Surfactants or surface active agents help lower interfacial tension between solids and liquids and have multiple applications like detergents, dispersants, foaming agents and emulsifiers. Both traditional and synthetic variants of these products have exciting applications across different industries. Wide range of functions is the strongest driver for the global surfactants market. Rapidly changing demand trends in the global industry signifies the rise in applications of these products. This rise is also reflecting on the technological advancements in the industry. As a result of all these factors, the global industry is also witnessing new investment avenues across different parts of the world.
Drivers and Restraints for Surfactants Industry
The global industry is driven by wide range of applications of these products. Surfactants can be used as detergents, emulsifiers, dispersants, foaming agents and ingredients in the personal care products. This broadened application area is a strong feature of these products, which also helps the industry to make healthy growth as far as the demand and revenue is concerned. Easy availability of the products along with their low prices is also expected to attract more clientele towards the industry. Wide range of easily available substrates is also driving the demand for bio-surfactants.
Rising demand for bio-based products signifies the changing trends in the surfactants market, which boast of green living and environment friendly products. Environmental concerns and volatility of the petroleum prices are considered to be the major restraints for this industry in the long run. Technological constraints are also expected to create hindrances in the growth of this industry. However, utilization of industrial and agricultural waste, growth in unconventional applications is set to create business opportunities for the market.
Segmentation and forecasting
The global surfactants market is segmented on the basis of the types of products, applications, substrates, and geographic regions. Following are the details of the sub-segmentation:
Products: Non-ionic, anionic, amphoteric and cationic surfactants
Substrates: Bio-based and synthetic products
Geography: Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and rest of the world
Applications: Personal care, detergents, soaps, crop protection, plastics and elastomers, I&I cleaning, textile, oilfield chemicals, pharmaceuticals, foods, and other industries
According to the analysis of the drivers and segments, researchers expect the global surfactants market to grow at a steady CAGR of over 6%. At the forecasted steady growth rate, the industry is expected to become worth $36,518 million by the end of the year 2017. Nonionic surfactants are expected to dominate the global industry based on the market share and global demand. Soap/detergent segment is expected to be the biggest market for these products.
