  • Cross-Linked NBR

• Application Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • PVC Modification

  • Automotive

  • Construction

  • Footwear

  • Consumer Goods

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

  • Europe

  • Asia Pacific

  • Rest of the World (RoW)