With the growing application base in water treatment, construction, automotive & transportation, oil & gas sectors, the global hybrid polymer market has recorded significant expansion over the past few years. In the food and beverage industry, for example, introduction of stricter norms to ensure safe food packaging has revolutionized the biodegradable hybrid polymer industry.
Recently, Hauschild SpeedMixer, a German sustainability startup, announced that it is focusing on R&D to upgrade its granular formulation for delivering a range of materials, including packaging adhesives, films, and coatings using its innovative DAC mixer. The ‘traceless’ natural biopolymer granulate produced by the company is likely to replace conventional plastics and bioplastics in both food and non-food packaging industries, with global plastic pollution continuing to be a pressing concern.
Ongoing technological innovations and the robust adoption of eco-friendly hybrid polymer sealants and adhesives are as well likely to boost industry demand.
Listed below are three crucial application trends that are expected to fuel the product demand in 2022 and beyond:
Growing demand for hybrid polymer in the FMCG industry
Plastic is one of the most extensively used materials in the FMCG packaging industry due to its lightweight, flexible qualities, and low-cost features. However, with the rising need for packaged goods such as food and beverages, companies are realigning their sustainability goals and searching for organic packaging solutions, such as hybrid packaging.
Prominent FMCG firms, including the likes of Danone, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, L’Oréal, and Unilever, have set an ambitious target of 100% sustainable packaging by 2025. By making such commitments, companies can fulfill customer prerequisites while eliminating harmful materials from the environment, paving way for the growth in demand for hybrid polymers.
Since hybrid polymer coatings are used to improve the shelf life of bio-based biopolymer packaging films, their demand is likely to see an uptick in the upcoming years. Recently, in August 2022, Australia-based biomaterials company Great Wrap revealed that it has added a compostable bioplastic film that is made from starch extracted from potato peels. Similarly, researchers at Rutgers University announced that they have developed a starch-based biodegradable polymer coating for protecting food from contamination and spoilage during transportation.
A rise in water treatment activities
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 2 billion people live in water-stressed nations, a situation that is likely to worsen due to population expansion and climate change.
In India, for example, the annual per capita availability of water declined by 75% in 2021. Meanwhile, by 2030, the nation will require 1.5 trillion cubic meters of water, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. A proposed alternative to the nation’s growing water crisis is the recycling and reuse of treated wastewater, wherein these products will be used in the water supply infrastructure. These substances will be used as coagulants, flocculants, and adsorbents, apart from their key role in the fabrication of water treatment membrane.
Organic and inorganic hybrid polymers will gain momentum as new advancements in water treatment technologies are useful for the fabrication of the membrane. As they are highly capable of adsorbing dyes from industrial wastewater and are used for removing acidic dyes with different chemical structures, the product uptake is expected to rise.
Surge in green building initiatives
Environmental sustainability is becoming an important consideration in material selection for construction and building. Governments across the globe have been encouraging the use of renewable building materials in the construction industry.
The Indian government, for example, supports green construction with its Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA). It has made it compulsory for all public-sector buildings to receive at least a 3-star rating under the GRIHA, enhancing the sales of green building materials including hybrid polymer sealants and adhesives.
Key product attributes of hybrid polymer sealant and adhesives like high compatibility with paints and bonding ability with varied substrates, have positioned them as a key material used in flooring, insulation, waterproofing, wall covering applications.
Bostik (Arkema Group), Stahl, WACKER, Kaneka, AGC Inc., 3M, and The Sherwin-Williams Company are some of the prominent hybrid polymer manufacturers operating on a global scale. To cater to the diverse market demands, industry leaders have been experimenting with a host of marketing strategies, such as partnerships, new product launch, and acquisitions & mergers.
Source: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/hybrid-polymer-market