Surfactants Market Research Report: Product Type (Cationic, Nonionic, Anionic, Amphoteric, Others), Application (Homecare & Personal Care, Food Processing, Oil Field Chemicals, Agricultural Chemicals, Others) and Region Forecast Till 2030

Surfactants Market Analysis

Surfactants Market is projected to be worth USD 80 Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 8.75% during the forecast period (2022 - 2030). The market was valued at USD 36 billion in 2020.Surfactants are organic compounds having wide use in the soap and detergents industry, lubricant industry, textile industry, food & beverages industry, paint industry, etc. These surface-active compounds increase the wettability of liquids and also act as emulsifiers, dispersants, etc.

The demand for personal care items is rising every day with improvement in the lifestyle of people. The surfactants are primary materials that perform cleansing action in soaps and detergents. They are also used as emulsifiers in different industries.

Technological improvements in the cleansing industry are vital for Market expansion. Innovations within the product to suit different needs ( for example detergents for washing machines ) are a good step to have a stronghold in the market. 

Covid 19 Analysis

Covid 19 had a serious impact on the global surfactants market. The economic slump over the period decreased the purchasing power of people. Therefore, the demand for many end products of surfactants, especially personal care products, fell sharply. 

The temporary travel restrictions had a bad effect on the supply chain. Moreover, it led to irregularities in demand and supply rates. Furthermore, a halt in vehicular movement during the period decreased the use of lubricant and lubricant industry and is also a major user of surfactants. The negative growth of the lubricant industry also impacted the global surfactants market. 

However, there was a rise in awareness about the importance of personal and community hygiene. This rise in awareness increased the demand for the product and brought growth in the surfactants market during the period. The market is expected to show a rapid recovery within a short time. 

List of Key Players in the Surfactants Market

The major global companies playing a key role in the surfactants market are :

• Galaxy Surfactants Ltd (India)


• Stepan Company (US)


• Solvay (Belgium)


• KAO Corporation (Japan)rwe3e


• Huntsman Corporation (US)


• Evonik Industries AG (Germany)


• El Dupont De Nemours & Co (US)


• Clariant AG (Switzerland)

Market Dynamics

Drivers

The growing demand for personal care items and improvement in the standard of living of people are the major growth driving factors. Moreover, there has been a significant rise in awareness about personal hygiene. With increasing literacy rates in developing countries, the market is expected to expand significantly in these countries.

Industrial development and expansion of various end-user industries of surfactants are also promoting market growth. The increasing automobile sales are too boosting the market growth as the lubricant Industry is also a major end-user of surfactants.  Moreover, the growth of the dairy industry, paint industry, and the chemical industry is a demand-boosting factor for the global surfactant market. Furthermore, innovations within surfactant technology to make their environment-friendly and less toxic will prove to be beneficial for the market in the long run. 

Restraints

The harmful environmental effects associated with the use of surfactants, mostly synthetic surfactants, are the major growth hindering factor for the surfactants market. Metal toxicity and non-degradability are the major problems with such surfactants.

The volatile prices of petroleum products are a growth restricting factor. Petroleum products are the primary raw material for surfactant production, change in their price affects the production rate directly. 

Technological Analysis

Surfactants are organic chemical compounds that help to decrease the surface tension and stabilize the interface between two liquid or solid, liquid or liquid surfaces. These chemicals help to remove oil and dirt from different surfaces and are the primary component of soaps and detergents. 

The term surfactants are derived from a combination of surface-active agents as they interfere with the surface attraction between different substances. These organic compounds have amphiphilic properties i.e contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts. When these compounds get absorbed in a surface they reduce the cohesive force between similar molecules and help in their separation or miscibility. 

Surfactants act as wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants in different chemical products. Thus, they have wide applications in various industries such as soap and detergents, lubricants, inks, anti-fogging liquid, paint, pesticides, adhesives, emulsifiers, fabric softeners, etc. Moreover, they are also used in the food industry to stabilize emulsions such as ice-creams.

Study Objectives

This report aims to provide a complete overview of the surfactants market. The specific objectives of this surfactants market report are :

• To analyze and forecast the surfactants market in terms of value and volume.


• To provide information about the impact of covid 19 on the market growth.


• To identify the problems and prospects of the surfactants market


• To give details about the technological viability of the product.


• To provide an overview of the regional market and potentially growing segments of the surfactants market.


• To identify the key players of the industry.

Segment Analysis

Segmentation of the surfactants market, by type

• Anionic surfactants


• Non-ionic surfactants


• Amphoteric surfactants

The anionic surfactants are the leading market segment which occupies about half of the total market share. Because of their better performance than other types, Anionic surfactants are widely used in soaps and detergents. These are very effective in removing oil-based stains. Moreover, their low production cost is also an advantage. 

Segmentation of the surfactants market, by substrate,

• Synthetic surfactants


• Bio-based surfactants

Synthetic surfactants dominate the market owing to their high efficiency and low cost of production. These surfactants are usually derived from side products of the petroleum industry and are relatively cheaper. On the other hand, bio-based surfactants are expected to grow at a higher growth rate in the future.  Biosurfactants are environment friendly which is driving the market growth. 

Segmentation of the surfactants market, by application

• Detergents


• Personal care


• Textiles


• Oilfield chemicals


• Food and beverages


• Emulsifier


• Foaming agents


• Industrial and institutional cleaning


• Crop protection

Detergents dominate the surfactants market and occupy about 46 % of the total market share. Detergents are widely used for various laundry operations. According to Statista, the global detergent's market value was worth USD 120 billion in 2019. Moreover, the market value will significantly rise during the forecast period with improving the lifestyle of people.

However, the personal care segment is showing the fastest growth rate. The rise in awareness about the need for personal hygiene is the propelling factor for market growth.

Regional Analysis

The different regional markets for the global surfactants market are:

• 
  North America
  
  
  
  • US
  
  
  • Canada
  
  
  • Mexico
  
  
  
  

• 
  Europe
  
  
  
  • UK
  
  
  • Germany
  
  
  • France
  
  
  • Italy
  
  
  • Spain
  
  
  • Rest of Europe
  
  
  
  

• 
  Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  • China
  
  
  • India
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • Australia & New Zealand
  
  
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  

• 
  Rest of the world ( RoW )
  
  
  
  • The Middle East
  
  
  • Africa
  
  
  • South America
  
  
  
  

The Asia Pacific holds the largest market share. The high population in this region generates huge demand for the global surfactants market. Moreover, the market value is also increasing with improvement in the living standard of people in this region. A rise in awareness about sanitation and hygiene will propel the growth further.

North America is the second-largest regional surfactants market. Luxurious lifestyle and widespread awareness about hygiene are the major growth driving factors in this region. Moreover, the prevalence of other ends user industries such as oilfields, chemicals, lubricants, and other end users generate the demand for surfactants. 

Europe is the largest regional market for surfactants. A luxurious lifestyle is a growth influencing factor here too. Food and beverage and personal care are the major demand-generating factors in this region. 

The middle east and South America also account for a significant market share. The rise in literacy rate and awareness about hygiene is the market driving factors in this region.  

Recent Developments

Intended Audience

This report will be beneficial for every stakeholder of the surfactants market such as :

• Surfactants Manufacturers


• Raw material providers for surfactant industry


• Research and Development Institutes


• End-user Industries


• Traders and distributors

Report Overview

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the surfactants market in terms of current value and future forecast. It also highlights the problems and prospects of the given market. The recent developments section of the report gives an overview of the surfactants market trends. 

Moreover, technological analysis of the product will greatly help in decision-making about the prospects of the market. Furthermore, this report contains a detailed analysis of every segment of the given market for the current forecast period. This report has also highlighted the key players and the current developments in the surfactants market.