Global Alkoxylates Market 2025–2034

Reports Description

Alkoxylates Market: Overview

As per the current market research conducted by the CMI Team, the global Alkoxylates Market is expected to record a CAGR of 5.2% from 2024 to 2033. In 2024, the market size is projected to reach a valuation of USD 7.6 Billion. By 2033, the valuation is anticipated to reach USD 12.6 Billion.

Alkoxylates are chemical materials which are manufactured when fatty hydrocarbons are added with ethylene, propylene, and butylene oxides. They find applications in a variety of end-use industries, including consumer goods, paints and coatings, medicines, cosmetics and personal care, and others, because they function as a wetting agent, cleaning agent, stabilizing agent, and surfactant, among others.

Additionally, there are many different kinds of alkoxylates, including sorbitan ester alkoxylates, fatty acid ethoxylates, and alkyl phenol alkoxylates, among others. These kinds are used in consumer products, oil and gas, and personal care industries.

The alkoxylates industry is growing owing to several factors which include rising demand for surfactants, the growing agrochemical sector, growth in personal care and cosmetics products, increased environmental awareness and technological advancements in chemical manufacturing. Nevertheless, raw material price instability and the presence of alternatives limit the market expansion.

• The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States reports that pesticide use in North America has increased by 10% from 1.71 Mt in 2021 to 1.89 Mt in 2022. In addition, Asia exported the maximum number of pesticides with a quantity and values of 3.5 Mt and USD 21.7 billion.

• According to Invest India, India is a major exporter of pharmaceuticals, with 200+ countries served by the Indian Pharma Industry. India supplies 50% of Africa’s requirement of generics, 40% of the US and 25% of all medicine in the UK.

Alkoxylates Market – Growth Factors

Rising demand for environment-friendly product

As people grow more concerned about the environment, products developed with natural and biodegradable ethoxylates are gaining popularity as they contain small or no volatile organic compounds. An increase in the purchasing capacity of consumers for costly alkoxylate products has also prompted companies to concentrate more on accelerating the production of natural and eco-friendly products.

In addition, ethoxylate and alkoxylate are majorly used in the oil & gas industry as corrosion and scale inhibitors. The nations with abundant oil reserves, crude oil exploration and drilling activity have increased due to the rise in global energy demand.

Increasing expansion activities by the key market players

The increasing production capacity by the key players operating in the market is anticipated to influence the revenue growth of the alkoxylates. For instance, in June 2023, BASF added alkoxylation capacity to its operations in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.

Through this investment, BASF will produce alkoxylates over 150,000 metric tons annually. With this increase, the company fortified their position in Europe and created significant avenues for expansion through a variety of applications, including the construction, automotive, and detergent and cleaning industries.

Alkoxylates Market: Recent Development

The alkoxylates industry adopted several strategies which include product launch, acquisition, expansion and others. Some of the company strategies include:

• In April 2022, Dow announced plans to expand its global alkoxylation capacity in the U.S. and Europe to meet increased demand across a range of rapidly expanding end sectors, including medicines, home and personal care, and industrial and institutional cleaning solutions.

• In June 2022, Oxiteno unveiled two products including the OXITIVE 8000® Dispersant Agent and the Reactive Surfactant OXIMULSION® REACT.

These product launches and expansion activities have expanded the market presence of the company in the alkoxylates industry.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RELATED MARKET

Alkoxylates Market: Challenge

Raw material price instability

Trade barriers, geopolitical issues, and variable raw material prices restrict the expansion of market revenue. Local businesses are already experiencing the effects of these variables, which include supply-chain disruptions and rising commodity costs. The suppliers in the home and personal care industry, surfactant makers, have also suffered significantly owing to these disruptions.

Also, the industry suffers from increased tariffs imposed on alkoxylates. The main impact is an increase in import charges due to the industry’s increased importation of downstream products from other countries, such as alcohol ethoxylate.

Alkoxylates Market: Segment Analysis

By Type:

The fatty acid ethoxylates type holds a significant market share in the market. The growth of the segment is attributed to the rising demand from the personal care and cosmetics sector. This type of alkoxylate is majorly used for the production of shampoos, lotions, creams and soaps due to its excellent emulsifying and moisturizing properties.

The rising demand for personal care production in the market of Asia Pacific, Latin America drives the revenue expansion of the segment. For instance, according to the International Trade Administration, China is the second largest market for personal care products and is estimated to be worth close to USD 80 billion by 2025.

Besides, the glycerin alkoxylates are projected to grow at a rapid rate during the analysis period due to increasing demand in industrial applications because it is used as a lubricant and wetting agent in textiles, paints & coating and metalworking.

By Application:

The surfactants segment held the largest market share in 2023. The demand for this is owing to rising demand for household and cleaning products. Surfactants are very important for the formulation of soaps, detergents and cleaning products. Moreover, the increasing sustainability and biodegradability trends are also influencing the expansion of alkoxylates.

Besides, the wetting agent’s segment is growing at a substantial rate. The expansion of this market is owing to the increase in paints & coating industry expansion. Moreover, the rising application in the agrochemical sector favours market growth.

By Industry Vertical:

Personal care is expected to capture a prominent market share during the forecast period because they are gentle and have a low potential for irritation, alkoxylates are frequently chosen in formulations for personal care products.

A growing number of consumers are looking for products that are gentle to their skin, especially those with sensitive skin. When it comes to products like infant shampoos and sensitive skin cleansers, non-ionic alkoxylates provide a gentler option than anionic surfactants.

Nevertheless, the agrochemicals segment is growing at a rapid rate over the analysis period. The increasing demand for pesticides and the rising emphasis on agricultural production output flourish the industry growth.

Report Scope

Alkoxylates Market: Regional Analysis

North America is projected to lead the market growth during the analysis period. The growing oil & gas industry is one of the largest contributors to the market growth in the area.

For instance, as per the data published by the US Energy Information Administration, U.S. oil production, including condensate and crude oil, was 11.7 million barrels per day (b/d) in December 2021. U.S. natural gas production (gross withdrawals) was 120.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in December 2022.

U.S. oil production and natural gas production (gross withdrawals) increased in 2022, in December 2022, oil production was 12.1 million b/d and natural gas production (gross withdrawals) reached 121.1 Bcf/d. Furthermore, the increasing trend of sustainable products drives industry expansion in the North American region.

However, the Asia Pacific is growing at a significant pace in the global alkoxylates industry. The expansion of the industry in the Asia Pacific region is owing to the thriving personal care and cosmetics products. Moreover, increasing urbanization and infrastructural development are also favouring market growth.

Alkoxylates Market: Competitive Landscape

The alkoxylates market is highly competitive, with a large number of manufacturers operating globally. Some of the key players in the market include:

• BASF SE
• Croda International Plc
• Solvay
• IMCD Group
• Clariant AG
• Akzo
• Dow
• Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited
• Stepan Company
• Schärer and Schläpfer AG
• Lamberti S.p.A
• PCC Group
• VENUS ETHOXYETHERS PVT.LTD.
• Huntsman International LLC
• Eastman Chemical Company
• Others

These companies adopted several strategies such as product launch, expansion, merger & acquisition and collaboration.

The Alkoxylates Market is segmented as follows:

By Type

• Fatty Acid Ethoxylates
• Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylates
• Glycerin Alkoxylates
• Sorbitan Ester Alkoxylates
• Others

By Application

• Wetting Agents
• Cleaning Agents
• Detergents
• Stabilizers
• Surfactants
• Others

By Industry Vertical

• Agrochemicals
• Paints and Coatings
• Personal Care
• Pharmaceuticals
• Oil and Gas
• Others

Regional Coverage:

North America

• U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Rest of North America

Europe

• Germany
• France
• U.K.
• Russia
• Italy
• Spain
• Netherlands
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• New Zealand
• Australia
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Rest of Asia Pacific

The Middle East & Africa

• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Egypt
• Kuwait
• South Africa
• Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of Latin America