Conductive Inks & Pastes Market to Reach a Valuation of ~US$ 3 Bn by 2027

May 21, 2021

Conductive Inks & Pastes Market: Introduction

The global conductive inks & pastes market was valued at ~US$ 2.3 Bn in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of ~3% during the forecast period
The global conductive inks & pastes market is driven by the increase in demand for printed and flexible electronics across the globe
Asia Pacific accounts for major share of the global conductive inks & pastes market, led by high demand for conductive inks and pastes among electronics manufacturers

Key Drivers of Conductive Inks & Pastes Market

Printing is a cost-effective production method for certain applications. Printed electronics help address this high-throughput, reduced-cost scenario. Flatbed (screen/stencil), flexographic, and rotogravure printing are the commonly used technologies in printed electronics.
Printed electronics can be used in a wide range of applications such as organic photovoltaics (OPVs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Rise in usage of flexible displays, photovoltaic cells, and circuitry is driving the global demand for flexible and printed electronics technology. Conductive inks and pastes are being evolved to meet these requirements.
Conductive inks are employed to print grid lines on thin film solar cells. These inks possess excellent adhesion to transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films and exceptional flexibility. They can be used as conductive adhesives to build solar arrays. This is expected to drive the conductive inks & pastes market in the near future.

Rise in Production of Electronics to Boost Opportunities for Conductive Inks & Pastes Market

Conductive inks are primarily used in the printed electronics industry to produce printed circuits, organic light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. Key advantages of these products include their flexibility, light weight, and low costs.
The global electronics industry is expanding rapidly, owing to the rise in demand for these products in developing economies such as India, China, and South Korea. Furthermore, increase in consumer spending in developing countries, rise in demand for solution services, higher functionality of smartphones, and growth in usage of electric equipment in automobiles are driving the demand for electronic products. Thus, surge in demand for electronic products is boosting the global conductive inks & pastes market.

High Prices and Complexities Associated with High-end Technologies to Hamper Conductive Inks & Pastes Market

Conductive inks are primarily made by using materials such as silver, copper, and carbon. Silver is highly conductive, but expensive; while copper is cheaper, but is more prone to oxidation.
Currently, nano-copper particles are primarily prepared through gas-phase evaporation, electrolysis, plasma coagulation, and mechanical grinding. However, copper ions prepared by using the methods mentioned above can be easily oxidized and unstable. This has been adversely affecting the global conductive inks & pastes market since the last few years.

Asia Pacific Dominates Conductive Inks & Pastes Market

Asia Pacific held leading share of the global conducive inks market in 2018. Increase in usage of conductive inks and pastes in photovoltaic cells is fueling the conductive inks & pastes market in the region. Rise in demand for advanced consumer electronics products and growth in usage of silver conductive inks and pastes are some of the key factors boosting the conductive inks & pastes market in Asia Pacific.
Technological advancements is a prominent driver of the conductive inks & pastes market in North America. Increase in usage of RFID tags in different industries and rise in demand for printed circuit boards are propelling the conductive inks & pastes market in the region.
Introduction of special conductive inks and pastes in digital printing, OLED panels, printed antennas, solar cells, and touch panels is likely to drive the conductive inks & pastes market in Europe during the forecast period. Rise in demand for printed electronics and advanced technology deployed in the manufacture of certain film displays and RFID tags are fueling demand for conductive inks and pastes in the region.

Fragmented Nature of Conductive Inks & Pastes Market

The global conductive inks & pastes market is highly fragmented. Key manufacturers include DIC CORPORATION, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Heraeus Holding GmbH, and DuPont de Nemours, Inc. These manufacturers cumulatively held 28.5% share of the global conductive inks & pastes market.
DIC CORPORATION held prominent share of 10.8% of the global market in 2018. The company is renowned for its brand called ‘SunTronic’ in the global conductive inks & pastes market. DIC CORPORATION is engaged in the development of new products through extensive research & development and strategic capital allocation in order to increase its share in the global market.