Fluoroelastomers are polymers that contain fluorine. Owing to their inert nature towards harsh chemical conditions and excellent sealing properties, they have a high demand in many industries such as automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, energy & power, chemical processing, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals & food processing.

The fluoroelastomer market is valued at USD 1.21 Billion in 2017. Fluoroelastomers are used in the manufacture of O-rings, seals & gaskets, and hoses. These sealing products are used across various end-use industries such as automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, energy & power, semiconductors, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, food processing, and others. The growth of these end-use industries is expected to drive the growth of the fluoroelastomers market during the forecast period. Based on type, the fluoroelastomer market has been segmented into fluorocarbon, fluorosilicone, and perfluoroelastomers. Perfluoroelastomers is estimated to be the fastest-growing type of the fluoroelastomers market during the forecast period. It is used for the manufacture of various applications such as O-rings, seals & gaskets, hoses, and complex molding parts. Perfluoroelastomers surpass fluorocarbon elastomers in almost all characteristics. Pefluoroelastomers are used where the properties are not sufficient to meet the needs of the end-use industry. Among end-use industries of fluoroelastomers, automotive is estimated to remain the largest segment during the forecast period. Fluoroelastomers are widely used in fuel systems of conventional vehicles to reduce emissions, and these are also preferred for insulation of battery voltage cables of electric vehicles. The increasing demand for vehicles from emerging countries such as China, India, and Brazil is projected to fuel the demand for fluoroelastomers during the forecast period. Increasing popularity of electric cars, and rising disposable incomes of the middle class populations in many countries are expected to boost the demand for vehicles in the respective regions. Rising demand for fluoroelastomers from the automotive, aerospace, and semiconductor industries is driving the fluoroelastomers market, globally. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing market for fluoroelastomers during the forecast period, followed by North America and Europe. The growth of the market can be attributed to the presence of the regional manufacturers of fluoroelastomers, such as Asahi Glass Co. (Japan), Daikin Industries (Japan), Dongyue Group Co. (China), Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited (India), Shanghai 3F New Materials Co. (China), Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. (Japan), and Zhonghao Chenguang Research Institute of Chemical Industry (China) in the region. The fluoroelastomers market in India is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Companies operating in the fluoroelastomer market are investing to increase their product portfolios along with improvements in distribution networks and thus enhancing their positions in the market. They have adopted strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, new product developments, and expansions to cater to the increasing demand for fluoroelastomers from different regions. For instance, in 2015, the Chemours Company introduced a new grade of Viton, VTR-9307. The product provides high temperature and chemical resistance along with high acid resistance. This has increased its usability in automotive applications such as EGR sensors.

Fluoroelastomer Market vendors are placed into 4 categories based on their performance and reviews in each criterion: “visionary leaders,” “innovators,” “dynamic differentiators,” and “emerging companies".

Visionary leaders are the leading market players in terms of new developments such as product launches, innovative technologies, and the adoption of growth strategies. These players have a broad product offering that caters to most of the regions globally. Visionary leaders primarily focus on acquiring the leading market position through their strong financial capabilities and their well-established brand equity.

Dynamic Differentiators are established players with very strong business strategies. However, they have a weaker product portfolio compared to the visionary leaders. They generally focus only on a specific type of technology related to the product.

Innovators in the competitive leadership mapping are vendors that have demonstrated substantial product innovations as compared to their competitors. The companies have focused on product portfolios. However, they do not have very strong growth strategies for their overall business, when compared with the visionary leaders.

Emerging companies have niche product and service offerings. Their business strategies are not as strong as that of the established vendors. The emerging vendors include the new entrants in the market, emerging in terms of product portfolio and geographic reach, and require time to gain significant traction in the market.