Market Overview

The global surfactants market is expected to reach a value of US$ 54.3 billion by 2028, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% from 2023 to 2028. Surfactants are surface-active agents that improve the spreading and wetting properties of liquids by lowering their surface tension. Surfactants are widely used in various industries, such as home care, personal care, oil and gas, agriculture, textiles, and others.

The growth of the global surfactants market is driven by several factors, such as the increasing demand for surfactants from the personal care industry, the rising awareness about hygiene and sanitation, and the shift towards bio-based surfactants. The personal care industry is one of the major end-users of surfactants, as they are used in various products, such as shampoos, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and others. The rising disposable income, urbanization, and changing lifestyles of consumers in emerging economies, such as China and India, are boosting the demand for personal care products. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the awareness about hygiene and sanitation among consumers, leading to higher consumption of surfactant-based products.

Another key factor driving the global surfactants market is the shift towards bio-based surfactants, which are derived from renewable sources, such as vegetable oils, sugars, and starches. Bio-based surfactants are considered to be more environmentally friendly and biodegradable than synthetic surfactants, which are derived from petroleum or petrochemicals. Bio-based surfactants also offer better performance and functionality than synthetic surfactants in some applications. The growing consumer preference for natural and organic products, as well as the stringent regulations on the use of synthetic surfactants in some regions, are encouraging the manufacturers to invest in bio-based surfactants.

Research Coverage

The global surfactants market is segmented by type into anionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, and others. Among these, anionic surfactants accounted for the largest share of the market due to their low cost and easy availability. Anionic surfactants have a negative charge on their hydrophilic head group, which allows them to bind to impurities and particles present in liquids and remove them effectively. Anionic surfactants are widely used in household detergents, shampoos, dishwashing liquids, and other cleaning products.

Anionic surfactants can be further classified into different groups based on their chemical structure and properties. Some of the common examples of anionic surfactant groups are sulfonic acid salts, alcohol sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, phosphoric acid esters, and carboxylic acid salts. These groups differ in their solubility, stability, foaming ability, biodegradability, and environmental impact. For instance, sulfonic acid salts are highly soluble in water and have good wetting and emulsifying properties, but they are less stable at high pH and temperature. Alcohol sulfates are more stable and biodegradable than sulfonic acid salts, but they have lower foaming ability and higher skin irritation potential. Alkylbenzene sulfonates are the most widely used anionic surfactants in detergents, but they are poorly biodegradable and can cause eutrophication in water bodies. Phosphoric acid esters are mild and non-irritating anionic surfactants that can also act as emulsifiers and dispersants, but they are expensive and sensitive to hydrolysis. Carboxylic acid salts are biodegradable and environmentally friendly anionic surfactants that can be derived from natural sources such as fatty acids and sugars, but they have low solubility and foaming ability.

Anionic surfactants play a vital role in various industrial and domestic applications due to their excellent cleaning performance and compatibility with other ingredients. However, they also pose some challenges such as environmental pollution, health hazards, and regulatory issues. Therefore, there is a need for developing new types of anionic surfactants that can overcome these limitations and meet the changing demands of consumers and industries.

The global surfactants market is also segmented by application into various domains, such as agricultural chemicals, elastomers and plastics, food and beverages, household detergents, institutional and industrial cleaning, oilfield chemicals, paper and pulp, personal care, textiles, and others. Among these, household detergents and personal care are the leading segments of the market due to their high consumption of surfactant-based products. Surfactants are widely used in these segments for their properties of emulsification, foaming, wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing. The demand for surfactants in household detergents and personal care is expected to grow steadily in the coming years as consumers seek more effective and eco-friendly products. Moreover, the increasing disposable income and urbanization in emerging markets are also driving the growth of these segments. However, the global surfactants market also faces some challenges, such as environmental concerns, regulatory issues, and volatility in raw material prices. These factors may hamper the market growth and limit the adoption of surfactants in some applications.

Competitive Landscape

The global surfactants market is highly competitive, with many players vying for a larger share of the industry. The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players Aarti Industries Ltd., ADEKA Corporation, Arxada AG (Lonza AG), Atul Ltd., BASF SE, Clariant AG, Croda International plc, Dow, Inc., Elementis plc, Emery Oleochemicals LLC, Enaspol a.s., Evonik Industries AG, Galaxy Surfactants Ltd., Hunan Resun Co., Ltd., Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (Oxiteno S.A.), Innospec Inc., Jintung Petrochemical Corp., Ltd., Kao Corporation, KLK Oleo (Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad), Lion Corporation, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., New Japan Chemical Co., Ltd., Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd., Sasol Limited, Sialco Materials Ltd., Solvay S.A., Stepan Company, Unger Fabrikker AS, Vantage Specialty Chemicals, Inc., Wilmar International Limited, Zanyu Technology Group Co., Ltd.

Industry participants are currently engaged in efforts to increase their market share through tactics such as mergers and acquisitions. A recent example of this is the acquisition of Oxiteno S.A. Indústria e Comércio by Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global chemicals producer based in Thailand. Oxiteno is a leading integrated surfactants producer in Latin America, catering to high-value end-use markets such as home & personal care, agrochemicals, coatings and oil & gas. Through the acquisition, IVL extended its growth profile into attractive markets in Latin America and the U.S., becoming the leading surfactants producer in the Americas. The acquisition also added to IVL’s innovation credentials in green chemistry and enhanced its ESG/sustainability program.

Key Questions Answered

What is the projected global market size of surfactants by 2028

Among the various product type segments, which segment has taken the leading position

Which substrate segment exhibits dominant control and influence

Which end user segment possesses the largest market share

Which region segment demonstrates the most significant dominance

Who are the key players with the largest market share in the surfactants market

What is the estimated global market size for the surfactants market in 2023

What are the main factors driving the growth of the surfactants market

What is the expected incremental growth of the surfactants market during the forecast period