Europe Brass by Kilo Tons Volume Market

Brass is obtained as a golden, hard, and brittle metal. It is one of the most widely used alloys. Owing to its versatility, there are seemingly endless industries and products made using this alloy. It exhibits properties such as high ductility and low friction against other metals, which makes it highly desirable for combination with various metals in several end-use applications. Brass is considered an ideal choice to use around flammable or explosive materials, as striking it against a hard surface does not generate sparks. Brass is employed in several applications such as architectural infrastructure, bearings, musical instruments, electrical contacts, and machine tools. The automotive industry is one of the top industries that use alloys in their manufacturing process. Manufacturers have started replacing aluminum with copper-brass alloy. This alternative option is 40% lighter and substantially cheaper. Some studies have predicted that such radiators will potentially last roughly 10 years.

Growing demand for high-performance products will also trigger the demand for quality brass products during the forecast period. Likewise, free cutting brass rods are projected for exponential growth in the brass rods market, and the brass rods market is expected to reach a value of ~USD 10 Bn by the end of 2027. This is evident since free cutting brass rods are acquiring popularity as a cost-efficient solution for close tolerance manufacturing techniques. Moreover, companies in the brass market are increasing their production capabilities to develop various brass products. The excellent strength and ductility of these products are gaining prominence in various industrial end markets. Manufacturers in the market are increasing efforts to combine good strength and excellent corrosion resistance of these products to boost their uptake in various industrial domains. On the other hand, rising international trade, which helped in the growth of the transportation sector, will also boost various opportunities that will lead to the growth of the brass market during the forecast period. However, volatility in the prices of raw material will hamper the growth of the brass market.

Throughout history, copper alloys, particularly brass, have played a key role in the formation and realization of imaginative ideas by renowned architects from all over the world. There is not a single major construction project that does not make use of brass, be it for security hardware and ironmongery or for decorative and protective finishes. It has never lost its place in any blueprint, dominating details that complete architectural work. It is not difficult to understand why brass is a staple material in architecture. Some of the distinctive properties that brass is prized for are its outstanding color and texture – with the right mixture of copper, zinc, and other additives. One can produce brass that looks stunning and perfectly matches practically any architectural design. It can even come with a shade that rivals gold, which makes it a cheap yet amazing alternative to the expensive metal. When properly buffed, it will accept a mirror-like polish that lasts months on end. It also has high corrosion resistance, and unlike other copper alloys, brass does not rust. It tarnishes, but it does not develop patina too easily as well.

Top copper suppliers like Rotax Metals, offer various products for the construction sector, such as architectural brass angle and bar products that retain gloss for a long time without the need for regular polishing. The product is a very flexible material as it can be produced into rod, profile, tube, plate, sheet, foil, and even wire. Something that cannot be done with most other metals. In other words, brass materials can be used for a broader range of architectural applications, easily topping other common construction materials like steel and aluminum. Thanks to its high malleability and ductility, brass also boasts of unparalleled workability. It can be cast, extruded, rolled, drawn, or even hot-stamped more quickly than other metals. It also has excellent machining qualities, making it well-suited for manufacturing detailed machined parts. The alloy does not degrade even after being left under the sun for too long, and it would not even soften or expand in temperatures lower than 200 degrees.

With all these amazing properties, there is no doubt that brass can perform well as an architectural material. In fact, it is so extensively used for this application that certain grades of brass are already classified as architectural. Meaning, they are being produced solely for architectural purposes. Such high demand for brass and brass products in the construction industry is boosting the overall market growth.

In addition to the industrial applications of brass, manufacturers are now tapping opportunities in contemporary interior designing. The concept of ‘nostalgic comfort’ is gaining prominence in the field of interior design. Hence, companies in the brass rods market are capitalizing on this growing trend by increasing the availability of quality brass rods. The growing popularity of brass as the ‘metal of choice’ for lighting designers has boosted the growth of the market. Another trend that is supporting the growth of the brass rods market is the growing popularity of brass as an aesthetically pleasing golden metal in various lighting applications.

Brass rods are being increasingly used to make chandeliers and other decorative home interior items. Similarly, companies are developing industrial chandeliers to meet end user requirements. For instance, Workstead, a US design studio founded by Stefanie Brechbuehler and Robert Highsmith makes industrial chandeliers for a furniture store in London. Thus, with rapid urbanization, companies in the market landscape are capitalizing on opportunities in the booming interior designing sector for a domestic setting, which is providing various opportunities for the brass market to grow.

In contrast to manufactured products, mineral raw materials do not have unique selling points. They are traded globally, be it via bilateral agreements or in commodities future exchanges, as is the case for base metals on the London Metal Exchange (LME) or crude oil on the International Petroleum Exchange, against one or several standards based on their physical and chemical specifications.

Base metals such as iron ore, copper, aluminum, and nickel are the lifeblood of global industrial production and construction. Shaped by shifts in supply and demand, they are a valuable weathervane of change in the world economy. There is no doubt about the direction of the prevailing wind for metals in recent years. Prices have been gradually declining since 2011. While oil prices have also dropped, the decline is more recent and more abrupt. That said, in both cases, the downward pressure on prices results broadly from abundant production from the era of high prices. This is now coming to roost with lower demand from both emerging markets and advanced economies. There are important nuances, however, in the relative strength and nature of those forces.

One of the major challenges that are faced by the brass industry is an increase in demand for substitute products like aluminum and metal alloys. Aluminum is one of the widely used metal with a wide end-use application. The metal is largely consumed by the automotive industry. The automotive industry has favored aluminum alloys mainly for low cost and lightweight properties. The aluminum market was valued at around USD 147.2 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow at a high rate in the upcoming period. Aluminum is an electronegative metal, which possesses a strong affinity for oxygen. It is the sixth most ductile and second most malleable metal present on earth. It is exceptionally light, having 2.7g/ccm density, is impervious to dust, possesses a high degree of conductivity, and exhibits significant strength when alloyed. It is a good electrical conductor and thus is used frequently in electrical transmission lines. In addition, it is also used as a primary propellant for solid rocket booster motor in space shuttle due to its high volumetric energy density. Corrosion resistance, reflectivity, and recyclability are other characteristics of aluminum, which makes it a favorable choice for various industrial applications. Asia-Pacific is the leading region, in terms of growth, due to massive urbanization, growth in income of people living in urban areas, and rapid industrial development. In addition, continuous advancements in the transport industry and ongoing R&D activities to develop innovative, more effective, and cheaper aluminum products fuel the growth of the market.

Other than aluminum, steel alloys are also widely used in various industries. Alloy steels are made by combining carbon steel with one or several alloying elements, such as manganese, silicon, nickel, titanium, copper, chromium, and aluminum. These metals are added to produce specific properties that are not found in regular carbon steel. The elements are added in varying proportions (or combinations), making the material take on different aspects such as increased hardness, corrosion resistance, strength, improved formability (ductility); the weldability can also change. Among end-use industries, automotive is expected to lead the alloy steel market in the forecast period. It is expected that the number of high-strength steel used in the production of automobiles will be more than double in the next 15 years. The increase in automobile production is a major factor leading to the growth of the automotive end-use industry segment of the high strength steel market across the region. The use of high strength steels for manufacturing body panels of automobiles results in an increase in their fuel efficiency by reducing their weight by approximately 60%.

The increase in demand for steel alloys and aluminum in the automobile and construction industries is the major challenge faced by the brass market in the upcoming period.