Global rotary nickel screen market volume rises 5.4% annually

Global Rotary Nickel Screen Market volume is forecast to rise at a 5.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 6.165 million units in CY20 to 10.400 million units in CY30. The rotary nickel screen market’s value fell 25.6% from USD 294.7 million in CY22 to USD 219.4 million in CY24 after nickel prices declined.

How fast will the rotary nickel screen market volume grow?

The rotary nickel screen market is projected to add 4.235 million units between CY20 and CY30. Sales rose from 6.165 million units in CY20 to 7.693 million units in CY24, and the forecast shows 8.095 million units in CY25 and 10.400 million units in CY30. CAGR is the annualised rate of growth over a multi-year period, rather than the change recorded in one year.

The forecast series shows growth in every year from CY25 to CY30. Annual sales are projected to increase by 402,000 units in CY25, 475,000 units in CY26, 410,000 units in CY27, 470,000 units in CY28, 435,000 units in CY29 and 515,000 units in CY30. The CY30 forecast is 35.2% above the CY24 level, so the projected 5.4% annual expansion depends on continued growth in textile-printing activity through the forecast period.

Rotary nickel screens are cylindrical, perforated components used in rotary screen-printing machines. Their microscopic mesh controls ink transfer and pattern reproduction, while nickel or nickel-alloy construction provides ductility and corrosion resistance in production settings. Demand is consequently tied to printed-fabric output in apparel, home textiles and technical textiles, which are textile materials designed for functional applications.

Why did rotary nickel screen market value fall after CY22?

The rotary nickel screen market value declined after CY22 because nickel represents a significant part of the product cost structure and nickel prices fell in CY23 and CY24. Market value rose from USD 151.7 million in CY20 to USD 199.7 million in CY21 and USD 294.7 million in CY22, before declining to USD 260.2 million in CY23 and USD 219.4 million in CY24.

The CY24 value was 25.6% below the CY22 peak, while sales volume was 9.8% higher over the same period, rising from 7.007 million to 7.693 million units. Volume measures screens sold, whereas market value also reflects the prices received for those screens. An approximately 40% increase in nickel prices during 2022 lifted market value rapidly, while the subsequent price decline moderated value despite rising unit sales.

Market value is forecast to recover from USD 219.4 million in CY24 to USD 236.1 million in CY25 and USD 300.4 million in CY30. The CY30 forecast is 1.9% above the CY22 value, but that result depends on both projected sales growth and nickel pricing not producing another sharp divergence between the number of screens sold and the market’s value.

What is supporting rotary nickel screen market volume growth?

The rotary nickel screen market is supported by demand for detailed, repeatable textile printing at production scale. Perforation size, shape and density can be customised for particular printing requirements, enabling controlled ink transfer and pattern reproduction. Durability, wear resistance and corrosion resistance also support use where printers require screens for demanding production conditions.

The global home-textile industry provides part of the demand backdrop. It was valued at USD 122 billion in CY23 and was projected to reach USD 134 billion by the end of CY24, with expected annual growth of 5% to 5.5% through 2030. The 5.4% CY20-CY30 volume CAGR for the rotary nickel screen market is within that range, although screens also serve printed apparel and technical-textile applications.

Digital printing is presented as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, rotary screen printing. The supplied outlook identifies integration between digital and rotary printing, alongside improvements in mesh accuracy and uniformity, as factors supporting screen demand. The CY30 volume forecast therefore assumes that hybrid printing methods and requirements for high-precision printed fabrics continue to require physical nickel screens.

Which textile markets and policies affect demand?

The United States affects global demand because it imported USD 79.3 billion of apparel in 2023, approximately 20% of global apparel imports. China and Vietnam jointly supplied 39% of US apparel imports by value in 2023. The industry outlook links the scale of US apparel sourcing and demand for printed fabrics with a North American rotary nickel screen market projected to surpass USD 24 million by CY30.

The European Union’s apparel imports increased from Euro 144.7 billion in 2018 to Euro 176.9 billion in 2023. Suppliers from developing countries accounted for more than 44% of European Union clothing imports by value in 2023, compared with 48% in 2018. The lower supplier share alongside a larger import total indicates changing sourcing patterns while retaining a substantial demand base for textile production in supplying countries.

India’s textile capacity plans are another potential demand factor for the rotary nickel screen market. The Production Linked Incentive scheme for man-made fibre apparel, man-made fibre fabrics and 10 technical-textile segments has a budgetary outlay of Rs 10,683 crore. Its two investment categories require at least Rs 300 crore or Rs 100 crore in plant, machinery and civil works, excluding land and administrative costs.

What could change the CY30 forecast?

Nickel availability and pricing could again cause market value to move differently from sales volume. Nickel metal and nickel alloys are the principal raw materials, and Indonesia, the Philippines and Russia are identified as key supply sources. Political unrest, natural disasters, trade policy and export restrictions can affect supply, while higher inventory needs can increase the operating burden for manufacturers.

Production technology could also affect the path to 10.400 million units in CY30. Electroforming, the principal screen-manufacturing method, can create inconsistent nickel-layer thickness and makes further mesh-precision improvements difficult. Compatibility with newer inks and high-speed equipment is another stated constraint, meaning forecast growth requires manufacturers to maintain quality and functionality as textile-printing processes change.

Conclusion

The combined evidence indicates that the rotary nickel screen market is expected to grow in physical volume while its revenue pool remains sensitive to nickel costs. Sales are forecast to rise from 7.693 million units in CY24 to 10.400 million units in CY30, but the CY22-CY24 comparison shows that a 9.8% increase in volume coincided with a 25.6% decline in market value.

The next disclosed milestones are the CY25 forecasts of 8.095 million units and USD 236.1 million in market value, followed by the CY30 projections of 10.400 million units and USD 300.4 million. Nickel supply conditions, electroforming quality and compatibility with newer inks remain unresolved factors, while the Rs 10,683 crore Production Linked Incentive scheme is a stated capacity-support plan to monitor.