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Fine-ground calcium carbonate (FGCC) and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC)
are used as fillers and extenders in a variety of applications, including plastic,
paint, paper, adhesives and many others. The consumption of FGCC is more than
double the amount of PCC consumed.
The following pie charts show world consumption of fine-ground and precipitated
calcium carbonate.
Fine-ground calcium carbonates are
widely used as fillers in adhesive
and sealant compounds. Adhesive and
sealant applications encompass a wide
spectrum of products ranging from household
caulks to joint cement compounds and
carpet backings. The U.S. market for
FGCC in adhesives and sealants is projected
to grow at an average annual rate of
1.5% through 2011.
The second-largest market for FGCC
in the United States is the plastics
industry. The largest plastics market
for FGCC is in polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
plastics. In automotive plastics, FGCC
is used as an extender in order to
achieve cost reductions. The U.S. market
for FGCC in plastics is projected to
grow at an average annual rate of 2.0%
through 2011.
The largest market for PCC in the
United States is the paper industry,
where it is used predominantly as a
filler. In 2006, approximately 90%
of the PCC produced was consumed by
the paper industry. In the United States,
PCC has been experiencing a growth
surge since 1986, attributable to the
paper industry’s conversion from
acid papermaking technology to alkaline
and to the success of the PCC on-site
satellite plant concept where producers
supply product from plants located
adjacent to paper mills.
In Europe, consumption of FGCC greatly
exceeds that of PCC. Europe has an
abundant supply of high-purity FGCC,
which can be processed into high-purity
and high-brightness ground carbonate
fillers. Because of the great availability
of inexpensive high-purity raw material,
PCC faces strong competition from fine-ground
calcium carbonate. In 2006, PCC demand
for paper in Europe accounted for 90%
of total demand. The paper industry
has been the driving force behind the
growth of PCC in Europe. Future growth
of PCC in Europe depends on the number
of new PCC on-site plants.
The largest consumer of fine-ground
calcium carbonate in Japan is the paper
industry, followed by the plastics
industry. PCC growth was driven by
high demand for high-quality alkaline
paper and strong demand for coated
paper. |
