Trivalent Chromium Finishing Market

The global trivalent chromium finishing market is anticipated to witness a healthy growth, at a CAGR of 5.80%, during the forecast period from 2018 to 2025. The prominent factors driving the market growth are the stringent regulations on the use of hexavalent chromium and increasing demand for trivalent chromium plating in the automotive industry. Furthermore, the anticipated high growth for the use of chrome-plateable plastics in various applications is projected to propel the market growth during the forecast period.

However, the emergence of thermal spray coating as an effective alternative to hard chrome plating is likely to hamper the market growth during the assessment period. Furthermore, the high cost associated with trivalent chromium finishing poses a major challenge to players in the market.

Hexavalent chromium plating has been used in automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications as a protective coating for a long time. However, in recent years, various restrictions have been placed by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the use of hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium ion is a highly toxic material and is known to cause skin ulcers; it can also dissolve mucous membranes on prolonged exposure. It is also listed as a carcinogenic agent to humans by the US government. Hexavalent chromium plating solutions have very low efficiency, due to which mist is created during the electroplating process. This mist carries minute amounts of hexavalent chromium compounds into air, causing serious health impacts, such as skin irritation and breathing issues in the work environment due to its hazardous nature. Additionally, this type of plating produces several byproducts, such as lead chromates and barium sulfate, which are considered hazardous wastes.

The focus on the health and environmental impact of hexavalent chromium is increasing, and it is steadily replaced by trivalent chromium. According to the estimation of industrial hygienists, trivalent chromium processes are safer as compared to hexavalent chromium processes. With hexavalent chromium plating set to be eliminated in the European Union by 2021, many manufacturers are focusing on shifting to trivalent chromium plating. Moreover, trivalent chromium plating solutions drain faster than hexavalent chromium solutions. This leads to less chromium being carried from the plated part to rinse tanks and reduces the waste treatment process costs. Furthermore, the levels of misting from the trivalent chromium electroplating process are very low, thus, improving the air quality for workers and eliminating hazards caused due to exposure to hexavalent chromium ions. These factors are expected to fuel the demand for trivalent chromium plating and drive the growth of this market during the forecast period.

Metal plated plastics are gaining popularity in industries such as automotive and electronics, with a purpose to save cost and reduce weight of the components. The demand for weight lightening of the automobiles is gaining importance to curb the CO2 emissions and increase fuel efficiency. Environmentally friendly trivalent chrome plating plastic chemistry (RoHS Compliant) is used for this purpose. Trivalent chromium confers significant physical properties to the plastics which include luster, abrasion resistance, high impact resistance and weatherproofing flexibility in parts design, and ease of cleaning. The ability of plastics to be molded into any shape and design by injection molding process and light-weightiness of chrome plated plastic parts used in automobiles are expected to be the key factors boosting the demand for chrome plated plastics. The ideal plastic material used for plating purpose is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

The average modern car weighs 1,500 kg and contains between 12-15% of plastic materials. Chrome plated plastics are applicable in automotive interior and exterior parts (door handles, grilles, and light bezels). Increasing demand for chrome plated plastics in the automotive industry is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to the trivalent chromium manufacturers during the forecast period. Furthermore, the growing popularity of chrome plated plastics in various applications such as heat-resistant products, radio transmission products, packaging, and household products is expected to fuel the demand for chromium plated plastics and thus, trivalent chromium finishing in the coming years.

Thermal spray coatings are expected to be an effective alternative to hard chrome plating in the coming years. The capital and energy cost associated with trivalent chrome hard plating is high as compared to thermal spray coating, for the same production capability. For chrome plating, approximately 15 Watts of energy is required per square inch of the part plated and this cost increases with the increase in size. This is likely to force manufacturers to switch to thermal spray technique due to its cost competitiveness. Moreover, thermal spray facility requires a significantly lesser floor space in comparison to hard chrome plating. It can increase the fatigue life of parts on which it is applied, whereas, chrome plating reduces the fatigue life. In addition, thermal spray coating provides a more uniform coating build-up over the entire plating part. Considering the above-mentioned factors, the growth of the trivalent chromium finishing market is likely to be hindered during the review period.

The overall cost for chrome finishing depends on factors such as prices of chemicals, technology employed, and type of plating. The compounds used for trivalent chromium finishing are more expensive as compared to the ones used in hexavalent chromium finishing. The requirement of skilled labor and controlled environment in trivalent chromium finishing further adds to the cost. However, in the coming years, with the increasing production capacities, technological advancements, and reducing cost of treatment for the waste sludge may help to overcome this drawback.