Permanent Magnets: Technologies and Global Markets

Report Highlights

The global permanent magnet market reached $15.1 billion in 2013. This market is expected to reach $22.9 billion in 2018 increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%.

Report Includes

• An overview of the global market for permanent magnets, which constitute an important and sophisticated class of engineering materials with a range of industrial and commercial applications.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2012, estimates for 2013, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2018.
• Identification of new applications for permanent magnet materials, such as those for electronics and computers.
• Discussion of of technological issues, trends in manufacturing, U.S. markets as well as foreign competition, and end users of permanent magnets.
• In-depth patent analysis.

STUDY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This report is intended to:

• Provide an industry overview on the global permanent magnet industry, with focus on rare earth-based permanent magnets, namely neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) and samarium cobalt (SmCo) magnets, along with ferrite and aluminum-nickel-cobalt (AlNiCo) magnets.
• Estimate the current market size of the global permanent magnet industry both in terms of U.S. dollars and metric tons, and to determine production levels of each of the four types of permanent magnets by region, along with sales in U.S. dollars.
• Provide an overview on the value chains of the four types of permanent magnets, along with analysis on the various end-use industries that consume permanent magnets on a global scale.
• Determine the cost structure for production of permanent magnets in China, which includes determining the contribution of major cost components such as raw materials, labor, utilities and other miscellaneous costs in terms of U.S. dollar per kilogram.
• Analyze the impact of NdFeB patent expiration for the U.S. market in 2014, along with a detailed overview of the global permanent magnet patent situation and a case study of patent expiration impact in Japan.
• Provide a detailed price forecast of key rare earths used in permanent magnet production using regression analysis.
• Profile major manufacturers of NdFeB, SmCo, AlNiCo and ferrite magnets globally.

DEFINITIONS

A permanent magnet is a product made from a magnetized material that is capable of emitting magnetic energy continuously without any external impetus.

There are four types of permanent magnets available on the global market:

• NdFeB.
• SmCo.
• AlNiCo.
• Ferrite/ceramic.

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY

The global permanent magnet industry has received a considerable amount of attention in recent years, in large part due to the export restrictions placed by China on its key raw materials: rare earths. Among the permanent magnet types, NdFeB magnets are the most prominent in terms of usage in critical technologies such as automotive, power generation and electronic goods. China has recently emerged as the world’s largest producer of all types of permanent magnets, with particularly a high control over rare earth permanent magnets.

A comprehensive study on the global permanent magnet industry is extremely important on account of the crucial role permanent magnets play in enabling the technologies that are important for the future, including hybrid vehicles, green energy and advanced consumer electronics.

Due to the high degree of dependence on China for magnets’ raw materials as well as the magnets themselves, it has become extremely important for global consumers to understand the dynamics of the global permanent magnets industry to make informed decisions in terms of sourcing, supplier engagement and alternatives.

CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY AND FOR WHOM

This new BCC Research study provides an in-depth view on the dynamics of the global permanent magnet industry with a focus on production, sales, applications, processes, cost structure, patents, rare earth price forecast and supplier profiles. Forecasts are provided for each of these parameters wherever applicable through to 2018.

The study provides the most recent and relevant information required to understand the nuances of the global permanent magnet industry, which would help current consumers, investors, and both Chinese and non-Chinese producers, among others to better understand their positions in terms of procurement, markets and anticipated future trends for effective strategy management.

The study is directed at and intended for a broad range of industry players, including direct consumers, distributors, suppliers and investors who are interested in entering into any field from automotive to electronics in which permanent magnets play critical roles. These include:

• Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators who use magnets as crucial parts of their products or systems. They can belong to such industries as: 
• Automotive, especially companies involved in developing hybrid electric cars.
• Consumer electronics companies, especially those involved in manufacturing products such as hard disk drives.
• Government agencies and private establishments interested in developing green technologies such as wind power.
• Companies that provide components to the automotive industry, such as sensor manufacturers and exhaust system manufacturers who ideally form the Tier I suppliers of major automotive companies.
• Companies involved in the production or usage of high-power electric motors.
• Medical device manufacturing companies, especially those involved in the production of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices.
• Distributors of permanent magnets located in key markets such as the U.S., Japan and Europe.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

This BCC Research study has been conducted on a global scale, and all values in metric tons and U.S. dollars are provided on a global perspective unless otherwise mentioned. All market tables are available in 2012 U.S. dollars.

The report provides current and potential consumers of permanent magnets, with a holistic view on developments within both the supply and demand fronts, which will effectively aid spending decisions currently and in the future.

The report contains:

• A comprehensive analysis of the global production landscape and sales by major demand centers of permanent magnets.
• Analysis of production cost of each of the four permanent magnet types.
• An overview of the patent and license situation in the global permanent magnet industry and recommendations on sourcing options.
• In-depth analysis of the production landscape for permanent magnet raw materials, along with anticipated supply through 2018.
• Price forecast of all key rare earths used in the manufacturing of permanent magnets.
• Detailed supplier profiles of global permanent magnet manufacturers.

This report does not include permanent magnet alloys in the overall market numbers.

BCC Research feels that the qualitative and quantitative judgments embodied in this report are valuable contributions to the current knowledge of the global permanent magnet industry.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES

The information provided in this report was gathered, collated, analyzed and delivered after numerous interactions with industry experts involved in the global research, development, production and usage of permanent magnets. Extensive primary interviews with suppliers and consumers of permanent magnets enabled BCC Research to accurately identifying demand and cost patterns, supplier capabilities and implications of key issues such as patent expirations for permanent magnets.

Databases and paid subscriptions were extensively used in the process of developing this report and to make it actionable to a wide range of customers. Exhaustive Web-based searches were also conducted to gather and analyze all relevant information required to conduct this study.

AUTHOR’S CREDENTIALS

This report was prepared by Rahul Jalan, an India-based industry analyst with more than four years of experience in tracking the global permanent magnets and rare earth industry. Jalan assists in spend management, market entry strategies and risk optimization in procurement.

Jalan has worked with Beroe Consulting, a renowned procurement consulting firm, where he served as an advisor in the rare earth category, and has published articles and white papers on the rare earths and permanent magnet industries in a broad range of internationally renowned journal, including Metal Miner and Market Watch.

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DISCLAIMER

The information developed in this report is intended to be as reliable as possible at the time of publication and is of a professional nature. This information does not constitute managerial, legal or accounting advice, nor should it be considered as a corporate policy guide, laboratory manual or an endorsement of any product, as much of the information is speculative in nature. BCC Research and the author assume no responsibility for any loss or damage that might result from reliance on the reported information or from its use.