Specialty Pulp & Paper Chemicals Market Report 2025

This Specialty Pulp & Paper Chemicals report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market’s historic and forecast market growth by geography.

The specialty pulp & paper chemicals market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $24.26 billion in 2024 to $26.16 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in demand for specialty papers, increased demand for packaging materials, rapid growth of e-commerce, increased concern over food safety, efficiency and productivity.

The specialty pulp & paper chemicals market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $35.53 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to sustainability and circular economy, emerging applications and market diversification, growing demand for customized solutions, consumer education and market awareness, increasing need for high-quality paper products. Major trends in the forecast period include nanotechnology in papermaking, inkjet and digital printing paper, recycled fiber optimization, functional paper applications, digitalization and industry 4 integration.

The growing consumption of recycled paper is anticipated to drive the growth of the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market in the future. Recycled paper refers to paper that has been reprocessed and repurposed into new paper products. Specialty pulp and paper chemicals play a crucial role in paper production by enhancing the whiteness of paper and facilitating the removal of lignin. For example, a report published in September 2024 by the UK government indicated that in 2022, 62.4% of packaging waste in the UK was recycled, which rose to 64.8% in 2023. During that year, recycling accounted for 8.2 million tonnes of the total 12.7 million tonnes of packaging waste generated, with the largest portion, totaling 5.4 million tonnes, coming from paper and cardboard. Thus, the increased consumption of recycled paper is driving the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market.

The expanding packaging industry is projected to drive the growth of the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market in the coming years. The packaging industry encompasses the design, production, and distribution of containers, materials, and systems used to protect, contain, and transport goods and products. Specialty pulp and paper chemicals are utilized in this industry to enhance the strength, durability, and printability of packaging materials, ensuring both the protection and visual appeal of products while adhering to sustainability and regulatory standards. For example, in September 2023, The Flexible Packaging Association, a US-based organization, reported that the flexible packaging industry in the United States generated sales of $41.5 billion in 2022. Thus, the growth of the packaging industry is a significant driver for the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market.

Major companies in the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market are prioritizing investments in production lines for next-generation specialty pulps to enhance product quality, improve sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and address the evolving market demands for innovative and eco-friendly paper products. Investments in pulp mills are directed towards adopting advanced technologies to produce these next-generation specialty pulps, a move expected to boost the mill's competitiveness and environmental performance while also creating and preserving jobs in British Columbia. For example, in September 2024, Kruger Inc., a Canada-based company, announced a substantial investment of $32.4 million in its Kamloops Pulp Mill. This funding will facilitate the installation of a new pressure diffusion washer with AI-based controls, making it the first of its kind in Canada. The investment will secure 340 existing jobs at the Kamloops mill and create an additional four new positions, while also projected to indirectly support around 1,000 jobs throughout the local biomass value chain.

A strategic partnership approach for new product innovation is being adopted by major companies in the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market. This approach involves leveraging collaborative strengths and resources for mutual benefits. For instance, in July 2023, Marimekko Oyj, a Finland-based textiles company, partnered with Origin by Ocean, a Finland-based algae refining company, to innovate sustainable printing processes in the textile industry. This collaboration aims to use algae-based thickeners, a type of specialty pulp and paper chemical, to replace synthetic chemicals in the textile printing process.

In February 2023, Solenis LLC, a U.S.-based specialty chemicals manufacturer, acquired the paper process chemicals business of Kolb Distribution Ltd., a Switzerland-based company. This strategic acquisition enables Solenis to broaden its product offering and establishes a long-term supply agreement for process chemistries.

Major companies operating in the specialty pulp & paper chemicals market include AkzoNobel NV., Ashland Global Holdings Inc., BASF SE, Buckman Laboratories International Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Smurfit Kappa Group, Mondi Group, Kemira Oyj, SNF Floerger, The Dow Chemical Company, Lee & Man Paper, Nalco Holding Company, Shell Chemicals, Imerys, DowDuPont, Solenis, Ecolab, Huntsman Corporation, Clariant, Wacker Chemie AG, Sappi Limited, Georgia-Pacific Chemicals LLC, Omya International AG, Nippon Paper Industries Co, Buckeye Technologies Inc, Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc, Borregaard ASA, Fibria Celulose SA.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market in 2024. Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market share during the forecast period. The regions covered in this specialty pulp and paper chemicals market analysis report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the specialty pulp and paper chemicals market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA.

The specialty pulp and paper chemicals are substances utilized in the production of chemical pulp and to improve the quality and performance of paper. They serve as essential raw materials in the paper manufacturing process.

The primary product categories of specialty pulp and paper chemicals include basic chemicals, functional chemicals, bleaching chemicals, and process chemicals. Basic chemicals are crucial and essential substances that contribute significantly to economic development while enhancing the characteristics of specialty paper and pulp. These chemicals find applications in packaging, labeling, printing, and other sectors, and are distributed through various sales channels, including direct or institutional sales and indirect sales.

The specialty pulp and paper chemicals market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides specialty pulp and paper chemicals market statistics, including specialty paper and pulp chemicals industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a specialty pulp and paper chemicals market share, detailed specialty pulp and paper chemicals market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the specialty paper and pulp chemicals industry. This specialty pulp and paper chemicals market research report deliver a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The specialty pulp and paper chemicals market consists of sales of coating chemicals, bleaching & RCF chemicals. 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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