Abstract
What this report gives you:
- Independent, in-depth research and analysis
- Essential market intelligence for successful business planning
- Detailed survey of production and processing in 42 countries
- Up-to-date profiles of the activities of silicon and ferrosilicon producing and processing companies, including Ferroatlántica, Globe Specialty Metals, Erdos Electrical Power and Metallurgical and JSC Kuznetsky Ferroalloys
- Forecasts for end-use consumption and world supply and demand
Unprecedented rates of growth for silicon and ferrosilicon markets
In 2007, the markets for silicon and ferrosilicon were enjoying an unprecedented rate of growth, due mainly to increased demand for silicones and solar cells in the case of silicon, and to rapid expansion in global steel making in the case of ferrosilicon. Although supplied to very different markets, the prices of silicon and ferrosilicon follow very similar trends because of the similarity in production processes, and the importance of the supply and cost of power in their production. With demand for silicon in silicones expected to grow at some 10%py in coming years, as well as robust demand for aluminium-silicon alloys, overall demand should expand at about 8%py up to 2011. Demand for ferrosilicon as an alloying agent in carbon, stainless and alloy steels is at an all time high and continuing to rise, with growth rates of over 6% in world steel output. Silicon prices appeared set to remain high into 2008 despite a fall off in demand from the US automobile sector for cast aluminium silicon alloys. Chemical and electronic demand remained strong, and power availability and prices continued to limit output, particularly in Europe and North America. Antidumping duties on Chinese silicon in the USA and Europe will remain in place, further underpinning prices.
The key trends, issues and developments in the market are analysed in this major new report from Roskill. It provides a clear insight into the industry and its trends, and an authoritative analysis of the prospects for the future.
Report Highlights
Several European and North American silicon producers are taking advantage of the extremely rapid growth in demand for high value solar grade silicon, which, although small in volume terms, provides much higher profit margins than bulk markets. World polysilicon capacity is likely to increase to more than 60ktpy by 2010, (20ktpy in China), driven by the solar energy market. Hemlock Semiconductors in the USA and Wacker Polysilicon in Germany are the principal producers.
World silicon metal capacity is of the order of 2.4Mtpy, approximately 70% of which was utilised in 2006. Globe Speciality Metals, with some 224ktpy (9% of the world total) of production capacity at plants in the USA and Brazil, is the largest producing company. Ferroatlántica, having acquired Péchiney' s facilities from Alcan, has the next largest capacity with 204ktpy (8.5%) at four plants in France, one in Spain and one in South Africa. A 25ktpy project by Silicium Kazakhstan and a 100ktpy project by Ferroatlántica in China were the only new standard grade silicon projects in existence globally in 2007.
World ferrosilicon production capacity of approximately 7.5Mtpy is very fragmented with some 70 companies in 27 countries outside China (where as many as 1,000 plants are said to exist) reporting capacities ranging from less than 1ktpy to over 500ktpy. Current production levels represent a capacity utilisation rate of approximately 80%. Kuznetsky in Russia is the largest producer with 550ktpy of capacity. No new ferrosilicon projects were being planned in 2007, but both Erdos and Kuznetsky were expanding capacity to come on stream in 2008 and 2009.
With China supplying over half the world' s ferrosilicon, the newly introduced export tax, power costs and domestic demand was expected to keep supplies tight and underpin prices well into 2008. Export prices for standard 75%Si grade ferrosilicon appeared likely to move above $1,000/t (Si content) in the second half of 2007, and will probably remain there throughout 2008.
Table of Contents
1 Summary
2 Occurrence and properties of silicon and ferrosilicon
- Occurrence and resources of silicon
- Properties of silicon
3 Production processes, production costs and grades of silicon and ferrosilicon
- Silicon production processes
- Ferrosilicon production processes
- Silicon and ferrosilicon production costs
- Grades of silicon and ferrosilicon
4 World production data for silicon and ferrosilicon
- Silicon production
- Silicon producing companies and capacities
- Ferrosilicon production
- Ferrosilicon producing companies and capacities
5 Notes on silicon and ferrosilicon producing countries
Details of reserves, production, producers and processors of zirconium, and potential projects in each of the following countries, where applicable:
Argentina; Australia; Bhutan; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Brazil; Bulgaria; Canada; Chile; China; Egypt; France; Germany; Hungary; Iceland; India; Iran; Italy; Japan; Kazakhstan; South Korea; Macedonia; Namibia; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Peru; Poland; Romania; Russia; Saudi Arabia; Slovakia; Slovenia; South Africa; Spain; Sweden; Taiwan; Turkey; Ukraine; UK; USA; Uruguay; Venezuela;
6 Consumption of silicon and ferrosilicon
- Consumption of silicon
- Consumption of ferrosilicon
- Consumption of silicon and ferrosilicon by use
- Outlook for silicon and ferrosilicon demand
7 Uses of silicon
- Use of silicon in aluminium alloys
- Classification of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys
- Markets for silicon-bearing aluminium alloys
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in transport
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in machinery and equipment
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in consumer durables
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in containers and packaging
- Use of aluminium in building and construction
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in electrical uses
- Use of silicon-bearing aluminium alloys in other applications
- Outlook for silicon-bearing aluminium alloys
- Use of silicon in silicones and silanes
- Markets for silicones
- Producers of silicone products and intermediates
- Use of silicon in the production of polycrystalline silicon
- Companies producing polysilicon
- Outlook for production of polysilicon
- Use of silicon in semiconductors
- Production of silicon semiconductor wafers
- Markets for silicon semiconductor wafers
- Outlook for silicon demand in semiconductors
- Use of silicon in photovoltaic (solar) cells
- New developments in production of solar-grade silicon
- Markets for solar panels and recent developments
- The solar energy industry
- Outlook for silicon demand in solar cells
- Other uses of silicon
- Iron and steel
- Superalloys
- Nickel- and iron-based alloys
- Silicon nitride
- Sialons
- Silicon nanoparticles
- Porous silicon
- Fumed silica and silicon carbide (carborundum)
- Fumed silica
- Silicon carbide
8 Uses of ferrosilicon
- Use of ferrosilicon in steel
- Crude steel production
- Carbon steel
- Alloy steels
- Stainless steels
- Outlook for use of ferrosilicon in steel
- Use of ferrosilicon in cast iron
- Production of cast irons
- Metallurgy and applications of cast irons
- Outlook for use of ferrosilicon in cast irons
- Other uses for ferrosilicon
9 Analysis of international trade data for silicon and ferrosilicon
- International trade in silicon metal
- International trade in ferrosilicon
10 Prices and marketing of silicon and ferrosilicon
- Silicon metal prices
- Historic price trends of silicon metal
- Ferrosilicon prices
- Historic price trends for ferrosilicon
- Outlook for prices of silicon metal and ferrosilicon
