January 4, 2026, Shanghai, China - Recently, the domestic market price of silica white has remained stable. According to the monitoring data from the business community, from January 1 to 2, 2026, the benchmark price of silica white remained stable at 5,850 yuan/ton for two consecutive days, which was the same as at the beginning of the month, and the overall market presented a balanced supply and demand pattern. This price level has slightly rebounded from the phased low point in November 2025 (5,833.33 yuan/ton), but the annual price fluctuation range has significantly narrowed, and the industry has gradually entered a stage of rational development.


Capacity expansion accelerates, and industry concentration increases
In 2025, China's white carbon black industry continued to expand its production capacity, achieving an annual output of 1.85 million tons, a new high in the past five years. According to industry analysis, the newly added production capacity in 2026 is expected to reach 800,000 tons, mainly concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Southwest regions, with large enterprises and tire factory supporting projects as the main focus. For example, the "white carbon black new process pilot experimental device" put into operation by Longyan Rongyan New Material Technology Co., Ltd. in December 2025 marked a crucial step towards high-end and differentiated development in the industry. This device, jointly developed by schools and enterprises, focuses on import substitution technology and is expected to break the monopoly of international giants in the high-end market.


Meanwhile, industry concentration has further increased. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have accelerated their exit due to environmental protection pressures and cost disadvantages, while leading enterprises such as Quecheng Chemical and Black Cat Chemical have continued to expand their market share through industrial chain integration. Data shows that in 2025, the global white carbon black market's CR5 (market share of the top five enterprises) reached 62%, with local Chinese brands accounting for 32%, an increase of 13 percentage points compared to 2020.


Technological innovation drives breakthroughs in high-end applications
On the technological front, the silica industry is expanding from the traditional rubber sector to high-end applications such as new energy and electronics. In June 2025, the "modified bio-based silica" independently developed by the Petrochemical Institute passed the full series of tire performance tests, demonstrating a 3.7% reduction in rolling resistance and a 15% reduction in fatigue temperature rise, surpassing traditional products in performance. This technology utilizes rice husk and carbon dioxide as raw materials, achieving resource recycling and providing a demonstration for the green transformation of the industry. Furthermore, Guizhou Wengfu Lantian Company has achieved an annual production target of 1,000 tons of tire-grade silica developed from phosphorus ore co-associated silicon resources, further expanding the source of raw materials.


Market outlook: Seeking balance in the game of supply and demand
Despite the continuous release of production capacity, the contradiction between supply and demand in the industry still persists. According to predictions, the growth rate of demand for silica in China will slow down to 3%-5% in 2026, which is lower than the growth rate of production capacity, leading to increased pressure from oversupply in the market. Analysts point out that future competition will focus on "performance stability" and "scenario adaptability". High dispersibility, low impurity content, and customized modification capabilities will become core barriers for enterprises. Meanwhile, with the explosion in demand for new energy vehicles and power batteries, the market size of silica for silicone rubber is expected to increase from $5.8 billion in 2025 to $9.7 billion in 2032, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.6%, providing a new growth pole for the industry.