The metakaolin market was valued at US$ 756.87 million in 2020 and is projected to reach US$ 1,100.83 million by 2028; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2021 to 2028.

Metakaolin is an anhydrous calcined from of the clay mineral kaolinite. It is an effective pozzolanic material used as an alternative to cement in concrete. Metakaolin is manufactured for consumption rather than being a by-product and is formed when China clay and the mineral kaolin is heated at a temperature between 600 and 800?C. The quality of metakaolin can be controlled during manufacturing, which results in a much less variable material. Metakaolin is used in various applications such as ceramics, mortars and concrete admixtures, and refractories.

Based on application, the metakaolin market is segmented into ceramics, mortars & concrete admixtures, refractories, and others. The mortars & concrete admixtures segment accounted for the largest market share in 2020, and the ceramics segment is expected to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. Mortar and concrete admixtures offer properties such as waterproofing, efflorescence control, and water-repellency, air entrainment utilizing plasticizers to improve workability, and accelerating and retarding setting times. These are used in masonry construction. Metakaolin is one of the artificial pozzolanic admixtures commonly used in various mortar and concrete admixtures. It is widely used in concrete to improve its splitting tensile and flexural strength. Concrete is an essential product used in the construction sector. Metakaolin is also used to increase compressive and flexural strengths. Also, it enhances both the early strength and the completely cured strength of concrete owing to its pozzolanic reactivity. Metakaolin enhances concrete corrosion resistance, durability, and impermeability, making it highly desirable as a concrete additive in construction. Metakaolin strengthens the concrete and reduces the risk of alkali-silica reactions. This makes it an incredibly effective material for building highway bridges, dams, reinforced concrete buildings, and any other construction, which requires high-performance, high-strength, and lightweight concrete. A few key factors such as the booming construction sector, rapid urbanization, and huge investments by governments in infrastructure development are anticipated to bolster the growth of the metakaolin market for the mortars and concrete admixtures segment during the forecast period.

By region, the metakaolin market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM). In 2020, Asia-Pacific held the largest share of the global metakaolin market. However, Europe is estimated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period. The demand for metakaolin is expected to increase in the region in the coming years due to various factors such as the growing construction sector, rising disposable income, huge population base, and high emphasis of government to develop sustainable infrastructure for long term growth. Growing renovation and refurbishment activities across the residential construction segment in Asia-Pacific are boosting the demand for ceramic products, such as tiles and bricks, which is expected to propel the demand for metakaolin in the region. These factors have also attracted many international and global players to expand their businesses across the region.

A few players operating in the metakaolin market are BASF SE; Burgess Pigment Company; Imerys S.A.; W. R. Grace & Co.; Nanoshel LLC; MS Industries II, LLC; Silica Systems Inc.; Dennert Poraver GMBH; Thiele Kaolin Company; and I-Minerals Inc. These companies provide a wide range of product portfolio for the market. The companies have their presence in the developing regions, which provides lucrative opportunities for the metakaolin market growth. The market players are developing high-quality and innovative products to fulfil the customer's requirements.

The size of overall metakaolin market has been derived using both primary and secondary source. To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market. Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants to validate the data, as well as to gain analytical insights into the topic. The participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the metakaolin market.