Same as what the customers are saying, additive suppliers are finding better opportunities in the growing market of specialty powder coating. The reported growth is most notable in a number of segments. But along with this growth are some key challenges faced by additive manufacturers. The major one is the sustained development of new and innovative products such as antifoam additive to assist customers achieve success in their respective markets. In addition, regulatory concerns particularly the potential changes to be made with the regulatory platform is another challenge. And finally, as is the case with other raw material suppliers, rising costs remain to be a challenge.
Looking forward, the additive market is expected to achieve marginal growth in the coating segment in the coming years. Many of the unique additive materials, including antifoam additive and surfactant, are finding their way into more and more coating formulations. The sustained growth in surface treatment as well as non-traditional specialty powder coating, including metallic, is anticipated to increase. Whereas the new additives have also received much more interest in the protective coating market. Of all the market segments, export is expected to have the most potential for growth, with moderate growth in emerging markets while there’s a constrained growth in more developed regions.