The global conveyor belt market will grow steadily at a CAGR of around 6 percent by 2021, according to a market report by Technavio. This market research analysis identifies the increasing demand for automation in material handling as one of the primary growth factors for this market. The latest report by IMARC Group, conveyor belts are mechanical apparatus consisting of two or more pulleys with a moving belt or a chain that helps in transporting materials or packages from one place to another. The belt forms a continuous loop of fabric, rubber, plastic, leather, or metal supported on rollers or on a metal slider pan. Nowadays, various types of conveyor belts are available to use in different applications such as food processing industries, airports, and various transporting industries. The rising need for the efficient handling of bulky materials and raw materials due to the variety in texture and size, contribute to the growing need for automation in material handling. Additionally, the expansion of industries with several manufacturing facilities such as automotive, retail, food and beverage, and healthcare industries is also increasingly demanding the need for automation and conveyor belts to facilitate the transportation of large materials. The increasing demand for steel cord conveyor belts is one of the key trends that will gain traction in the conveyor belt market during the next four years. The coal-mining industry requires high-performance conveyor belt systems like steel cord conveyor belts that can be used for longer distances. The steel cord conveyor belts provide various advantages such as strength, flexibility, easy maintenance, and high-splice strength and safety that influences their usage driving the growth of this market. The increasing applications of conveyor belts in various industries are helping the global conveyor belt market to expand, according to Technavio. Additionally, these belts enable the manufacturers to reduce inventory levels, and in turn, reduce overall production costs. As a result, the escalating demand for conveyor belts from automation, mining and manufacturing industries has emerged as another major demand driver. Further, there has been an increase in the use of conveyor belts at the airports so as to facilitate the passengers with efficient baggage transportation. Some of the other factors contributing to the market growth are aging workforce, growth of infrastructural activities and demand for eco-friendly conveyor belts with self-cleaning properties. On the basis of product type, the market has been segmented into medium-weight conveyor belt, lightweight conveyor belt and heavyweight conveyor belt. Currently, medium-weight conveyor belt is the most popular product type, holding the largest market share. Based on end-use, the market is categorized into metallurgy industry, chemical industry, steel-making industry and others. Region-wise, Asia Pacific dominates the market, accounting for the largest share, followed by Europe and North America. Other major regions include the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.