Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All Public Company News
      • All Multimedia News
      • View All News Releases

      • Regulatory News

      • D/A/CH Regulatory News
      • UK Regulatory News
      • View All Regulatory News

  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads & Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking & Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalisation
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls & Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil & Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defence
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers & Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines & Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics & Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture & Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewellery
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks & Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels & Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Animal Welfare
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Economic News, Trends & Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • Labour & Union
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Public Safety
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • SocialBoost
  • Rooms
    • MediaRoom
    • ESG Rooms
  • AI Tools
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PR Newswire UK provides press release distribution, targeting, monitoring, and marketing services
  • Send a Release
    • Phone

    • +44 (0)20 7454 5110 from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      +44 (0)20 7454 5110
      from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • News in Focus
    • Browse News Releases
    • Regulatory News
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • AI Tools
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists

Roskill: Outlook for Silicon Metal Diverges Sharply From That for Ferrosilicon

This image opens in the lightbox

News provided by

Roskill Information Services

18 Jul, 2017, 07:00 GMT

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

LONDON, July 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Roskill released its new silicon and ferrosilicon market report with forecasts out to 2026 in July. It is essential reading for anyone needing a comprehensive overview of these markets. 

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150909/264974LOGO )  

Silicon metal consumption growth has accelerated since the global financial crisis 

Global consumption of silicon metal has increased strongly in recent years, reaching 2.8Mt in 2016. Between 2000 and 2010, global consumption grew at an average rate of 5.4%py and from 2010 to 2016, the average growth rate increased slightly to 5.8%py. Silicon metal, therefore, is somewhat unusual amongst metals, in that its consumption growth has accelerated, rather than slowed, since the global financial crisis. 

The strong growth in consumption is reflective of the fact that all of the three largest end-use applications for silicon metal (aluminium alloys, silicones and polysilicon in solar applications) have experienced strong demand growth in recent years. 

Aluminium remains the largest end-use for silicon metal, accounting for roughly half of total consumption in 2016. Roskill expects silicon metal demand from the aluminium sector to grow quite strongly, at an average annual rate of 3.4%py between 2016 and 2026. This will be underpinned by anticipated growth in aluminium demand from the automotive sector.

Silicones are the second-largest end-use sector for silicon metal, representing roughly 30% of global consumption in 2016. There are estimated to be 10,000 individual applications for silicones. Many of these are in sectors which are chiefly driven by consumer spending and disposable income. As a consequence, the markets for silicone products remain mature economies such as North America, Western Europe and Japan although developing economies will drive future demand.

Polysilicon used in solar applications accounted for 17% of silicon metal consumption in 2016. The solar sector has experienced by far the fastest consumption growth of any market for silicon metal over the past decade and this is expected to remain the case. The solar industry remains volatile but has transitioned from the stage where growth was largely dependent on government incentives and subsidies to a situation where a significant proportion of new solar installations are being financed wholly by private sector investment. There has also been a major geographical shift; Asia accounted for only a small proportion of new solar installations a decade ago, whilst it now accounts for the overwhelming majority.

Ferrosilicon consumption has, however, shown a declining trend 

While silicon metal consumption growth has been rather positive since the global financial crisis, the same cannot be said for ferrosilicon demand growth. Global consumption peaked in 2011, and has since followed a declining trend, with the drop being especially steep between 2014 and 2016 by which point world consumption was 6.5Mt on a 75% silicon content basis. Declines are reflective of falling use of ferrosilicon per tonne of crude steel in China, and the reduction in crude steel output in industrialised regions such as Europe, the USA and Japan since the global financial crisis. Roskill forecasts that world ferrosilicon consumption will recover somewhat, but with an anticipated growth rate of only 1%py to 2026, global consumption will remain below the peak reached in 2011.

Ferrosilicon is primarily consumed in three applications: steel, iron castings and magnesium. Steel remains overwhelmingly the largest end-user of ferrosilicon. Steel's share of world ferrosilicon consumption peaked at 77% in 2009 but declined to 69% by 2016. This was underpinned by a decline in ferrosilicon consumption in carbon and alloy steels. Roskill expects steels to maintain their market share for ferrosilicon consumption over the period to 2026.

Iron castings remain the second-largest end-use for ferrosilicon representing roughly 17% of total consumption in 2016. World cast iron consumption has consistently grown at a slower rate than steel over the past two decades, primarily because of the use of alternative materials. This is a long-term trend, which has developed over a number of decades, especially in the automotive industry, and that will continue and perhaps even accelerate over the next decade. It is expected that this trend will continue, and perhaps even accelerate over the next decade. This will continue to result in low growth rates for ferrosilicon consumption in cast iron, though it will be beneficial for silicon metal consumption in aluminium applications as one of iron's competitors.

Magnesium is the third significant end-use sector for ferrosilicon, representing 13% of global ferrosilicon consumption in 2016. Magnesium's share of world ferrosilicon consumption has consistently increased over the past two decades; in 2000 it was only 5%. Almost all of the ferrosilicon used in magnesium production is consumed in China, where magnesium output increased more than fivefold between 2000 and 2016. Roskill expects consumption of ferrosilicon in magnesium will grow at a modest rate between 2016 and 2026, although somewhat below the anticipated growth rate of magnesium consumption.

Overcapacity remains in both markets  

Though global ferrosilicon production remains more than double that of silicon metal, the gap has narrowed substantially in recent years, as silicon metal output has grown strongly whilst production of ferrosilicon has declined. The gap is much narrower still in terms of value, given that prices for silicon metal are far higher than those for ferrosilicon.

World silicon metal production in 2016 was estimated at 2.7Mt. This was unchanged from 2015, though the stable total obscures various increases and decreases in production at the country level. China remains the dominant force in the market; accounting for around 75% of global capacity and 65% of world production. Seven out of the top 10 global producers are Chinese-owned. 

Global silicon metal capacity utilisation is estimated at 51% in 2016. This is a marginal increase compared with recent years but utilisation remains very low. This primarily reflects the overcapacity and low utilisation rate which characterises the Chinese silicon metal industry. 

World ferrosilicon production in 2016 was estimated at 6.4Mt. Following demand trends, output peaked in 2011 and has since followed a declining trend. China currently dominates world output of ferrosilicon to a similar extent than is the case with silicon metal. However, whilst China's share of world silicon metal output has risen since the global economic crisis, its share of global ferrosilicon output has fallen markedly over the same period. From a peak of 74% in 2009, China's share of world ferrosilicon fell to 66% in 2016.

Ferrosilicon utilisation in 2016 has fallen to 47%. This is a marked decrease compared to several years earlier, when world capacity utilisation was comfortably above 50%. Despite strong Chinese government action to reduce overcapacity, capacity utilisation in ferrosilicon has declined in China as output has fallen faster than capacity has been cut.

Silicon and Ferrosilicon: Global Industry Markets and Outlook to 2026, 13th Edition is available to buy from Roskill Information Services Ltd, 54 Russell Road, London SW19 1QL UK soon. Click here to download the brochure.

For further information, contact us on:
Tel: +44-20-8417-0087
Fax: +44-20-8417-1308
Email: info@roskill.com

Web: www.roskill.com

Modal title

Contact PR Newswire

  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
    from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships

Products

  • Content Distribution
  • Multimedia Services
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Partnering Opportunities
  • Careers
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
+44 (0)20 7454 5110
from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 PR Newswire Europe Limited. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.