Market Trends of Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) Market according to our research experts:
Baby Diapers to Dominate the Market
- Disposable baby diapers increased in popularity with the introduction of superabsorbent polymers. Superabsorbent polymers in baby diapers absorb about 30 times their weight in urine.
- The polymer starts as a powder and it swells into gel form when it encounters moisture. The moisture cannot be squeezed out of this gel, which makes it efficient for use in diapers as a baby can sit on it and even sleep for hours in a wet diaper. Modern baby diapers contain polyacrylic acid.
- The gel polymerization (GP) method is presently the most favored method for making the sodium polyacrylate superabsorbent polymers to use in baby diapers.
- The baby diaper industry holds more than 70% share of the superabsorbent polymer industry and North America is the major market producing baby diapers.
- An increase in the demand for baby diapers due to increased birth rates and higher disposable incomes, and increasing awareness among the population about hygiene in the Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific, especially in India and China, are likely to increase the demand of superabsorbent polymers in those regions.
- Many new intense innovations to design better diapers to meet the baby's needs are being brought to the market. A baby’s diaper requires about 13 grams of SAP, which is driving the SAP market.
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Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market
- With over 40% of the global demand, Asia-Pacific is the most promising market for Superabsorbent Polymers' (SAP) materials, which is likely to dominate the market in the near future. This domination can be attributed to the growing demand from personal hygiene and agricultural activities in the region.
- China accounts for more than 50% of the demand for SAPs in this region. After China, Japan holds the major demand for SAPs with a share of more than 20% of the regional market.
- China is one of the major consumers of personal hygiene products in the world. The demand for personal hygiene products in the country is attributed to a large number of infant population, and an increase in disposable income, which leads to an increase in personal and hygiene care spending. The use of baby diapers in China started late, but it has grown at a rapid pace over recent years. The country accounts for more than one-tenth of the world’s infant population.
- The agricultural activities in China are also on a rise due to the rapid increase in domestic and export demand for various agricultural products. Other industries, like food packaging and healthcare, is also growing and will boost the demand for superabsorbent polymers in China.
- Japan houses some of the major players in the superabsorbent polymers market, such as Nippon Shokubai, Sanyo, Mitsubishi Petrochemical Company, and Sumitomo Seika. Japan is one of the major players of high-quality baby diapers and adult incontinence products across Asia.
- Overall, with the consistent growth in China and Japan, the demand for Superabsorbent Polymers is expected to increase at a faster pace in the overall region, in the coming years. The huge growth of Asia-Pacific is quite instrumental in the expansion of the global super absorbent polymers (SAP) market.
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