The frits and glazes sector warns of a sharp rise in raw material prices and its impact on profitability

Companies face increases ranging from 16% to 177% in critical materials such as cobalt oxide, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and barium carbonate

Castellón, 28–11–2025. The National Association of Frits, Glazes and Ceramic Colours Manufacturers (ANFFECC) has issued a statement today expressing the sector’s concern over the steep escalation in raw material prices, which adds to the already complex energy and regulatory context of recent years. According to ANFFECC sources, “in recent months we have seen very significant price increases in several essential raw materials for the industry, with rises of up to 177% in very short periods of time. This situation adds further pressure to company margins, which were already severely weakened over the past years.” The factors behind this price escalation are varied, including international geopolitical tensions, anti-dumping measures adopted by the European Union, and restrictions in global supply—particularly in markets such as metal oxides and rare earths. Cobalt oxide is the material that has experienced the largest increase, rising 177% between March and November 2025 due to the temporary export ban from Congo, which has created a severe supply restriction in the global market. Titanium dioxide has increased by 67% since the second half of 2024, and barium carbonate by 40% since September of this year—both cases linked to EU anti-dumping measures applied to China. Praseodymium oxide, linked to the rare-earth market, has risen by 36% since mid-year, in a context of geopolitical tension between the United States and China that is affecting trade flows of these strategic materials. Finally, zinc oxide has increased by 16% due to the surge in zinc prices on the London Metal Exchange (LME), which drives up all metal derivatives. ANFFECC recalls that, just as with energy costs in previous years, “the industry is once again facing a scenario of enormous volatility and pressure on profitability, at a time when international demand has not yet recovered to pre-energy-crisis levels.” The sector continues to see how falling demand—combined with rising costs and increasing administrative and regulatory requirements—poses a threat to competitiveness and to the continuity of industrial activity in Spain. According to ANFFECC, “these increases are progressively tightening margins to concerning levels. Maintaining profitability is essential not only to sustain employment and national production, but also to continue investing in R&D&I, which is one of the hallmarks of this sector at an international level.” In this regard, the Association notes that if this trend continues, it will be necessary to review product prices to ensure the viability of companies and maintain activity in Spain: “the frits, glazes and ceramic colours sector is strategic, innovative and a global leader, but it needs competitive market conditions in order to remain so.” For all these reasons, they stress that, at this time, “the industry needs stability to plan its strategies, and European policies that do not penalise EU production compared to third countries, which operate with far lower bureaucratic burdens and with significantly lower energy, labour and raw material costs than those in Europe.”