Alkoxylates Market Research Report: Forecast (2023-2028)

Market Definition

Alkoxylates are the chemicals produced by adding alkoxides such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and butylene oxide to fatty hydrophobes, including alcohols, phenols, and amines via the alkoxylation process. Its numerous kinds, like fatty alcohol alkoxylates, fatty acid alkoxylates, & fatty amine alkoxylates, are used widely as emulsifying agents, detergents, stabilizers, wetting agents, & cleaning agents. Such alkoxylates are biodegradable & hence are environment-friendly in nature.

Market Insights

The Global Alkoxylates Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 5.1% during the forecast period, i.e., 2023-28. The market is swiftly driven by the growing consumer awareness of sanitation & hygiene, especially after the pandemic, propelling the demand for Alkoxylates for their cleaning properties. In addition, the broad industrial adoption of alkoxylates in hair care products like shampoos & conditioners due to their incredible benefits in aiding in foaming, removing oil & dirt, and stimulating a clean skin feeling further adds to the peaking demand. 

Ethoxylates have already witnessed a steady adoption in the textile sector for dyeing, scouring, and lubricating in the last few years. Further, the mounting demand for ethoxylate-based ointments in the pharmaceutical industry observes a positive influence on the market during the projected time frame.

Moreover, the rising proliferation of surfactants incites the steady adoption of alcohol ethoxylates, as these are the primary agent used in producing industrial non-ionic surfactants. Since Surfactants are broadly used as an emulsifier, detergents, cleaning agents, and wetting agents in industrial processes, the need for more alkoxylates are exploding in the market.

In addition, the growing inclination of manufacturers in formulations of laundry detergents, owing to their fast biodegradation, enhanced synthetic textiles cleaning, and better water hardness tolerance further enthralls the market through the forecast years.

Furthermore, numerous applications of these chemicals in the form of leveling agents, dyeing assists, solubilizes, coupling agents, and fiber lubricants are also augmenting the demand for alkoxylates in diverse industrial needs, and in turn, accelerating the overall market growth through 2028.

Market Segmentation

Based on Type:

• Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylates
• Methyl Ether Alkoxylates
• Fatty Acid Alkoxylates
• Fatty Amine Alkoxylates
• Glycerine Alkoxylates
• Others (Tristyrylphenol Alkoxylates, PropyleneOxide Copolymers, etc.)

Here, Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylates acquire the largest share in the Global Alkoxylates Market in recent years and shall emerge as an area of opportunity for the players in the coming years. This dominance is primarily attributed to the wide adoption of fatty alcohol ethoxylates in dishwashing detergents, personal care products like shampoos, & soaps, the paints industry, etc.

Besides, Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylate being C12-13 synthetic alcohol is manufactured by its reaction with ethylene oxide and due to its hydrophilic nature, they widely opt in the formulation of foaming control agents. Hence, its demand is upscaling rapidly. This popularity is influenced by the production process involved is quite simple & quick paired with easy storage for a longer span.

Moreover, Ethoxylates witnessed a broad adoption in liquid chromatography as mobile phase additives. It is because they exhibit relatively more stability than regular alcohols. Additionally, with remarkable antibacterial and antifungal properties, fatty alcohol ethoxylates act as a household cleaning agent stimulating market growth through the years.

Based on Application:

• Wetting Agents
• Cleansing Agents
• Emulsifiers
• Dispersing Agents
• Demulsifies
• Detergents
• Others (Solubilizes, etc.)

Here, the Detergents application is anticipated to dominate the Global Alkoxylates Market with the largest share during the forecast period. This dominance attributes to the accelerating adoption of ethoxylates sourced from natural sources in various cleaning products like detergents owing to their mild & non-irritant human skin interaction, promulgating its extensive use.

Besides, backed by the biodegradable nature of these chemicals, making them environment-friendly, detergent manufacturers are procuring a substantial amount of these chemicals to produce detergents and cater to consumer needs without impacting nature. The same aspect is also instigating the players to widen their product portfolio, brand visibility, and consumer base while expanding their production & distribution capacities contributing to the overall market growth through 2027.   

Regional Projection

Geographically, the Global Alkoxylates Market expands across:

• North America
• South America
• Europe
• Middle East & Africa
• Asia-Pacific

Among all, Europe is anticipated to hold the largest revenue share of the Global Alkoxylates Market during the forecast period. This dominance attributes to the swift expansion of the pharmaceutical industry, propelling the demand for these chemicals, entwined with the widening adoption of Alkoxylates in various home & industrial cleaning & personal care applications, stimulating across Europe.

Besides, as the governments of different countries in the region are encouraging the adoption of environment-friendly products, the utilization of these chemicals is escalating substantially and finding application across diverse industries in Europe, catering to the overall market expansion.

Moreover, the changing lifestyles and increasing environmental consciousness for personal hygiene are also prompting the adoption of personal care products. Furthermore, concerted efforts of countries & private companies to revitalize agrochemicals & medicines are also playing a significant role in boosting the production of alkoxylates like ethoxylates across Europe & stimulating the industry.

Recent Developments in the Global Alkoxylates Market

• The Dow Chemical Company is all set to further expand its global alkoxylation capacity to Europe and the U.S. With a 10% to 15% annual growth rate, the Company caters to the burgeoning needs of a wide range of fast-growing end markets, ranging from home and personal care to pharmaceuticals and industrial and institutional cleaning solutions.
• In 2021, Stepan Company announced the launch of its new alkoxylation plant to be built and operated at company's Pasadena, Texas facility. As per the company, alkoxylates are essential surfactants extremely crucial to agriculture, oilfields, construction, and households.
• In June 2020, Altivia Oxide Chemicals, a subsidiary of ALTIVIA Petrochemicals, bought KMCO and its chemical ethoxylation manufacturing assets in Crosby, Texas.
• In 2019, an international integrated chemicals and energy company, Sasol, announced the inauguration of its new alkoxylation plant in Nanjing. This facility assumed itself as the company’s largest expansion project in China and had twice the alkoxylation production capacity as the current one.
• In 2019, INEOS Oxide bought Wilmar’s French ethoxylation facility. With this acquisition, INEOS seeks to expand its European ethoxylates outlet and lift the plant's ethylene oxide manufacturing capability to 270 KT.

Market Dynamics

Key Driver

• Growing Susceptibility for Environment-Friendly Products

The explosion in consumer interest in eco-friendly products has up scaled the popularity of biodegradable and natural ethoxylates products, citing its marginal or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) levels. As they are extracted from vegetable oils & fats and lack hydrocarbons, this helps manufacturers to minimize their waste when processing materials such as ethylene.  In addition to this, they exhibit regenerative properties and can be exploited as a renewable starting material. Probably, it is why key players are stressing more about furthering the production capacities of alkoxylates.

Possible Restraint

• Strict Government Regulations Hinder the Market Growth

Stringent government regulations pertaining to the use and sale of chemicals might hamper the market in the historical period. Further, the hazardous nature of Some alkoxylates makes the manufacturers extremely cautious while carrying out the manufacturing procedure, ultimately creating room for more alternatives and, in turn, restricting the market growth.

Key Questions Answered in the Market Research Report:

1. What are the overall statistics or estimates (Overview, Size- By Value, Forecast Numbers, Segmentation, Shares) of the Global Alkoxylates Market?
2. What are the region-wise industry size, growth drivers, and challenges?
3. What are the key innovations, opportunities, current & future trends, and regulations in the Global Alkoxylates Market?
4. Who are the key competitors, their key strengths & weaknesses, and how do they perform in the Global Alkoxylates Market based on the competitive benchmarking matrix?
5. What are the key results derived from surveys conducted during the Global Alkoxylates Market study?

Frequently Asked Questions