Bitumen is the main raw material for the manufacture of asphalt products for paving, roofing, and other applications. The bitumen is combined with aggregates, minerals, fibers, modifiers, or other substances to fabricate a range of finished products — for example, oxidized bitumen for paving; asphalt membranes, felts, and shingles for roofing; or asphalt mastics for waterproofing foundations. Bitumen may be obtained from refining crude petroleum or from mining naturally occurring bitumen. In most of the world, natural bitumen supplies are limited and nearly all bitumen comes from petroleum refining.
Thus, trends in crude oil production and refining affect markets for both bitumen and for downstream bitumen paving, roofing, and other products. The global bitumen industry consists of groups of countries (and also companies) concentrated in the refining of bitumen, the production of bitumen paving materials, and the manufacture of bitumen roofing products. While a few companies both refine primary bitumen and manufacture downstream products, most do not. Even for those companies involved in both bitumen and asphalt paving production, the two operations are typically controlled by separate units within the company. The differences in technology and customer base for the three major segments — bitumen, bitumen paving, and bitumen roofing – make it difficult for one firm to participate in multiple segments.

Worldwide demand for bitumen in 2017, was between 110-112 Million Ton which greatest consumer of bitumen is still China with near to demand of 21-million-ton yearly while was the greatest producer; too. After China; the United States and Russia; produced 20 and 7.8 million tons; respectively; Regardless of that quantity, the most effective factors which affect global bitumen demand in every year are:

• Economy
• The government budget for road
• A natural disaster such as Earth quick, flood, volcano, etc.
• An unplanned event such as terrorism, accidents

Top Global bitumen producer countries at 2017 have shown as below ;

Global Bitumen Producers at 2017; Thousand MT

The leaders of exporting bitumen are shown as below; south Korea & Iran with exporting 3.8 million ton were greatest traders at 2017;

Global Bitumen Exporters at 2017; Thousand MT