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The global surfactants market size is estimated to grow by USD 13.6 billion between 2022 and 2027 and the size of the market is forecast to increase at a CAGR of 5.6%. The growth of the market growth is depended upon multiple factors, such as rising demand for personal care products, increasing demand from developing nations, and greater surfactant use in detergents. However, market expansion faces challenges due tothe volatility of raw material prices. Our report examines historic data from 2017 to 2021, besides analyzing the current market scenario.
This report extensively covers market segmentation by product (anionic, non-ionic, cationic, and amphoteric), application (detergents, industrial and institutional cleaning, food processing, personal care, and others), type (synthetic and bio-based), and geography (APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa)
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Surfactants are materials or substances that lower the interfacial tension or surface tension between a liquid and a solid or between two liquids. Surfactants work based on the principle of adsorption at the interface or surface of the two-phase systems.
Our researchers analyzed the data with 2022 as the base year, along with the key drivers, trends, and challenges. A holistic analysis of drivers will help companies refine their marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.
Growing demand for personal care products is driving the market growth. The demand for surfactants in personal care applications is growing due to the increasing use of cosmetics and personal care products such as hair care, skin care, and baby care products. Surfactants clean and produce foam in shampoos, shower gels, and hair conditioners. The mild shampoos with surfactants are gentle on the skin. Compatible skin surfactants function as emulsifiers, and they stabilize the oil droplets or water in lotions and creams. These emulsions in sunscreen and skincare cosmetics are absorbed quickly by the skin and do not cause a greasy and shiny film on the skin's surface. They also do not leave grease spots on the clothing. In lipstick and make-up, surfactants are mainly used in the dispersion of color pigments. They also help in dispersing perfumes in aftershaves, toilet water, hair lotions, and shaving creams. Hence, the growing demand for personal care products is expected to boost the demand for surfact
The global surfactants market is experiencing significant growth due to the adoption of effective business strategies by market players. Intense competition drives vendors to differentiate their surfactant products through product launches, business expansions, collaborations, and partnerships. For example, Dow Chemical and Solvay partnered in 2021 to develop and market new surfactant technologies. Similarly, Evonik Industries AG and Huntsman Corporation joined forces in 2020 to offer a broad selection of surfactant solutions. Clariant expanded production capacity for its mild surfactant, Hostapon SCI, in 2020, catering to the increasing demand for gentle surfactants. These strategic moves create growth opportunities for the surfactants market.
The high manufacturing cost of bio-based surfactants hinders market growth. Bio-surfactants are more expensive than traditional synthetic counterparts due to raw material prices and economies of scale. Their cost is approximately USD 1.8 per litre, increasing the end-products overall cost. Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, like Reckitt Benckiser, P&G, L'Oreal, and Colgate, mainly use bio-surfactants. However, these companies often prefer synthetic surfactants to gain a competitive edge due to FMCG products' price sensitivity.
Producing bio-surfactants on a commercial scale requires significant investment. The production involves a mixture of congener molecules with different structures used for various applications. Extracting specific molecules for applications is challenging and expensive, constituting 75%-80% of the production cost. These factors can impede the growth of the global surfactants market to some extent during the forecast period.
The market share growth by the anionic segment will be significant during the forecast period. The growing demand for anionic surfactants such as linear alkyl benzene in cleaners and detergents is expected to drive market growth. This is attributed to the advantageous characteristics of the product. Anionic-type surfactants are one of the most widely used surfactants in dishwashing liquids, laundering, and shampoos because of their better cleaning properties.
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The anionic segment was valued at USD 14.75 billion in 2017 and continued to grow until 2021. Anionic surfactants are particularly good at removing residues of fabric softener from fabrics. They are also effective for oily soil cleaning and oil/clay soil suspension. It is commonly used in carpet cleaning. They possess a negative charge on their hydrophilic end. This charge helps the anionic surfactant molecules in better interaction with the soil particles and carpet fibers. The hard ions, such as magnesium and calcium, in the water, can lead to the deactivation of anionic surfactants. For prevention, other ingredients, such as calcium or magnesium sequestrants, are added to avoid the reaction of surfactants with hard water ions. Therefore, these factors are expected to augment the growth of the anionic product in the global market and drive its growth during the forecast period.
APAC is estimated to contribute 42% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. Technavio’s analysts have elaborately explained the regional trends and drivers that shape the market during the forecast period.
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APAC is expected to be one of the fastest CAGR during the forecast period owing to the growing demand for surfactants from various applications such as detergents, personal care, food processing, and others. The growing population and increase in disposable income in APAC are expected to increase the demand for surfactants. The emergence of China and India as manufacturing hubs in APAC is also expected to drive industrial and institutional cleaning and food processing applications. Furthermore, China is one of the major consumers of detergents. It is also expected to become the largest cosmetic market in the world during the forecast period. Thus, owing to such factors the regional market is expected to grow during the forecast period.
In 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 negatively impacted the market growth in APAC. However, the growing demand for surfactants from various industrial and residential users in the form of detergent, hand wash, cleaning solutions, and others is one of the major factors that boosted the growth of the market for surfactants in APAC in 2020. The growing demand for industrial cleaning to avoid cross-contamination, growth in the food manufacturers across the region, increasing demand for handwash from residential as well as commercial users to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, and rising demand for bio-based surfactants are the major factors that boosted the market growth during the pandemic. This trend is expected to continue, which in turn, will fuel the regional market growth during the forecast period.
The market research report includes the adoption lifecycle of the market, covering from the innovator’s stage to the laggard’s stage. It focuses on adoption rates in different regions based on penetration. Furthermore, the report also includes key purchase criteria and drivers of price sensitivity to help companies evaluate and develop their growth strategies.
Global Surfactants Market Customer Landscape
Companies are implementing various strategies, such as strategic alliances, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, geographical expansion, and product/service launches, to enhance their presence in the market.
Kensing LLC - The company focuses on natural sulfates, specialty esters, natural vitamin E and phytosterols products and solutions. The key offerings of the company include anionic surfactants.
The research report also includes detailed analyses of the competitive landscape of the market and information about 15 market companies, including:
Abitec, Arkema Group, BASF SE, Bo International, Clariant International Ltd., Croda International Plc, Evonik Industries AG, Galaxy Surfactants Ltd., Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd., Innospec Inc., Jiangsu WanQi Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Kao Corp., Kensing LLC, KLK Oleo, Lonza Group Ltd., NutraSkin USA, Pacmoore Products Inc., PCC Rokita SA, Sirius International BV, Solvay SA, and Stepan Co.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of companies has been conducted to help clients understand the wider business environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key market players. Data is qualitatively analyzed to categorize companies as pure play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified; it is quantitatively analyzed to categorize companies as dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak.
The surfactants market report forecasts market growth by revenue at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the latest trends and growth opportunities from 2017 to 2027.
Surfactants Market Scope |
|
Report Coverage |
Details |
Page number |
189 |
Base year |
2022 |
Historic period |
2017-2021 |
Forecast period |
2023-2027 |
Growth momentum & CAGR |
Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.6% |
Market growth 2023-2027 |
$ 13.6 billion |
Market structure |
Fragmented |
YoY growth 2022-2023(%) |
4.81 |
Regional analysis |
APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa |
Performing market contribution |
APAC at 42% |
Key countries |
US, Canada, China, Japan, and Germany |
Competitive landscape |
Leading Companies, Market Positioning of Companies, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks |
Key companies profiled |
Abitec, Arkema Group, BASF SE, Bo International, Clariant International Ltd., Croda International Plc, Evonik Industries AG, Galaxy Surfactants Ltd., Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd., Innospec Inc., Jiangsu WanQi Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Kao Corp., Kensing LLC, KLK Oleo, Lonza Group Ltd., NutraSkin USA, Pacmoore Products Inc., PCC Rokita SA, Sirius International BV, Solvay SA, and Stepan Co. |
Market dynamics |
Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID 19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for forecast period |
Customization purview |
If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. |
We can help! Our analysts can customize this market research report to meet your requirements.
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