Intumescent Coatings Global Market Report 2025

The intumescent coatings market size has grown steadily in recent years. It will grow from $1.07 billion in 2024 to $1.12 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in oil and gas exploration activities, a rise in exploration activities, an increasing focus on fire safety regulations, an increasing demand for efficient fire protection methods, and an increasing population and urbanization.

The intumescent coatings market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.38 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to green building practices, growing adoption of epoxy-based technology, growing demand for fire protection in construction, and growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly building materials. Major trends in the forecast period include ongoing innovations, advancements in new technologies, advancements in technology, and technological developments in the formulation and application of intumescent coatings.

The forecast of 5.4% growth over the next five years reflects a modest reduction of 0.4% from the previous estimate for this market. This reduction is primarily due to the impact of tariffs between the US and other countries. This is likely to directly affect the US by delaying fireproofing projects due to supply chain bottlenecks for specialty chemicals imported from the UK and Germany. The effect will also be felt more widely due to reciprocal tariffs and the negative effect on the global economy and trade due to increased trade tensions and restrictions.

The growth in oil and gas exploration is expected to significantly drive the expansion of the intumescent coatings market. Oil and gas exploration involves activities such as geological surveys, drilling, and using advanced technologies to discover and extract new oil and gas reserves. The increasing demand for energy worldwide is prompting companies to invest in new reserves, boosting exploration activities. Intumescent coatings provide essential protection to oil and gas infrastructure by expanding when exposed to heat, creating an insulating barrier that slows down the spread of fire and ensures safety during operations. For example, in September 2023, Statistics Canada reported a 53.6% increase in total revenue for the Canadian oil and gas extraction industry in 2022, reaching $269.9 billion, following an 87.5% rise in 2021. This growth in oil and gas exploration activities is contributing to the market growth for intumescent coatings.

Companies in the intumescent coatings market are developing advanced solutions such as epoxy intumescent passive fire protection coatings to improve fire safety and enhance the performance of building materials. These coatings are high-performance fire-resistant layers that expand under heat, creating an insulating char layer that delays heat transfer and maintains the structural integrity of buildings. For instance, in February 2023, PPG Industries launched the PPG STEELGUARD 951, an epoxy intumescent coating designed for modern architectural steel. This innovative coating provides up to three hours of fire protection by expanding into a thick, insulating foam during a fire, which helps preserve the structure and gives more time for evacuation. The coating also offers corrosion protection in harsh environments and eliminates the need for a topcoat, which reduces both project time and costs. With its excellent durability and quick curing properties, the PPG STEELGUARD 951 ensures reliable performance while meeting national and international fire and corrosion standards.

In April 2022, Sherwin-Williams, a US-based manufacturing company, acquired Sika AG's European industrial coatings business for $219 million. This acquisition strengthens Sherwin-Williams' presence and capabilities in the European market, allowing them to leverage specialized technologies and expand growth opportunities. Sika AG, a Swiss chemical company, offers a variety of intumescent coatings.

Intumescent coatings are protective layers that expand when exposed to high temperatures, forming an insulating char that slows down heat transfer. These coatings improve fire resistance by minimizing structural damage and delaying the point at which materials fail. They are commonly used in fireproofing applications across various industries and substrates.

The main types of intumescent coatings are thick-film and thin-film. Thick-film intumescent coatings provide robust fire protection by forming a substantial insulating layer when heated. These coatings are applied in multiple layers for enhanced performance and are used in high-demand applications requiring significant fire resistance. Common substrates for these coatings include wood, structural steel, and iron, with technologies such as water-based, solvent-based, and epoxy-based formulations. Intumescent coatings are used in applications such as hydrocarbon and cellulosic fire protection, and serve industries such as construction, oil and gas, automotive, and more.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The escalating U.S. tariffs and rising trade tensions in spring 2025 are expected to significantly affect the chemicals sector, which is facing a disproportionate impact - particularly from tariffs on petrochemicals and intermediates, where affordable domestic alternatives are limited. Specialty chemical producers, who rely heavily on Chinese raw materials, are encountering production disruptions. Meanwhile, fertilizer manufacturers are seeing their profit margins squeezed due to tariffs on phosphate imports. In response, companies are increasing investments in R&D for bio-based alternatives, forming procurement alliances to strengthen purchasing power, and relocating production to tariff-neutral countries like Saudi Arabia.

The intumescent coatings market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides intumescent coatings market statistics, including intumescent coatings industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a intumescent coatings market share, detailed intumescent coatings market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the intumescent coatings industry. This intumescent coatings market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Major players in the intumescent coatings market are BASF SE, PPG Industries, Sika AG, AkzoNobel, Huntsman Corporation, Axalta Coating Systems, Hempel A/S, Jotun Group, Teknos Group Oy, Beckers Group, Carboline Company, Envirograf, Nullifire, International Paint, Sherwin-Williams, Tremco Illbruck, KBS Coatings, Crown Paints, Vermiculite, and Sopro.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the intumescent coatings market in 2024. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in intumescent coatings report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

The countries covered in the intumescent coatings market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The intumescent coatings market consists of sales of water-based intumescent coatings, solvent-based intumescent coatings, and powder intumescent coatings. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values and are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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