The clay products and refractories market consists of sales of clay and refractory products by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) engaged in shaping, molding, glazing, and firing pottery, ceramics, plumbing fixtures, and electrical supplies made entirely or partly of clay or other ceramic materials, refractories, non-clay refractories, ceramic tiles, bricks, and other structural clay building materials. Clay is procured from mining or quarrying companies, loaded by truck or front-end loader into a primary crusher, transferred to grinding mills, and further processed using grinding, mixing, cutting, shaping, and honing. Refractory materials are heated and then formed into bricks or other shapes for use in industrial applications. Equipment and tools used in clay product manufacturing include crushers, grinders, wire cutters, high-pressure cylinders, rollers, dryers, and burners. Clay products find applications in the construction, steel making, cosmetics, and food industry. The clay products and refractories market is segmented into pottery, ceramics, and plumbing fixtures; and clay building material and refractories.
The global clay products and refractories market is expected to grow from $144.48 billion in 2020 to $157.85 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $196.72 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6%.