Nylon 12 Market Sustains Growth, Driven by Automotive and 3D Printing Demand
Nylon 12 Market Sustains Growth, Driven by Automotive and 3D Printing Demand
December 03, 2025 – The global Nylon 12 (Polyamide 12) market continues its trajectory of stable growth, buoyed by increasing adoption in sectors requiring high-performance, lightweight thermoplastics, most notably automotive manufacturing and additive manufacturing (3D printing).
Market Outlook and Key Drivers
The Nylon 12 market is estimated to be valued between $0.80 billion and $1.25 billion USD in 2025.
The market is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.5% to 6.5% through 2030. Key market drivers include:
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Automotive Lightweighting: Increasing global vehicle production (up from 77.4 million in 2020 to 92.5 million in 2024, according to OICA) drives demand for Nylon 12's lightweight and mechanical integrity for critical components.
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Superior Performance: Nylon 12 is favored for its exceptional flexibility, low water absorption, and high resistance to chemicals and abrasion, making it ideal for electronics, industrial machinery, and consumer goods.
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3D Printing: Nylon 12 is a foundational material in additive manufacturing, benefiting from technological advancements in the sector.
Market Structure and Producer Landscape
The production technology for Nylon 12 remains highly specialized, having been monopolized by a few global companies for nearly half a century. The primary raw material is generally butadiene, processed through intermediates like cyclododecatriene (CDT) to yield laurolactam, which is then polymerized (Oxime method is the mainstream process). UBE Corporation notably uses cyclohexanone as a raw material.
| Company | Key Status / Activity | Capacity Focus |
| Evonik | Global market leader; expanded capacity by 50% in Marl Industrial Park. | PA12 Production |
| Arkema | Key established player; maintains dominant market share. | PA12 Production |
| EMS-Grivory | Key established player; maintains dominant market share. | PA12 Production |
| UBE Corporation | Established player; announced plans to close upstream cyclohexanone and caprolactam production in Thailand by March 2026. | PA12 Production |
| Wanhua Chemical Group | New major entrant; successfully commissioned a 40,000 tons/year facility in October 2022. | Market Entry/Localization |
Recent Developments
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Capacity Expansion: Germany's Evonik invested €400 million to expand its PA12 capacity by 50% at its Marl Industrial Park, with the new facility commencing operation in early 2021.
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New Entrant: Wanhua Chemical Group successfully entered the highly exclusive market in October 2022 with the commissioning of a 40,000 tons/year plant, signifying a major shift in the historical market structure.