| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
| Base Year For Estimation | 2024 |
| Forecast Data Period | 2025 - 2030 |
| CAGR | 3.00 % |
| Fastest Growing Market | Middle East and Africa |
| Largest Market | Asia Pacific |
| Market Concentration | Low |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
Caprolactam Market Analysis
The Caprolactam Market is expected to register a CAGR of greater than 3% during the forecast period.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the caprolactam market was negatively impacted. Owing to the lockdown in various countries across the world, there were supply chain constraints that significantly obstructed the expansion of the industry. However, the market recovered last year, and it is expected to grow at a significant rate in the coming years.
- Over the short term, the growing production capacity of Nylon 6 is the major driving factor favoring the market's growth.
- On the flip side, the toxicity of caprolactam and the presence of substitute products for Nylon-6 will likely hinder the market growth.
- Increasing focus on recycling caprolactam will likely act as an opportunity over the forecast period.
- Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the world, with the largest consumption from countries, such as China, India and South Korea.
Caprolactam Market Trends
Increasing Demand for Textile and Carpets
- Caprolactam is the monomer for the production of a chemical fiber called Nylon 6, which is extensively used in the textile industry to produce non-woven fabrics.
- Fabric made from nylon 6 is colorful and lightweight, and strong and durable. It can be easily dyed at normal atmospheric pressure and produces bright and deep shades. Fabrics, such as chiffon and organza, owe their luster and translucent appeal to nylon 6.
- Carpet fiber made from nylon 6 resin is durable, resilient, and colorfast. Nylon 6 offers a great range of colors and design options to carpet manufacturers. Furthermore, carpets made from nylon 6 are resistant to abrasion, wear and tear, and crushing and matting while granting long-lasting performance to the end product. Nylon 6 is the most durable and versatile fiber used to manufacture carpets.
- In the global textile industry, chemical fiber accounts for the major share accounting for more than 77% of the total production volume of textile fiber in the year 2021.
- As per the Industrievereinigung Chemiefaser (German Chemical Fiber Industry Association) in the year 2021, the total global production volume for chemical fibres was 88.2 million metric tons, registering an increase of around 9% as compared to the year 2020.
- Furthermore, the global production of synthetic chemical fibers (nylon 6, polyamide, etc) increased by 9.2% in the year 2021 and reached 80.9 million metric tons.
- The textile industries of European countries such as Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal are valued at around one-fifth of the global textile industry registering a value of around USD 160 billion.
- Owing to its properties the demand for nylon 6 from the textile and carpet industry is observing a continuous increase and is likely to favour the market studied over the forecast period.
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Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market
- The Asia-Pacific region dominates the global market with the highest share of almost 70%. With the growing textile industry in countries like China and India, the consumption of caprolactam is increasing in the region.
- China is the largest producer of nylon 6 worldwide. Some of the largest manufacturers of nylon 6 in China are Guangdong Xinhui Meida Nylon Co Ltd, BASF (China) Co. Ltd, Liheng (Changle) Polyamide Technology Co. Ltd, etc. In terms of GDP, China is the second-largest economy in the world.
- As per the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's textile exports from January to October 2022 grew 6.9 % year on year (YoY) and reached USD 125.7 billion. Moreover, the combined operating revenue of the major Chinese textile enterprises increased by 1.6 % YoY to CNY 4.28 trillion (~ USD 611.65 billion) during the January-October 2022 period.
- According to the WTO (World Trade Organization), India is the third-largest textile manufacturing industry. In India, the production of fabric from the decentralized sector of the country was recorded as 74.27 billion sq. m. in 2020 and the overall production was registered at more than 76.29 billion sq. m. According to IBEF, the Indian textiles market is expected to reach USD 209 billion by 2029, which will further boost the demand for the market from textile sector.
- Other countries such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and Bangladesh enjoy a prominent share in the textile industry and are expected to upsurge the demand for caprolactam at a high pace over the forecast period.
- Along with textile industry, caprolactam also has significant demand from industrial yarn, and resin and films which are majorly used in the automotive industry.
- As per the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA) the automotive industry in the Asia-Pacific increased by 6% and reached to 46,732,784 vehicles.
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Caprolactam Industry Overview
The global caprolactam market is fragmented, and the top five players account for around 35% share (in terms of production capacity) in the global market. Key players in the market include (not in any particular order) China Petrochemical Development Corporation, Fibrant, BASF SE, Capro Co., and UBE Corporation.
Caprolactam Market Leaders
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China Petrochemical Development Corporation
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Fibrant
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BASF SE
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Capro Co.
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UBE Corporation
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
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Caprolactam Market News
- In September 2022, Xuyang Group at its Cangzhou Park site started the production of caprolactam post-completion of its second phase of the 300,000 tons per year caprolactam expansion project. With this expansion project, the company's total production capacity increased to 750,000 tons per year.
- In April 2022, Sumitomo Chemical announced that the company is closing its production facilities for caprolactam at its Ehime Works (Niihama city, Ehime, Japan). With this, the company is exiting the caprolactam business.
- In March 2022, Domo Chemicals expanded its production capacity to 500,000 tons/year of caprolactam from 176,000 tons/year at its production site in Germany.
Caprolactam Industry Segmentation
Caprolactam is a colorless solid organic compound and is a lactam (a cyclic amide) of caproic acid. It is mainly used to make Nylon 6 filament, fiber, and plastics. The caprolactam market is segmented by raw material, end product, application, and geography. By raw material, the market is segmented into phenol and cyclohexane. By end product, the market is segmented into nylon 6 resins, nylon 6 fibers, and other end products. The market is segmented by application into engineering resins and films, industrial yarns textiles and carpets, and other applications. By end-user industry, the market is segmented into the automotive, carpet, textile, and other end-user industries. The report also covers the market size and forecasts for the wood-based panel market in 15 countries across major regions. For each segment, the market sizing and forecasts have been done based on volume terms (in kilo metric tons).
| Raw Material | Phenol | ||
| Cyclohexane | |||
| End Product | Nylon 6 Resins | ||
| Nylon 6 Fibers | |||
| Other End Products | |||
| Application | Engineering Resins and Films | ||
| Industrial Yarns | |||
| Textiles and Carpets | |||
| Other Applications | |||
| End-user Industry | Automotive | ||
| Carpet | |||
| Textile | |||
| Other End-user Industries | |||
| Geography | Asia-Pacific | China | |
| Japan | |||
| South Korea | |||
| Rest of Asia-Pacific | |||
| North America | United States | ||
| Canada | |||
| Mexico | |||
| Europe | Germany | ||
| United Kingdom | |||
| France | |||
| Italy | |||
| Rest of Europe | |||
| South America | Brazil | ||
| Argentina | |||
| Rest of South America | |||
| Middle-East and Africa | Saudi Arabia | ||
| South Africa | |||
| Rest of Middle-East and Africa | |||
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Caprolactam Market Research FAQs
What is the current Caprolactam Market size?
The Caprolactam Market is projected to register a CAGR of greater than 3% during the forecast period (2025-2030)
Who are the key players in Caprolactam Market?
China Petrochemical Development Corporation, Fibrant, BASF SE, Capro Co. and UBE Corporation are the major companies operating in the Caprolactam Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in Caprolactam Market?
Middle East and Africa is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2025-2030).
Which region has the biggest share in Caprolactam Market?
In 2025, the Asia Pacific accounts for the largest market share in Caprolactam Market.
What years does this Caprolactam Market cover?
The report covers the Caprolactam Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the Caprolactam Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
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Caprolactam Industry Report
The global caprolactam market is experiencing a significant surge, driven by the growing demand for nylon 6 fibers and resins across the automotive, textile, and electronics industries. This demand is attributed to caprolactam's superior properties such as high strength, elasticity, chemical and oil resistance, and low moisture absorbency. The market's growth is further accelerated by the shift towards lightweight automotive vehicles, the expansion of engineering plastics applications, and a rising interest in bio-based caprolactam, opening new avenues for sustainability. Dominating this market, the Asia-Pacific region, especially China, India, and South Korea, benefits from robust textile and automotive sectors. Market players are focusing on research and development, strategic partnerships, and technological innovations to meet the evolving needs of end-users. The increasing use of nylon 6 fibers in textiles, carpets, and industrial yarns, along with the demand for engineering resins and films, positions the caprolactam market for ongoing growth. For detailed caprolactam market share, size, revenue growth rate, and a forecast outlook, Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports offer comprehensive analysis and free report PDF downloads.
