Japan Carbon Black Association Announces Medium-Term Forecast of Carbon Black Demand in 2018

The Japan Carbon Black Association revised the 2018 carbon black demand assessment in the medium term. The total demand for carbon black (including imports and exports) in 2018 will reach 765,100 tons, an increase of 5% over the same period of the previous year. The forecast for the beginning of this year was 759,000 tons, and the two forecasts were almost flat.

In the total demand for carbon black, rubber carbon black is 0.1% lower than last year's actual performance, which is expected to be 683,800 tons, which is almost the same as the 682,300 tons predicted at the beginning of the year. In terms of domestic demand in Japan, carbon black for rubber was reduced by 0.4% from last year's actual performance to 664,900 tons. Non-rubber carbon black increased by 4% over the same period of the previous year to 39,300 tons, so the total domestic sales was 704,200 tons. Among the carbon blacks for rubber, the number of tires used was reduced by 0.7% to 517,700 tons, and that for general rubber products was 153,200 tons. Regarding exports, carbon black for rubber increased by 9.7% to 18,900 tons, and exports totaled 69,000 tons, an increase of 10.1% year-on-year. In terms of imports, carbon black for rubber was 142,000 tons, a decrease of 9%, and non-rubber carbon black was reduced by 4.1% to 140,000 tons.

The above data is based on the re-evaluation data of the Japan Automobile Tire Association and the Japan Rubber Industry Association, combined with the situation forecast in other demand areas, and proposed this year's demand adjustment.