Cement additives are compounds that are added to cement to improve its characteristics and the grinding process. They come in fiber, chemical, and mineral forms and are categorized into grinding aids, productivity enhancers, and performance enhancers.
Market Summary and Forecast
According to OMR Research, the global cement additive market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period (2023–2029). The growing consumer preference for better and higher-quality cement is driving the market's expansion. Moreover, growing construction activities owing to urbanization are also accelerating the demand for cement additives. According to the United Nations, around 66% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050, accounting for more than 6 billion people.
According to the United Nations' World Urbanization Prospects, India, China, and Nigeria will have the most urban expansion. Since 2014, there has been a considerable increase in urbanization in emerging economies. There were just 28 megacity projects in 2014, with 41 expected by 2030. As a result, rising building activity in developing nations such as India, China, and Vietnam is raising cement consumption rates, which is expected to contribute considerably to global cement additive market growth.
The governments are also supporting construction activities, resulting in market growth. For instance, in March 2021, the Indian Parliament enacted legislation to establish the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), a $2.5 billion development finance institution to support infrastructure projects in India. Besides, in November 2022, cement output (weight: 5.37%) grew by 28.6% from November 2021. Its cumulative index improved by 10.8% from April to November 2022 compared to the same period the previous year.
Recent Developments
The key companies in the cement additive market include BASF SE, AkzoNobel NV, The Dow Chemical Company, Heidelberg Cement, W. R. Grace and Company, USG Corp., Sika AG, Kao Corp., Lanxess AG, China National Bluestar Group, and others. These companies are contributing to the market’s growth through various mergers, collaborations, new product launches, investments in research and development, and others. Some of the recent developments in the market include-
• In October 2022, Betolar, located in Finland, presented its first concrete products made with Geoprime on the Indian market. Geoprime is a cement-free concrete additive that is made from ash and crushed granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). Precast blocks, paving slabs, and tiles comprise the new concrete product line.
• In July 2022, following an agreement with Graphenano Smart Materials, Beton Catalan SA (CRH Group) integrated graphene technology in its high efficiency concretes to minimize CO2. The use of a graphene-based additive increases both mechanical durability and performance while also providing environmental benefits by lowering the carbon footprint of the concrete.
• In February 2022, a collaboration of partners led by First Graphene was awarded UK government funding to produce high-performance graphene-enhanced cement. The partnership, which includes construction materials organization Breedon Cement Ltd., the University of Manchester's Department of Mechanical, Civil, and Aerospace Engineering, and Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd., received a GBP 190,034 ($231,298) grant from the UK government's innovation agency, Innovate UK. In addition, in January 2022, First Graphene entered into a collaborative deal with Fosroc to produce graphene cement additives.