(May 1, 2026) Recently, the domestic silica market has fluctuated upward, the prices of sodium silicate, sulfuric acid and coal energy in the raw material industry have continued to rise, and the normalization of environmental protection supervision in various places has been implemented.
Judging from the front-line feedback of the market, the current polarization of the industry is becoming more and more obvious. Due to the low entry threshold of general precipitation silica, blind expansion of production in recent years, high market inventory, serious competition involution, manufacturers can only rely on low prices to maintain operation, profits are greatly squeezed by raw material costs, many small and medium-sized processing plants have reduced production, stopped production and wait-and-see.
In stark contrast, the supply and demand of special modified silica and fumed silica market are tight. Adapted to silicone rubber, sealant, coating matting, tire high dispersion modification, lithium battery materials, daily chemical toothpaste and other segmented customized grades, does not rely on low-price competition, with controllable particle size, excellent dispersion, stable adsorption and other exclusive performance, firmly lock in downstream major customers, not only the price of goods is strong, but also in a state of short supply, and the pace of import subseveration is further accelerated.
The foreign trade side also shows structural differences, and the bargaining power of ordinary industrial-grade silica exports is weak, which is vulnerable to the impact of overseas competitors; The high-end silica that has been surface modified and meets the EU environmental protection standards has continued to rise in the market recognition of Southeast Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and foreign trade orders have grown steadily, becoming a new revenue growth point for enterprises.
According to industry insiders, the era of extensive development of simply making general low-end silica has ended. In the future, the core of industry competition is no longer the scale of production capacity, but formula modification technology, customized R&D capabilities, and stable quality control. With the continuous upgrading of downstream new energy, high-end rubber and plastics, green tires, and fine chemicals, niche specialized, high value-added silica products will continue to be released, and small and medium-sized enterprises lacking technology research and development and customer customization capabilities will be gradually eliminated by the market, and industry resources will be further concentrated on the head specialized and special new enterprises.
