Superalloys: Technologies, Applications, and Global Markets

Report Highlights

The global superalloy market reached $5.2 billion in 2015. This market is expected to increase from nearly $5.6 billion in 2016 to $7.7 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% for 2016-2021. 

Report Includes

• An overview of the global market for superalloys.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2015 and 2016, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2021.
• Examination of the market based on market share, product and application types, as well as region. 
• An overview for the existing applications as well as new potential markets with upcoming technologies.
• Analyses of the technologies and factors influencing market demand.
• Evaluations of the market structure by major end users, major manufacturers and their market shares, and trends in price. 
• Profiles of major companies in the industry.

Report Scope

The scope of this investigation includes the major superalloy categories that are relevant to an array of mechanical products and equipment. Superalloys provide enhanced durability, excellent thermal management and associated properties, and other key benefits that are critical to the operation of many high-tech mechanical and industrial equipment and facilities. The specific technology categories considered in this report are shown below, which include all major sectors bearing moderate to large markets for superalloy materials on a global basis. This report focuses explicitly on superalloys and does not consider other alloys such as advanced titanium or steel alloys.

Superalloy categories considered in this report:

• Airplane jet engines: jet engines for commercial cargo and passenger airlines; jet engines for private business airlines; jet engines for military applications; jet engines for rotary (helicopter) applications.
• Power generation: utility gas turbines; industrial gas turbines for power generation; steam turbines; nuclear reactors.
• Industrial applications: gas compressors; chemical processing equipment; waste processing equipment; thermal processing equipment.
• Oil and gas extraction: subsea topsides; drilling and completion; compressor systems.
• Automotive: turbochargers; other engine components.

Biomedical applications are also covered in this report. However, they carry a small market size and therefore market data, with breakdowns by material and region but not by their application within the biomedical category, and are provided in an appendix.

The data, market information, and industry insights presented are intended to provide a holistic overview of all the major markets for superalloys. The market analysis submitted in this report is based on a variety of data sources. These include the most recent corporate, industrial, and government data on superalloy production, sales, imports and exports. The manufacturing and industrial productivity data is intended to help gauge anticipated future market growth. The results from the data generated by recent and ongoing research and development efforts are aimed at identifying new and developing niches for certain classes of superalloys and their potential for associated growth.

Research and development of new superalloys and associated materials are key drivers of future market growth within the industry. Emerging superalloys that may become commercially viable within the next five years are summarized but are not included in the market assessment of this report. BCC Research analyzes each major viable superalloy, as shown above, determines its current market status, examines its impact on future markets, and presents forecasts of growth over the next five years. Technological issues, including the latest trends, are assessed and discussed, as are the current and likely regulatory environments in support of this industry. Sales of superalloys into various industrial and manufacturing categories and end uses are considered.

BCC Research analyzes the superalloys industry on a worldwide basis regarding the production and sale of superalloys, as these are incorporated into a variety of products. BCC Research also examines institutional and government support, including research and development (R&D), which ultimately provides support to long-term growth in superalloys markets, as relevant through 2021. BCC Research also discusses recent trends and projections in terms of unit sales, as well as market sales values.

Analyst Credentials

Robert Eckard, PhD, has 15 years of experience working in the cleantech, clean transportation, clean/smart cities, advanced fuels, water and energy sectors. Having completed his dissertation at the University of California at Davis, Robert also runs a specialty industry research and technical consulting company, with an emphasis on energy, water and climate-oriented sectors, including those segments relevant to this study. Robert specializes in commercialization, data-based economic analysis, market development and penetration, environmental analysis and technical energy, environmental and market studies for Fortune 500, Global 1000 and promising startups, as well as state and local governments, other consultants and industry organizations throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia. He worked as a subcontractor under the U.S. Department of Energy providing evaluations of a wide array of industrial technologies, systems and related supply markets. He helped to successfully develop new markets in the U.S. and abroad, identify target niches and support highly successful business strategy development. Previously, he produced reports for BCC Research on global markets pertaining to energy, industry, energy efficiency, water and industrial, durable goods and related categories and technologies. Robert works directly in the industries that he analyzes and has successfully secured over $225 million in fund development for specific projects and technologies in the last six years.