Foundry Coke Market

The foundry coke market is expected to observe profitable growth across the assessment period of 2017-2025. The overwhelming utilization of foundry coke as a fuel to melt iron and as a carbon source in numerous applications will serve as a growth-generator for the foundry coke market during the tenure of 2017-2025.

• High heat value, compact structure, extensive carbon content, and others will prove to be a game-changer for the foundry coke market. Reduction in breakage from handling, increase in metal temperature, lowered reaction to carbon dioxide, and others will bring promising growth for the foundry coke market.
• The swelling urbanization across numerous regions around the world has led to an increase in the construction activities. These activities are indirectly helping the foundry coke market to gain expansive growth as it is a commonly used material during construction activities.
• Research and development activities are an important aspect of the foundry coke market growth trajectory. The players are involved in these activities for deriving new formulations and insights. These activities help in increasing the revenues of the players, eventually contributing to the growth of the foundry coke market. Strategic collaborations are also vital for the overall growth of the foundry coke market.

Foundry coke, also known as hard coal coke, is produced in non-recovery coke ovens. It is used for melting iron and other metals such as lead, copper, tin, and zinc in a cupola furnace at foundries. It has denser structure, high carbon, low ash, and high heating value. The size of the foundry coke is larger than metallurgical coke. The size specification depends on the size of the cupola furnace. Foundry coke is used as a supporting matrix, reducing agent, and energy carrier during the pig iron manufacturing process. The use of large sized coke offers advantages of lower blasting pressure, increased metal temperature, reduced breakage from handling, and reduced reaction with CO2.

The global foundry coke market can be segmented based on furnace size, process, type of metal smelting, and region. In terms of furnace size, the foundry coke market can be divided into 600-1200 mm, 1200-1800mm, and above 1800mm. In general, foundry coke is burned in cupola furnace. The size of the foundry coke is decided based on the inside diameter of the cupola furnace. The larger the size of the furnace, the higher the size of foundry coke used.

In terms of process, the foundry coke market can be segregated into beehive process, by-product recovery process, and others. Under the beehive process, bended and crushed coking coals are placed in a kiln and burnt by restricting air flow. Most of the foundry coke in China is manufactured in a modified version of the beehive process. It takes eight to 11 days to produce foundry coke through the beehive process. Under the by-product recovery process, coking coals are heated in a retort oven until the volatile matter develops. This type of process is mostly used in developing nations. Form-coke and jumbo-ovens are the other processes used in the manufacture of foundry coke. Both these processes are economically non-viable due to the high capital and operating costs. The beehive process holds the major share of the foundry coke market. This trend is likely to continue throughout the forecast period.

In terms of type of metal smelting, the foundry coke market can be classified into pig iron, copper, zinc, lead, tin, and others. The pig iron segment accounts for the key share of the market owing to its vast production compared to other metals. The segment is followed by copper and zinc segments.

In terms of region, the foundry coke market can be divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The foundry coke market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a significant pace during the forecast period owing to the increase in usage of pig iron for steel production in the region. Europe constitutes large share of the foundry coke market, followed by North America. The foundry coke market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is anticipated to expand at a sluggish pace during the forecast period.

Rise in construction activities is estimated to boost the demand for steel. This, in turn, is projected to augment the foundry coke market.

Key players operating in the global foundry coke market include ArcelorMittal, OKK Koksovny, a.s., Nippon Coke and Engineering, Walter Energy, CARBO-KOKS Spó?ka z o.o., Shandong Coking Group, ABC Coke, Shandong Sunshine Focal Electric, Shanxi Coking Coal Group, Jiangsu Surun Highcarbon, GR RESOURCE, Shanxi Huifeng Xingye Group, Shanxi Antai, NalonChem, Henan Shenhuo, and Weifang Shengheng New Energy.