Chemical Catalyst Market Report 2026

The chemical catalyst market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $41.73 billion in 2025 to $43.83 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to petrochemical industry growth, refining capacity expansion, chemical synthesis demand, emission control needs, catalyst technology advances.

The chemical catalyst market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $53.28 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to clean energy transition, green chemistry adoption, refining modernization, pharmaceutical growth, process optimization investments. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for process efficient catalysts, increasing use in environmental applications, growing adoption in petrochemical processing, expansion of biocatalysts in manufacturing, higher focus on catalyst reusability.

Rapid industrial growth is expected to propel the growth of the chemical catalyst market going forward. An industry sector refers to a defined group of businesses and organizations engaged in similar economic activities or providing related goods and services. Chemical catalysts are widely used across industries to accelerate chemical reactions, reduce energy consumption, and improve yield and selectivity, thereby enhancing overall efficiency, lowering production costs, and enabling the sustainable production of valuable products. For instance, in August 2023, according to Eurostat, a Luxembourg-based statistical office of the European Union (EU), industrial production in the euro area and the EU increased by 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively, in June 2023 compared to May 2022. Therefore, rapid industrial growth will drive the expansion of the chemical catalyst market.

Major companies operating in the chemical catalyst market are focusing on product innovation to develop advanced, sustainable, and high-performance catalysts that improve efficiency, selectivity, and environmental compliance. Sustainable and high-performance catalysts are chemical agents designed to accelerate reactions effectively while minimizing environmental impact through the use of renewable, recyclable, or less-toxic materials. For instance, in March 2024, Evonik Industries AG, a Germany-based specialty chemicals company, introduced Octamax, a highly sustainable catalyst designed to enhance sulfur removal performance in refinery fuels. It utilizes regenerated NiMo and CoMo catalysts optimized for cracked gasoline hydrodesulfurization (HDS) units, maximizing octane retention while reducing reliance on fresh catalysts. This solution minimizes landfill waste, improves refinery efficiency, and supports the production of ultra-low-sulfur gasoline, making it suitable for refineries seeking a balance between performance, profitability, and sustainability.

In May 2025, Honeywell International Inc., a US-based industrial technology and manufacturing company, acquired Johnson Matthey’s Catalyst Technologies business for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition aims to strengthen Honeywell’s catalyst and process technology capabilities and accelerate the development of sustainable fuel and chemical production solutions. Johnson Matthey PLC is a UK-based company that provides advanced homogeneous, heterogeneous, biocatalysts, and chemocatalysts for small-molecule applications, including pharmaceuticals.

Major companies operating in the chemical catalyst market are China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell Public Limited Company, ExxonMobil Corporation, BASF SE, Dow Inc., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Heraeus Group, INEOS Group Holdings S.A., Johnson Matthey plc, Evonik Industries AG, Solvay S.A., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Akzo Nobel N.V., Arkema S.A., Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., Albemarle Corporation, Clariant AG, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC, Umicore N.V., JGC Catalysts and Chemicals, W.R. Grace & Co., Criterion Catalysts & Technologies L.P., Haldor Topsoe A/S, Dorf Ketal Chemicals India Private Limited, Tronox Holdings Plc, UOP LLC, Axens S.A., Nett Technologies Inc., Davison Chemical Co. Ltd., Vineeth Precious Catalysts Pvt. Ltd.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the chemical catalyst market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the chemical catalyst market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the chemical catalyst market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The chemical catalyst market consists of sales of petroleum Products, polymers, fuels, chemical intermediates, fine chemicals, and polyurethanes. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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