Prismane

Global Caprolactam Market Analysis By Demand [Capacity Utilization, Production, Net Exports, Demand Growth Rate], By Types, By Applications & Forecast Analysis, 2032

Caprolactam Market Overview 

The global Caprolactam market was valued at USD 16.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 23.8 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.7% from 2023 to 2032. Caprolactam is an important intermediate for the production of polyamide 6 fibres and Engineering Plastics. Around 70% of Caprolactam is used to make polyamide fibres and the remaining is used for making polyamide 6 resin for injection moulded parts and extruded films. 

Global Caprolactam Demand Supply Analysis (Kiloton)
Global Caprolactam Demand Supply Analysis 2016-2032 (Kilo Tons)
Source: Secondary & Primary Research and Prismane Consulting estimates


Caprolactam Capacity Overview

In 2023, the global Caprolactam capacity stood at 9460 Kiloton with Asia Pacific accounting for more than 70% of the global Caprolactam capacity. Europe (Western Europe and Central Eastern Europe) accounted for around 20% while North America accounted for less than 10% of the global Caprolactam capacity. The caprolactam industry has been flat globally except in China. China has added substantial caprolactam capacity between 2012 and 2022. 

An average of 400 Kiloton of caprolactam capacity has been added per year since 2015 and 2023, and further capacity additions are projected in the mid-term forecast. Pingmei Shenma, Luxi Chemical Co., Risun (Hebei Cangzhou Xuyang Chemical), Zhejiang Baling Hengyi Caprolactam Co., Ltd. have added and are further planning of adding an additional 2 million tons of caprolactam capacity by 2026-2027. The country’s average capacity utilization rates have been hovering around 68% between 2016 and 2023, with further huge capacity additions the country’s industry which was in a state of oversupply, will further worsen. However, the country which until 2021 was a net importer of caprolactam importing around 200 kilo tons between 2016 and 2021, will change its status of being a net exporter of the nylon precursor.

Global Caprolactam Capacity, By Region - 2023 (Kilo Tons)
Global Caprolactam Capacity, By Region - 2022 (Kilo Tons)
Source: Secondary & Primary Research and Prismane Consulting estimates
These huge capacity additions in China have led to a lot of restructuring of the caprolactam industry. BASF reduced its Ludwigshafen, Germany caprolactam capacity by 100 Kiloton between 2016 and 2018; Fibrant closed its 204 Kiloton caprolactam capacity in the US in 2016, Sumitomo shut its 95 kilo tons liquid-phase caprolactam production line back in late 2015 and exited the polyamide precursor market by ceasing operations at its 85 Kiloton capacity in Ehime, Niihama in October 2023. Ube recently announced to cease of operations at its Ube City caprolactam capacity in Japan.

Caprolactam Demand Overview

The global Caprolactam demand was estimated to be over 6800 Kiloton in year 2023 which has grown at aggregate rate of 3% between 2016 and 2023. Utilization rates were around 77% in last five years. Utilization rates declined from 80% to 72% between years 2016 to 2023 due to major capacity additions in China causing global Caprolactam demand-supply imbalance and restructuring in America & European Market.

Global Caprolactam Demand Analysis by Application - 2032 (Kiloton)
Global Caprolactam Demand Analysis by Application - 2016-2022 (Kilo Tons)
The demand for Caprolactam is directly linked to consumption of polyamide 6 resin and fibre. China is the largest market for PA 6 and therefore it is also a major consumer of Caprolactam. Caprolactam imports in China peaked in year 2012 which was around 700 Kiloton and then imports declined on the back of rise in new Caprolactam capacity in China. Still China imported around 220 kilotons caprolactam which was mainly imported from European market last year. Major realignment can be seen in European and US market, with BASF reducing its Caprolactam capacity at its Ludwigshafen, Germany site by 100 KT (Sept 2016) and Fibrant (DSM -CVC capital JV) plans to scale down its Caprolactam capacity at its Augusta, US. China s focus towards self-sufficiency has forced major Caprolactam and polyamide producers to realign with the market conditions. Effect of reduction in Caprolactam supply was seen in spot price of Caprolactam in the months of November-December last year. Most of the Caprolactam manufacturers are in China, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania, Japan, India, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.

In 2022, Asia Pacific was estimated to be a largest market for Caprolactam accounting for over 70% of the global demand. The region is projected to witness strong demand in the forecast period owing to the major Polyamide capacity additions. Caprolactam is used as an intermediate for production of polyamide 6 fibres and Engineering Plastics. Western Europe is the second major consumer of caprolactam accounting for over 10% of the global market while North America accounts for less than 10% of the global caprolactam consumption.

In 2022, India caprolactam demand stood at 124 kilo tons and it is further projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.7% to reach 163 kilo tons from 2023-2032. India is a net importer of Caprolactam with an annual average import size of 50 kilo tons in last six years. Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GSFC) and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) are the caprolactam producer in India, together producing around 120 kilo tons of caprolactam. 

Key players in Caprolactam market

The key players in Caprolactam market are BASF SE, Fibrant (DSM-CVC capital partners JV), Lanxess, DOMO, ALPEX, AdvanSix (Formerly Honeywell), UBE Industries Ltd., Toray Industries Inc., Zaklady Azotowe Tarnowe, Grupa Azoty, Sinopec Baling Petrochemicals, Shangdong Hali, Zhejiang Juhua Co. Ltd, FACT, GSFC and Shandong Hongye Group. BASF is a leading caprolactam manufacturer in the world producing around 635 kilo tons as of 2022. 

In early 2023, BASF decided to shut its 70 kilo tons caprolactam plant in Germany owing to high energy cost, resulting in an adjustment in capacity, which will then stand at 565 kilo tons.

Scope of Report 

The Caprolactam report describes the global Caprolactam market, with focus on the country, applications and other end-use scenarios. The study provides

•  Demand Analysis
•  Demand Composition, by Applications
•  Capacity 
•  Sales & Revenue
•  Pricing Analysis
•  Market Dynamics

Country Summaries & Product Review
•  Demand Balance 
•  Caprolactam Market data in terms of volume and value for each end-use at regional and country level
•  Historical, Current & Market Forecast
•  Macro-economic factors like GDP, Population and World Economic integration
•  Economic & Energy Outlook
•  Industry & Policy Developments 
•  End-use Industry / Applications Market 
•  Reasoning & Analysis
•  Insightful Commentary
•  Market Review
•  Comparative Analysis
•  Key players
•  Strategic Issues and Recommendations
•  Business Opportunity Assessment

Caprolactum Regional Demand (Sample)


1.  Introduction
      •  Scope
      •  Market Coverage
          -  Applications
          -  Regions
          -  Countries
      •  Years Considered
          -  Historical - 2016 – 2021
          -  Base - 2022
          -  Forecast Period - 2023 – 2032
      •  Research Methodology
          -  Approach
          -  Research Methodology
          -  Assumptions & Limitations
          -  Abbreviations & Definitions
          -  Conversion Factors
          -  Data Sources
2.  Market Synopsis 
      •  Market Evolution
      •  Demand-Supply Overview
      •  Industry Structure
      •  Strategic Issues
      •  End-use Trends
      •  Growth Forecast
3.  Economic & Energy Outlook
      •  GDP and Demographics
      •  Monetary & Fiscal Policies
      •  Crude Oil Production and prices
      •  Natural Gas
      •  Electricity Prices
4.  End-use Sector Performance
      •  Automotive
      •  Electrical & Electronics
      •  Packaging Film
      •  Industrial
      •  Textiles
      •  Consumer Goods & Appliances
      •  Others
5.  Plants & Projects Analysis
      •  Caprolactam Production Capacity, by Company
      •  Caprolactam Production Capacity, by Country and by region
      •  Capacity Overview
      •  Product Description
      •  Grades & Properties
      •  Raw Material
      •  Manufacturing Process
      •  Environmental Issues
      •  Value Chain
      •  Applications
7.  Market Dynamics and Industry Trends 
      •  Market Dynamics 
          -  Drivers
          -  Restraints
          -  Opportunities
          -  Challenges
8.  Global Caprolactam Demand-Supply Analysis, By Applications (Volume, Value) (2016–2032)
      •  Strategic Issues
      •  Demand-Supply Analysis and Forecast (2016 – 2032)
          -  Capacity
          -  Capacity Utilization (%)
          -  Production
          -  Imports
          -  Exports
          -  Net Trade
          -  Demand
          -  Demand Growth Rate (%)
          -  Driving Force Analysis
      •  Global Caprolactam Market, By Applications
          -  Polyamide 6 (Chips for Fiber)
          -  Polyamide 6 (Resins for Extrusion & Molding)
          -  Industrial Applications
          -  Others
9.  Demand-Supply Analysis and Market Review, By Region, By Country (Volume, Value), (2016– 2032)
      •  Strategic Issues
      •  Capacity
      •  Capacity Utilization (%)
      •  Production
      •  Imports
      •  Exports
      •  Net Exports
      •  Demand
      •  Demand Growth Rate (%)
      •  Caprolactam Market, By Applications
Note: Demand-Supply Analysis has been provided for all major Regions / Countries as mentioned below. The demand-supply (consumption) split by applications has been provided for each of the countries/regions in Volume (Kilotons) and Value (USD Million).
      •  North America
         -  USA
         -  Canada
         -  Mexico
      •  Western Europe
         -  Germany
         -  France
         -  Italy
         -  United Kingdom
         -  Spain
         -  Rest of Western Europe
      •  Central & Eastern Europe
         -  Russia
         -  Poland
         -  Rest of Central & Eastern Europe
      •  Asia-Pacific
         -  China
         -  Japan
         -  India
         -  South Korea
         -  ASEAN
         -  Rest of Asia-Pacific
      •  Central & South America
      •  Middle East & Africa
Note: CAGR will be calculated for all the applications to arrive at the regional/global demand growth for the forecast period (2023 – 2032)
10.  Pricing Analysis
      •  Average Caprolactam prices, by Country 
      •  Average Caprolactam prices, by Region
      •  Price Forecast
11.  Key Strategic Issues
12.  Business Opportunity Assessment 
      •  Market Attractiveness Assessment
13.  Strategic Recommendation & Suggestions
14.  Company Analysis and Market Share Analysis
         -  Basic Details
         - Headquarters, Key Markets
         -  Ownership
         -  Company Financial
         -  Manufacturing Bases
         -  Global Turnover
         -  Total Employee
         -  Product Portfolio / Services / Solutions
         -  Recent Developments
         -  Companies Covered
             -  BASF
             -  Fibrant (DSM Spin-Off)
             -  Alpex (Formerly UNIVEX)
             -  AdvanSix (Formerly Honeywell)
             -  UBE Chemicals
             -  ZA Pulaway
             -  ZA Tarnow
             -  Azot Group
             -  Sumitomo Chemical
             -  Toray
             -  Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Co. Limed.
             -  Shangdong Hali Chemicals
             -  Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals (GSFC)
             -  Other Manufacturers
Note: This section includes company information, company financials, manufacturing bases, and operating regions. Company financials have been mentioned only for those companies where financials were available in SEC Filings, annual reports, or company websites. All the reported financials in this report are in U.S. Dollars. Financials reported in other currencies have been converted using average currency conversion rates. Company profiles may include manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors.
15.  Appendices
      •  Demand-Supply - Regions
      •  Demand-Supply– Countries
      •  Capacities, 2016-2032

Scope of Report 

The Caprolactam report describes the global Caprolactam market, with focus on the country, applications and other end-use scenarios. The study provides

•  Demand Analysis
•  Demand Composition, by Applications
•  Capacity 
•  Sales & Revenue
•  Pricing Analysis
•  Market Dynamics

Country Summaries & Product Review
•  Demand Balance 
•  Caprolactam Market data in terms of volume and value for each end-use at regional and country level
•  Historical, Current & Market Forecast
•  Macro-economic factors like GDP, Population and World Economic integration
•  Economic & Energy Outlook
•  Industry & Policy Developments 
•  End-use Industry / Applications Market 
•  Reasoning & Analysis
•  Insightful Commentary
•  Market Review
•  Comparative Analysis
•  Key players
•  Strategic Issues and Recommendations
•  Business Opportunity Assessment

Caprolactum Regional Demand (Sample)



Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current global Caprolactam capacity?
In 2023, the global Caprolactam capacity stood at 9450 with Asia Pacific accounting for more than 70% of the global Caprolactam capacity.
Who are the leading players in the Caprolactam Market?
The key players in Caprolactam market are BASF SE, Fibrant (DSM-CVC capital partners JV), Lanxess, DOMO, ALPEX, AdvanSix (Formerly Honeywell), UBE Industries Ltd., Toray Industries Inc., Zaklady Azotowe Tarnowe, Grupa Azoty, Sinopec Baling Petrochemicals, Shangdong Hali, Zhejiang Juhua Co. Ltd, FACT, GSFC and Shandong Hongye Group. BASF is a leading caprolactam manufacturer in the world producing around 635 kilo tons as of 2022.
What is the demand for caprolactam?
The global Caprolactam market was valued at USD 16.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 23.8 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.7% from 2023 to 2032.
What is the demand of caprolactam in India?
In 2023, India caprolactam demand stood at 124 kilo tons and it is further projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.7% to reach 163 kilo tons from 2023-2032. India is a net importer of Caprolactam with an annual average import size of 50 Kiloton in the last six years. Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GSFC) and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT) are the caprolactam producer in India, together producing around 120 kilo tons of caprolactam.
Which region has the biggest share in Caprolactam Market?
In 2023, Asia Pacific was estimated to be a largest market for Caprolactam accounting for over 70% of the global demand.