Market Overview: Primary Metal Drier Market (2025–2035)

The Primary Metal Drier Market is projected to grow steadily between 2025 and 2035 as demand increases across the global paints, inks, and coatings industries. Primary metal driers, also known as active driers, are essential additives used to accelerate oxidative curing in solvent-based and water-based systems. Metals such as cobalt, manganese, iron, zirconium, and cerium are commonly used to catalyze surface and through-drying, improving film hardness, adhesion, and durability.

Chem Reports forecasts that the market, valued at USD xxxx million in 2025, will reach USD xxxx million by 2035, registering a CAGR of xx%. Market momentum is driven by expanding construction activity, rising industrial coating consumption, and increasing demand for high-performance printing inks. Advancements in environmentally compliant metal drier technologies, including low-VOC, cobalt-free, and polymer-bound formulations, are shaping the industry’s evolution.

The Global Primary Metal Drier Market Report 2025 evaluates technological innovations, regulatory influences, competitive dynamics, and end-use consumption patterns expected to define market performance through 2035.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Primary Metal Drier Market

COVID-19 disruptions in 2020 led to temporary shutdowns in construction, automotive production, and industrial coating facilities. These impacts slowed demand for metal driers used in architectural paints and protective coatings.

However, recovery began quickly due to:

• Resurgence in construction and renovation projects
• Increased demand for industrial maintenance coatings
• Strong rebound in packaging inks and printing applications
• Stabilization of raw material supply chains

The pandemic accelerated adoption of sustainable and low-toxicity metal drier chemistries as regulatory standards tightened.

Market Segmentation

1. By Type

Technical Grade

Used in high-precision or specialized coatings requiring consistent catalytic performance. Applied in automotive refinishes, industrial machinery coatings, marine coatings, and high-solids formulations.

Industry Grade

Broadly used in architectural paints, general-purpose printing inks, and mass-market coatings. Industry-grade driers prioritize cost-efficiency, stability, and reliable drying performance across large-scale production volumes.

2. By Application

Paint

The largest application segment. Includes architectural, industrial, marine, automotive, and protective paints requiring controlled drying rates, improved hardness, and enhanced film performance.

Ink

Printing inks for packaging, publishing, flexible films, and specialty graphics rely on metal driers to accelerate polymerization and reduce drying time.

Coating

Covers wood coatings, metal coatings, can coatings, coil coatings, and performance coatings where rapid surface drying and improved film strength are essential.

Key Player Analysis

VECTRA

A global supplier known for high-quality cobalt and manganese driers, offering advanced, eco-optimized formulations for coatings and inks.

Umicore

Produces a wide portfolio of metal-based catalysts and specialty driers, focusing heavily on sustainability and innovative cobalt-free technologies.

Dow

Provides polymer-bound and environmentally advanced metal driers designed to improve drying control while reducing VOC emissions.

Ege Kimya

A major producer offering cobalt, zirconium, manganese, and mixed-metal driers for global paint and coating manufacturers.

DIC Corporation

Known for ink-specific drying agents and specialty chemicals supporting high-speed printing technologies.

Aryavart Chemicals

Supplies a broad portfolio of cost-effective driers for paints, resins, and printing inks with strong penetration in Asian markets.

Comar Chemicals

Produces high-purity metal carboxylates used across industrial, protective, and decorative coating applications.

Troy Corporation

Specializes in performance additives, including metal driers designed for improved curing efficiency and film durability.

Toei Chemical

Provides specialty wet-processing additives and driers tailored for high-performance industrial coatings.

Shepherd Chemical

Develops customized metal-based catalysts and driers with strong focus on cobalt, manganese, and rare earth chemistries.

Pondy Oxides & Chemicals

A key Asian supplier producing specialty metal salts, carboxylates, and additives for coatings and ink applications.

Chinese Regional Producers (Shenyang Zhangming, Hunan Xiangjiang, Shanghai Changfeng, Shanghai Minghuan, Hebei First, Xiangyang Dongda, Henan Qingan, Boye Qunli, Xianju Fusheng, Dalian First Organic)

These players support large-scale domestic demand in coatings, ink manufacturing, and metal finishing industries. They provide competitively priced cobalt, manganese, and zirconium driers for high-volume production markets.

Hangzhou Right, Tianjin Paint Packing

Manufacturers serving China’s expansive construction and industrial coatings markets, supplying standardized and custom metal-drier formulations.

Regional Analysis

North America

Growth driven by:

• Expansion in industrial maintenance coatings
• Recovery in construction and architectural paints
• Strong packaging ink demand

The U.S. leads with advanced coating technology adoption and a shift toward cobalt-free drier alternatives.

Europe

Key factors include:

• Strict environmental regulations encouraging low-toxicity drier development
• Mature but stable demand for high-performance automotive and industrial coatings
• Significant innovation in sustainable additive chemistries

Germany, Italy, and the U.K. are primary consumers.

Asia-Pacific

The largest and fastest-growing region, driven by:

• Massive construction and infrastructure development
• Rapid expansion of ink and coatings manufacturing hubs
• Strong demand from China, India, South Korea, and Southeast Asia

APAC’s growing industrial sector also boosts consumption of technical-grade metal driers.

South America

Steady growth supported by:

• Rising industrial activity
• Recovery in residential and commercial construction
• Expanding printing and packaging sectors

Brazil dominates regional consumption.

Middle East & Africa

Demand influenced by:

• Investments in infrastructure and protective coatings
• Expanding construction and industrial manufacturing bases
• Growth in metal and wood coatings

The region increasingly adopts advanced corrosion-resistant coatings requiring reliable primary driers.

Executive Summary

The Primary Metal Drier market is critical to the global paints, inks and industrial coatings value chain: metal driers (cobalt, manganese, zirconium, iron, cerium, etc.) catalyze oxidative cure, control surface/through-dry rates and directly affect film hardness, gloss and weathering performance. Between 2025–2035 the market is expected to expand modestly as construction, packaging and industrial maintenance recover and modernize, while product innovation (cobalt-free systems, polymer-bound driers, low-VOC and waterborne-compatible chemistries) reshapes supplier offerings. Regulatory pressure on cobalt, tighter VOC/health rules and raw-material price volatility will be the dominant structural forces shaping strategy and margin dynamics over the decade.

Market Drivers, Restraints, Trends & Opportunities

Market Drivers

• Rebounding end-use demand — growth in architectural coatings, industrial maintenance, automotive refinish and packaging inks drives volumetric demand for driers.
• Performance expectations — faster production cycles, higher film hardness and improved weathering increase specification of advanced drier packages.
• Shift to waterborne & high-solids systems — formulators require driers compatible with low-VOC, waterborne and high-solids technologies.
• Regulatory push for safer chemistries — pressure to reduce cobalt content and toxic residues accelerates adoption of alternative metal systems and polymer-bound solutions.
• Customization and technical support — value added through bespoke drier blends and dosing systems for high-speed printing & automated coating lines.

Market Restraints

• Raw material volatility — pricing and supply concentration for key metals (cobalt, manganese, zirconium) create cost and availability risk.
• Regulatory and health concerns — cobalt and certain organometallic carriers face scrutiny for toxicity, leading to reformulation costs and market uncertainty.
• Fragmented downstream buyers — many small coaters and printers opt for lower-cost commodity additives, pressuring premium margin capture.
• Technical complexity — achieving consistent cure performance across binder types, pigment loads and environmental conditions is non-trivial and raises R&D cost.

Key Trends

• Cobalt-reduction and cobalt-free portfolios — manganese, zirconium and rare-earth based driers plus polymer-bound catalysts grow in prominence.
• Polymer-bound and encapsulated driers — improved handling, reduced migration and lower color/odor influence.
• Focus on sustainability — low-VOC, lower heavy-metal content, and recyclable packaging are selling points.
• Integration with digital dosing / process control — customers demand precise metering for consistent cure and waste reduction.
• Regional supply shifts — greater capacity in Asia for commodity driers; western players focus on high-performance, regulatory-compliant systems.

Opportunities

• Reformulation services for OEMs — co-development of cobalt-free/low-VOC systems with large paint & ink makers.
• Premium technical driers for high-speed printing — growth in packaging and flexible film inks.
• Aftermarket maintenance & refurbishment coatings — infrastructure and industrial maintenance create recurring demand.
• Emerging markets penetration — Africa, Southeast Asia and parts of Latin America upgrading coatings standards.
• Novel catalyst chemistries — enzyme-assisted curing, photoinitiator hybrids and hybrid A-B drier systems that reduce metal loadings.

SWOT Analysis

Market-level SWOT

Strengths

• Critical functional role in cure performance; hard to commoditize fully.
• Diverse end-use across paints, inks and specialty coatings creating demand stability.
• Technical services and custom blends create defensible customer relationships.

Weaknesses

• Exposure to volatile metal raw material prices.
• Regulatory and health constraints (cobalt) increase reformulation costs.
• Large portion of demand still price-sensitive (industrial and commodity coatings).

Opportunities

• Growth in cobalt-free and polymer-bound drier product lines.
• Expansion into technical service models (dosing systems, trials, certification).
• Upsell to premium, eco-friendly additives as sustainability standards rise.

Threats

• Substitution risk from alternative cure technologies (powder coatings, UV/EB cure) in some segments.
• Increasing competition from low-cost regional producers.
• Potential new regulations limiting use of specific metal driers.

SWOT: Key Players (collective view: VECTRA, Umicore, Dow, Ege Kimya, DIC, Shepherd, Troy, major regional producers)

Strengths

• Strong R&D, regulatory experience and global distribution.
• Ability to offer tailored, high-performance and low-VOC solutions.
• Established relationships with large paint, ink, and OEM customers.

Weaknesses

• Large players are also exposed to commodity metal prices and may carry legacy cobalt portfolios requiring transition cost.
• Some face manufacturing concentration risks and compliance costs across jurisdictions.

Opportunities

• Lead market for cobalt-free innovation and polymer-bound driers.
• Service differentiation via dosing equipment, formulation support and global technical labs.
• Acquisition/partnership prospects with regional producers to secure feedstock and distribution.

Threats

• Regional producers offering cheaper commoditized driers for price-sensitive segments.
• Rapid changes in end-use technology (e.g., shift to UV, powder) reducing addressable market in specific applications.

Porter’s Five Forces

1. Competitive Rivalry — High
Multiple global suppliers (specialty chemical firms) compete with numerous regional and local producers. Competition is on price for commodity grades and on technical service/innovation for premium grades.

2. Threat of New Entrants — Moderate
Technical/formulation expertise, regulatory approvals, and sourcing of metal carboxylates create barriers; however, capital requirements are moderate and regional entrants can succeed in low-cost segments.

3. Bargaining Power of Suppliers — High
Suppliers of cobalt, manganese, zirconium and other metal feedstocks are concentrated; geopolitical issues and mining supply imbalances give suppliers leverage over prices and lead times.

4. Bargaining Power of Buyers — Moderate to High
Large paint, ink and OEM buyers (packaging printers, automotive refinishers) purchase at scale and can negotiate; smaller coaters have less leverage but may be price sensitive.

5. Threat of Substitutes — Moderate to High (segment dependent)
Substitutes include:

• Cure technology shifts — UV/EB, powder coatings or moisture cure in certain applications reduce reliance on oxidative metal driers.
• Alternative chemistries — polymer-bound catalysts, enzymes, or low-metal systems that reduce or eliminate metal drier needs.
  Substitution risk is higher in segments investing in faster, cleaner cure technologies (packaging inks, fast-line industrial coatings).

Strategic Implications & Recommended Actions

1. Accelerate cobalt-reduction roadmaps. Build and commercialize manganese/zirconium/rare-earth and polymer-bound alternatives to defend against regulatory risk and to retain customers.
2. Hedge and secure feedstock. Long-term supply contracts, geographic diversification of sourcing and strategic partnerships with metal suppliers will stabilize margins.
3. Offer systems & services. Pair drier products with dosing equipment, on-site trials and digital monitoring to move from commodity supplier to solutions partner.
4. Target high-growth niches. Focus commercial efforts on packaging inks, industrial maintenance coatings and emerging-market infrastructure where demand and margin potential are attractive.
5. Sustainability as a product platform. Invest in low-VOC, low-heavy-metal and recyclable packaging claims — these are increasingly procurement requirements for major paint/ink buyers.