Aug 25 2006
Global growth in the use of inorganic silver as an antibacterial agent in the plastics market is robust and shows no signs of slowing down, particularly in the U.S., Western Europe, and China, according to the latest market studies by Kline & Company.
"Silver is entrenched in the Japanese market, which places a high importance on antimicrobial protection," says Gillian Morris, industry manager of the Chemicals and Materials practice for Kline & Company's research division. "In Japan, silver ions are supported in an inorganic matrix/substrate such as zeolites or alumina-silica-based biocides that are often used not so much to protect the integrity of the material, but more to protect consumers, particularly in hospital settings where containing disease transmission vectors is a big concern."
According to Kline's recently completed study series, SPECIALTY BIOCIDES 2004-2005, the overall markets for specialty biocides in both the U.S. and Europe are very mature, with silver emerging as one of the few bright spots. Annual consumption of silver-based biocides is expected to grow by more than 20% in Europe, 25% in the U.S., and nearly 15% in China, albeit from a small base in each case. However, cultural factors and market nuances present significant challenges as well as opportunities to suppliers of these materials.
"The Japanese are quite sophisticated in terms of the technology and demand for protection and the method in which it is delivered to the final article," says Morris. "On the other hand, in Europe, there is growing concern about overexposure to antimicrobial substances. The fear is that sanitizing everything may reduce people's natural immunity to common germs and help antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria to develop."
Morris notes the EU's Biocidal Products Directive (BPD) will also play a significant role in the consumption of OBPA over the next five years. It remains to be seen whether OBPA will be banned completely, due to significant environmental concerns, or whether its use will be restricted to certain applications. In anticipation of BPD review, many end users are switching to alternative biocides, making way for other actives such as isothiazolinones.
"The potential for growth in silver biocides has a lot of producers looking at this market, but clearly there are some significant cultural and regulatory issues that vary widely from region to region," says Eric Vogelsberg, senior vice president and head of Kline's Chemicals & Materials consulting practice. "Newcomers to this growing sector need to have a strong understanding of each market and the distribution channels and the competitive forces at work in each region, and then develop a specific strategy for each market. A one-size-fits-all approach won't be successful here."
SPECIALTY BIOCIDES 2004-2005, comprising separate volumes for the Chinese, U.S., Western European, and Japanese markets, is designed to help suppliers and formulators of specialty biocides understand the market dynamics in each significant product segment. Each regional report volume provides a detailed analysis of 11 to 14 end-use applications, 7 biocide product classes, and more than 40 individual products. Profiles of leading biocide suppliers in each region are also provided. The Western European volume provides insight regarding the EU's BPD process and expected outcomes.
http://www.klinegroup.com.