Paul Davies from Sandvik Additive Manufacturing in the UK summarized the current situation and prospects of the MIM industry in Europe and around the world from recent market research and other sources. According to data cited by Data Bridge Market Research, it is expected that the value of the European MIM market will reach approximately 1.6 billion euros by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 11.6% from 2021 to 2027. With the recovery of the epidemic, the demand for MIM powder in 2021 has increased by more than 14% compared to 2020. It is said that the demand growth is mainly driven by the automotive industry. The market growth in Europe has increased its share of the world market from an estimated 32% to 48%, surpassing Japan and other regions in Asia (Table 1).

The report also points out that the MIM market in Europe has roughly equal shares among Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, and other European countries.

Another report from Business Market Insights predicts that the European MIM market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.2% between 2019 and 2027, reaching $708.72 million.

A survey by EPMA (European Powder Metallurgy Association) shows that the MIM market grew by 22% in 2021, reaching 517.6 million euros, after a decline in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Application segmentation of MIM in Europe (EPMA data)

Automobile: 23%, medical; 21%, firearms; 19%, construction industry: 12%, consumer goods: 12%, hand tools: 2%, aerospace: 2%, others: 9%.

Application segmentation of MIM in North America (MPIF data)

In North America, data provided by MPIF (Metal Powder Industry Federation of America) shows that the weight breakdown of MIM applications in 2021 is as follows: firearms: 41%, medical and dental: 26%, general industry: 11%, automotive: 11%, electronics: 5%, defense/aerospace: 4%, telecommunications: 1%, and others: 1%.

The material consumption shows that stainless steel accounts for 48%, low-alloy steel accounts for 38%, soft magnetic materials account for 7%, and tungsten alloy, titanium, and other materials account for 7%.

Application segmentation of MIM in China (APMA data)

In other parts of the world, APMA (Asian Powder Metallurgy Association) estimates that the MIM sales market segmentation in China in 2021 is as follows: smartphones: 56%, wearable 3C devices: 12%, computers: 8%, hardware: 7%, medical and automotive each 4%, and others: 9%.

Application segmentation of MIM in Japan (JPMA data)

JPMA (Japan Powder Metallurgy Association) provides a detailed breakdown of MIM's sales in Japan in 2021. The largest application area is industrial machinery, accounting for 34.8%, followed by healthcare, accounting for 17.3%, automobiles, accounting for 13.1%, bicycles, accounting for 7.2%, and the remaining application areas are electronics, industrial robots, watches, cameras, precision machinery, and other uses.

Outlook for the future

Regarding the future prospects of MIM in Europe, Davies cited the comments of Dr. Frank Petzoldt, former consultant of IFAM in Germany, stating: "Although the automotive industry is a key market for MIM, there are still many opportunities in the aerospace industry. The most dynamic growth market for MIM is the application of aerospace and medical technology. MIM remains a technology that faces cognitive challenges, and more work needs to be done to make potential users aware of its capabilities and green advantages

Excerpted from PIM International