LATAM Powder Metallurgy Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

LATAM Powder Metallurgy Market is forecast to reach $221.2 million by 2025, after growing at a CAGR of 7.7% during 2020-2025. Growths for the parts of powder metallurgy in automobiles are propelled to upsurge during the forecast period due to concerns for decreasing the weight of the vehicle and an increase in the economy of fuel. The use of raw materials and low energy consumption compared to different technologies are the key factors responsible for the growth of the powder metallurgy industry. Furthermore, developing advancements in the innovation in computer and electronic components are going to impel interest for non-ferrous metal powder and the growing adoption of 3d printing is anticipated to create new opportunities for the growth of the global LATAM powder metallurgy industry in the forecast era.

The: “LATAM Powder Metallurgy Market Report – Forecast (2020-2025)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the LATAM Powder Metallurgy Industry.

By Material: Ferrous (Pure Iron and Carbon Steel) and Non-Ferrous (Aluminum, Copper, Nickel, Lead, Zinc, and Others)

By Process: Metal Injection Molding (MIM), Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), Metal Additive Manufacturing (MAM), and Others

By Application: Filters (Ceramic filters, Fiber metal filters, and Others), Machinery Parts (Gears, Sprockets, Rotors, and Others), Cutting Tools and Dies, Bearing and Bushes, Magnets, and Others

By End Use: Automotive (Transmission, Engine Parts, and Others), Aerospace (Aero-engine, Land-based Gas Turbine, Airframe, and Others), Industrial Components (Hydraulics, Motors/Controls, and Others), Electrical and Electronics, Household Appliances, and Others

By Country: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Rest of LATAM

Non-ferrous materials held the largest share in the LATAM powder metallurgy market in 2019. Tungsten was the first non-ferrous metal through which large-scale implementation of powder metallurgical methods began with the development of powder metallurgy techniques. Presently non-ferrous metal such as aluminum is one of the commonly used materials in the manufacturing of non-aerospace applications, automotive, and other components. Aluminum is known for its strength, ductility, lightweight, and other characteristics. Aluminum provides types of goods and alloys that outweigh any other material. Aluminum’s design versatility is unparalleled, enabling designers to establish optimal shape and efficiency for-particular application. 

The metal injection molding (MIM) process is widely used in the LATAM powder metallurgy market. The fabrication of metal injection molding benefits from the application of technology for plastic injection molding to powder metallurgy. The method is used as the starting raw material to produce small and complex components from metal or alloy powders. MIM is commercially, the new metal forming process that offers two major technical advantages, such as the ability to produce high-density parts, and secondly to offers flexibility in three-dimensional design. Also, the approach is useful in reducing the labor costs that are characteristic of machining from cast metal and investment cast products. The MIM process is competitive with the traditionally used press and sinter manufacturing technology to make metal and alloy powder components. Alloy and low-carbon steels, nickel alloys, copper alloys, titanium alloys, tungsten alloys, and ceramics are the materials that are suitable for MIM components.

Filters segment held the largest share in the LATAM powder metallurgy market. Solid metal parts made of powdered metal are utilized by a wide range of industries. The powder metallurgy process and powder metal parts offer many advantages such as first, it is highly efficient because it is automated and second, it is of low cost. Also, another great benefit of powder metallurgy is the fact that it can create such uniform and well-mixed metal parts and the process creates little waste. Also, powdered metallurgy is versatile. Metallurgists can use a wide variety of composites, alloys, and other materials during the sintering process to fabricate machinery products of numerous designs and shapes. Hence, due to the factors mentioned above, the machinery part application is expected to dominate the LATAM powder metallurgy market during the forecast period.

The automotive sector held the largest share in the LATAM powder metallurgy market in 2019 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period 2020-2025. Machinery developed using powder metallurgy technology is used in large quantities to manufacture automotive components. Globally, the growth of the automotive segments of the powder metallurgy industry benefits from cost savings by offering powder metallurgy technology over metalworking technologies such as casting, machining, extrusion, and forging. Because of the low energy requirement, powder metallurgy provides cost savings of about 50 percent compared to technology. Also, due to changing fuel consumption levels throughout the world, the use of powder metallurgy parts in automobiles is expected to increase in the coming years. These new laws are expected to change the characteristics of many automobiles, such as the reduction in vehicle weight, the shift in powertrain design, and the globalization of production and design. Therefore, with the rising automotive activities, the demand for the LATAM powder metallurgy market is expected to grow in the forecast period.

Mexico held the largest share of 56.7% in the LATAM powder metallurgy market in 2019, owing to the high demand for end-user products such as transmission, engine parts, aero-engine, and others. Mexico has contributed immensely to the growth of the LATAM Powder Metallurgy market. This trend is expected to continue in the forthcoming years. Moreover, Electrical machinery equipment, machinery, and vehicles are major drivers for Powder Metallurgy Market in Mexico. According to OICA, the production of light commercial vehicles in Mexico has augmented from 2,325,194 in 2018 to 2,390,147 in 2019, with an increase of 2.8 % in 2019. Thus, with the growing production for vehicles in this region, the demand for the LATAM powder metallurgy market is anticipated to rise in the forecast period.

Powder metal parts display excellent controlled porosity and self-lubricating properties due to which it is a highly recommended method for manufacturing components that involve complex twists, depressions, and projections. Flexibility to produce mechanical parts of different compositions, such as metal-non-metal and metal-metal hybrids, allows high dimensional precision in the manufacture of automotive parts and ensures consistent properties and measurements with very little scrap and waste of material. The most popular automotive parts that are manufactured through the method of powder metallurgy in LATAM are the bearings and gears. Also, it is used in a wide range of vehicle components, including the frame, steering, exhaust, transmission, parts for shock absorbers, engines, batteries, seats, air cleaners, disc brakes, and many more. The use of powder metallurgy in LATAM focuses on improving the net structure, using heat treatment and special surface treatment, and improving accuracy. Thus, with an increasing demand for powder metal-based automotive parts in the LATAM region, the market for LATAM powder metallurgy is anticipated to rise in the forecast period.

Magnetic materials in today's electronic world are essential elements. From the motors and turbines that provide the power for the industry to the high-frequency transformers that power computers, magnetic materials are becoming increasingly more important with the consumer demands such as greater reliability, higher energy efficiency, and lower manufacturing costs. The processing of powder metallurgy (P/M) offers the product designer a broad range of magnetic materials covering both DC and AC applications. Also, high-volume and powder metallurgy can go hand-in-hand, and they almost benefit the electronic and electrical marketplaces. From cell phones and tablets to nozzle assembly earphones and more, powder metallurgy electrical components and electronics is found in nearly every corner of the day-to-day life.

In powder metallurgy, the special materials and processes used can pose life and property hazards. The high surface-area-to-volume ratio of the powders can increase their chemical reactivity in biological exposures (for example, inhalation or ingestion), and increases the risk of dust explosions. A health hazard may arise in the manufacture and use of certain metal powders. Lead is readily absorbed from the lungs and can become a general poison in the body whereas cadmium inhaled from metal spraying may also lead to toxic effects. Certain metals may produce allergic effects also. Cobalt can produce acute asthma in sensitive individuals and a slowly developing fibrosis of the lungs that has occurred in tungsten carbide workers is almost certainly due to cobalt. Aluminum powders as used for fireworks have caused very acute and severe fibrosis of the lungs. Also, some metals such as tin and iron are deposited in the lungs where they are innocuous but produce marked shadows in radiographs of the chest. Thus, such effects will create hurdles for the market for LATAM powder metallurgy in the forecast period.

Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the LATAM powder metallurgy market. In 2019, the market of LATAM powder metallurgy has been consolidated by the top five players accounting for xx% of the share. Major players in the LATAM powder metallurgy market are F.W. Winter Inc. & Co., Carpenter Technology Corporation, Höganäs AB, Kennametal Inc., Ametek Inc., Hoeganaes Corporation, Erasteel Inc. (Eramet), Allegheny Technologies Inc, Alcoa Corporation, and Kymera International (Palladium Equity Partners) among others.