Specialty Surfactants

Specialty Surfactants

Growth in the US specialty surfactants market will total 2.0% annually through 2020, reaching 4.2 billion pounds. Gains will be driven by increasing expenditures in industrial markets like Cement & Asphalt, Paint & Coatings, and Oil & Gas. Product mix in all major markets will see shifts toward more effective and less hazardous specialty surfactants.

This report segments the specialty surfactants industry by markets and products. Data is provided in million pounds.

Major specialty surfactant markets include:
Cleaning Products
Lubricant & Fuel Additives
Personal Care Products
Food & Beverage Processing
Agricultural Chemicals
Oil & Gas
Plastics
Textiles & Leather
Cement & Asphalt
Paint & Coatings

Cleaning Products will remain the largest of these through 2020, accounting for 28% of the market. The fastest growth will be seen in industrial applications like Cement & Asphalt and Paint & Coatings, due to increases in construction activity.

Major specialty surfactant products include:
Nonionic Specialty Surfactants
Anionic Specialty Surfactants
Cationic Specialty Surfactants

Non-ionics was the leading product in 2015, accounting for 49% of demand. The most rapid gains through 2020 are forecast for other, minor specialty surfactants like amphoterics, which are expanding their presence in industrial markets, and silicones, which are used in hair care products and plastic processing.

The US specialty surfactants industry is diverse, with a broad range of companies competing for market share. Competitors range from large multinational corporations to relatively small private companies. Some firms supply only one or two types of specialty surfactant, while others offer a wide selection of products. Major suppliers of specialty surfactants include AkzoNobel, Ashland, BASF, Chevron Phillips Chemical, Dow Chemical, Huntsman, Pilot Chemical, Procter & Gamble, SI Group, Solvay, Stepan, and Unilever Group.