The mid‑September of 2026 marks the core phase of the traditional peak season for domestic precipitated silica. The market has stepped out of the old cycle of synchronized price rises and falls, entering a brand‑new era featured by structural divergence, product grading and value differentiation. Two distinct trends can be observed across the industrial chain. Conventional filler‑grade and standard reinforcing precipitated silica face sufficient capacity, high inventory and pricing pressure, maintaining a weak and volatile trend. By contrast, high‑dispersity silica for tires, special grades for photovoltaic sealants, low‑impurity electronic‑grade silica and modified high‑end products for new‑energy materials keep rising in market demand. Orders remain full with tight delivery schedules and strong price resilience. Driven by downstream material upgrading, stricter green manufacturing policies and export high‑end transformation, competition in the precipitated silica industry has shifted from capacity expansion to comprehensive strengths including stable product quality, custom modification capability, low‑carbon compliance system and full‑cycle technical services.

　　In terms of upstream raw materials and cost conditions, prices of sodium silicate, sulfuric acid, industrial steam, electricity and other key production inputs stay relatively stable in mid‑September. Fluctuations of raw material costs have narrowed greatly, easing the overall cost burden compared with the second quarter. However, profit gaps between different grades keep widening. Standard precipitated silica has low technical barriers and severe homogeneous competition with transparent pricing, leaving manufacturers with slim profit margins. Most small‑and‑medium producers rely on high sales volume to sustain operation. High‑end modified silica gains strong premium benefits through precise process control, strict impurity management, exclusive surface modification formulas and consistent batch‑to‑batch performance. Leading enterprises maintain solid profitability on premium product lines. Meanwhile, domestic regulations on environmental protection and energy consumption are steadily enforced. Policies regarding zero‑discharge wastewater, recycling of by‑product salts, ultra‑low emission standards and energy‑intensity controls are becoming tighter. Small manufacturers face heavy technical renovation costs and unstable production conditions. A large number of inefficient backward capacities are phased out passively, further lifting the concentration ratio of high‑quality production capacity in the whole sector.

　　As the largest downstream consumer of precipitated silica, the tire industry delivers robust demand in the third‑quarter peak season, underpinning the market performance of high‑end silica. Domestic tire manufacturers gradually raise operating rates, with a growing share of fully‑loaded production lines for all‑steel and semi‑steel tires. Capacity expansion is especially prominent for new‑energy low‑rolling‑resistance tires and premium silent wear‑resistant tires. With the rising penetration rate of new‑energy vehicles, tire formulations keep being optimized. Manufacturers cut the dosage of carbon black and increase the proportion of high‑dispersity precipitated silica to improve rolling resistance, wear resistance, road grip and fuel‑saving performance. Market demand surges for tire‑specific silica with high dispersion, low hysteresis, strong reinforcement and stable batch quality. Tire export orders recover at the same time. Purchasing contracts for the third quarter from Europe, America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East are being delivered in batches. Overseas buyers impose stricter evaluation standards on material stability, carbon footprint, batch consistency and compliance certifications. Domestic leading producers equipped with green production lines and mature quality‑control systems gain more advantages, and the export proportion of high‑end silica keeps climbing.

　　Non‑tire segments become the core growth driver for precipitated silica, reshaping the demand structure which used to rely heavily on the tire market. In the silicone material industry, expanding production of photovoltaic encapsulant gels, flame‑retardant electronic sealants, high‑weather‑resistance construction sealants and new‑energy wire‑sealing materials raises strict requirements on dispersion, transparency, reinforcement, weather resistance and low metal‑ion content. Ordinary precipitated silica can no longer meet formulation standards for premium sealants, creating tight market supply for high‑transparency, low‑impurity modified silica. In the coating sector, upgrading high‑end water‑borne industrial paints, matte wood coatings, weather‑resistant anticorrosive paints and automotive coatings accelerates the import substitution of matting‑grade precipitated silica. Custom high‑purity, low‑heavy‑metal silica gains growing consumption in fine chemicals, pharmaceutical excipients, food additives and feed anti‑caking agents, lifting the proportion of high‑value‑added products in niche markets. In addition, expanding application scenarios such as lithium‑ion battery diaphragm coatings, energy‑storage materials and composite fillers open new market space for functional high‑end precipitated silica.

　　The supply‑side landscape keeps optimizing with a profound restructuring of production capacity. Newly built capacities in recent years are mainly focused on high‑end modified, special‑purpose and fine‑grade silica, while new investment in low‑end filler‑type silica almost stagnates. Combined constraints from environmental protection, energy‑saving and safety standards eliminate outdated small‑scale production lines with rough processes and insufficient quality management, improving the overall supply quality of the industry. Leading companies continuously upgrade digital, intelligent and eco‑friendly production workshops. AI‑assisted process adjustment, end‑to‑end quality control and closed‑loop recycling production reduce batch performance deviations and stabilize product quality, widening the quality gap with small competitors. Premium resources, large‑volume orders and high‑end customers keep converging at top enterprises, consolidating the winner‑takes‑all pattern.

　　Foreign trade markets pursue quality improvement rather than simple volume growth. The export share of low‑end conventional silica keeps declining, while export volumes of high‑dispersity tire‑grade, electronic‑grade and photovoltaic‑special modified silica keep rising. As the global low‑carbon trade system matures, overseas end‑product brands carry out supply‑chain carbon footprint management. Domestic manufacturers with low‑carbon production lines, circular‑economy systems and green‑factory certifications enjoy obvious advantages in international bidding and high‑end customer qualification audits. Domestic premium precipitated silica speeds up the substitution of imported products from Europe, America, Japan and South Korea, strengthening China’s influence in the global market.

　　Looking ahead, structural differentiation in the precipitated silica industry will intensify from late September to the fourth quarter. Driven by overcapacity, weak demand and high inventory, conventional filler‑type and basic reinforcing silica will fluctuate within a narrow range with limited upward potential, and vicious low‑price competition in the low‑end market will persist. High‑end modified silica for low‑rolling‑resistance tires, photovoltaic sealants, low‑impurity electronic materials, coating matting and new‑energy supporting applications will maintain firm market prices, supported by peak‑season restocking from downstream clients, incremental demand in emerging sectors and accelerated import substitution.

　　In the long run, the precipitated silica industry has bid farewell to the extensive capacity‑expansion competition. Future growth will rely on five core directions: high‑end positioning, fine customization, tailor‑made formulation, green manufacturing and professional technical services. Leading manufacturers that realize precise microstructure regulation, rapid customized formulation iteration, consistent full‑process quality control, low‑carbon compliance and complete technical support will keep occupying high‑end niche markets, obtaining product premiums and establishing long‑term cooperation with clients. With the continuous upgrading of domestic advanced‑material industries, there remains huge room for import substitution of high‑end precipitated silica. The whole sector will march toward a new development stage featuring high‑quality output, high added value and high technical barriers.