As of mid-October 2026, China’s precipitated silica market continues to operate under a structural divergence pattern. Prices of standard precipitated silica remain stable, and market activity is dominated by demand-based procurement as enterprises steadily reduce inventories. Commodity monitoring data shows the benchmark quotation of ordinary rubber-grade precipitated silica holds steady at 6400 CNY per ton with minor price fluctuations and limited upward momentum. Downstream traditional footwear and ordinary rubber miscellaneous parts sectors report low operating rates and insufficient terminal orders. Downstream manufacturers face heavy capital pressure and adopt hand-to-mouth purchasing strategies to avoid inventory impairment risks. Traders stay cautious and are reluctant to build stocks. Market transactions mainly rely on long-term framework orders from regular clients, and there is considerable bargaining room for sporadic small orders. East China production areas have abundant spot supply and intense market competition. Affected by raw material transportation and energy consumption costs, spot transaction prices in Southwest and Central China are slightly higher. Most manufacturers of standard grades adjust operating rates on demand to control finished goods inventory and reduce the occupation of working capital.

　　On the supply side, new domestic precipitated silica capacity is continuously shifting toward high value-added tracks. New projects focus on high-dispersion precipitated silica for tires, hydrophobic fumed silica and other high-end modified products. Approval for new low-end precipitated silica projects keeps tightening. Regular supervision of environmental protection and work safety is continuously enforced. Small and medium manufacturers with incomplete supporting facilities and substandard energy consumption face ongoing production restrictions. Backward capacity is phased out steadily and industrial concentration rises continuously. Slight fluctuations in the cost of sodium silicate, sulfuric acid and electricity keep squeezing profit margins of standard precipitated silica producers. Leading enterprises accelerate the renovation of outdated production lines and allocate R&D and capital resources to specialty precipitated silica products. The industrialization of rice husk ash-based low-carbon precipitated silica moves forward. Its low carbon footprint advantage attracts overseas buyers, forming a new industry track. Major manufacturers also expand their service scope, transforming from simple material suppliers to providers of supporting formulation technical services.

　　The demand side maintains a split trend between booming and sluggish segments. Demand from traditional footwear, general rubber and conventional coating matting powder remains flat with low-volume essential procurement. New energy green tires remain the core growth market for precipitated silica. The penetration rate of new energy vehicles in China rises steadily, and tire formulations are continuously optimized. Featuring the advantages of reducing rolling resistance and improving wet skid resistance, high-dispersion precipitated silica is added in higher proportions in tire tread formulations, and orders for tire-grade high-dispersion precipitated silica are delivered stably. Demand from the organosilicon industrial chain is steadily released. As reinforcing filler for silicone rubber, fumed silica benefits from growing demand in photovoltaic sealing, electronic potting, cable sealing and other fields. Emerging application scenarios including lithium battery separators, industrial adhesives, composite materials, pharmaceutical carriers and high-end daily chemicals keep expanding, and demand for various modified specialty precipitated silica increases steadily. The high price of carbon black pushes rubber product manufacturers to speed up verification of filler substitution, which benefits the promotion of high-performance precipitated silica in the medium and long term.

　　In foreign trade, the export structure of domestic precipitated silica continues to optimize and upgrade. Overseas inquiries for tire-grade high-dispersion precipitated silica grow steadily, and tire and rubber buyers from Europe and Southeast Asia show stronger purchasing willingness. With the implementation of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, precipitated silica produced by low-carbon processes boasts carbon footprint advantages, and overseas purchasers are willing to pay premium prices. Exports of standard precipitated silica are under pressure due to low-price competition from local manufacturers in Southeast Asia, resulting in sluggish export growth of conventional grades. Fluctuations in international ocean freight rates and exchange rates bring uncertainties. Foreign trade enterprises are more prudent when accepting large forward orders and show low willingness to lock orders. The high-end specialty precipitated silica market still partially depends on imports, which are widely used in pharmaceutical carriers, high-end cosmetics and precision polishing. Domestic enterprises keep investing in technical research, and the import substitution of high-end grades advances steadily.

　　Market outlook: The structural trend of China’s precipitated silica market is unlikely to witness fundamental changes in the short run. Prices of standard precipitated silica will probably remain weak and stable with slow inventory digestion. Demand for high-dispersion tire silica and high-end hydrophobic fumed silica stays firm, with prices fluctuating at high levels. In the medium and long term, the expansion of new energy vehicles, high-end organosilicon and electronic new material industries will continuously drive demand growth for high-performance precipitated silica. Industry competition has evolved from pure price competition into comprehensive competition covering powder modification, low-carbon production and supporting formulation services. Small and medium manufacturers with single product portfolios and weak R&D capability will face mounting operational pressure, and industrial resources will keep concentrating on leading enterprises. Follow-up attention should be paid to the impact of raw material prices, operating rates of downstream tire industry and changes in overseas carbon policies.