Specialty Water Treatment Chemicals Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The specialty water treatment chemicals market is valued at US$52.567 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.94% over the forecast period.

The major driving factor of the specialty water treatment chemicals market is rising consumption from various end-user industries such as chemical manufacturing, mining, and oil and gas. Additionally, rising water pollution and stringent regulations around wastewater treatment are other major driving factors. The growing use of sustainable chemical treatment is the major trend, along with the use of less harmful chemicals in the production life cycle, and usage would be preferred.

The growing product and technological innovation would lead to market expansion. Asia-Pacific would be a significant market for specialty water treatment chemicals, owing to the increasing consumption from countries such as China, India, and Japan.

SPECIALTY WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS DRIVERS:

Growing urbanization around the world

According to the UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), the urban population has grown significantly in recent years and will continue to grow substantially in upcoming years. There were 4.54 billion urban residents in 2022, and the number is expected to reach 6.60 billion by 2050. The share of the total population will increase from 56.9% in 2022 to 68.0 % in 2050.

Urbanization is particularly very high in the regions of Africa and Asia. These regions are also witnessing a high population growth. Rapid urbanization presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainability. Urban living can potentially use resources and create sustainable development by providing water treatment solutions to the large population. This would provide basic living facilities. The specialty water treatment chemicals would grow significantly due to the increased demand for clean water in the cities, and developing industries needed water treatment for their regulatory complaints.

Rising water pollution

Rising water pollution is a major concern for many of the world's societies. According to the United Nations, in 2022, 2.2 billion people lacked access to managed drinking water services, and 3.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation, including 419 million who practiced open defecation. These figures show the importance of a better water management system and wastewater treatment.

These concerns have been heightened, especially in developing countries where the growing population is showing increased demand for proper living conditions. Additionally, the water population due to the use of excessive pesticides in farming methods causes concern for the health and environment. The use of water treatment plants for water management would grow to fill the demand for clean water.

Rising demand from several industries

Rising demand from several industries is a major drinking factor for specialty water treatment chemicals to grow. Industries such as oil and gas needed chemicals to reduce the oil content from the water before discharge. DEMTROL, by Dow, acts as a demulsifier base that can reduce water-in-oil levels, provide easier separation, and effectively remove more water. It helps meet production targets. Thus yielding cleaner-produced water for discharge or reinjection.

Heavy metals are toxic to man and the environment, and they are used in many industries and industrial applications. The heavy metals precipitate as insoluble hydroxides and can thus be removed. Evonik provides TMT 15 for environmental regulations. TMT 15 reacts with heavy metals to form an extremely stable, virtually insoluble metal-TMT solid compound that is easy to separate. The growing industrialization in major parts of the world would have the application of specialty water treatment chemicals for regulatory complaints and necessary processes.

Specialty Water Treatment Chemicals Market Geographical Outlook

The Asia Pacific region will dominate the specialty water treatment chemicals market during the forecast period.

By geography, the market is segmented into North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The major economies like China, Japan, India, and South Korea dominate the Asia-Pacific region. Some of the fastest-growing emerging economies are from this region, such as ASEAN countries.

In FY22/23, according to the World Bank, India’s real GDP expanded by an estimated 6.9 percent. The industry (including construction) is value-added, i.e., the percentage of GDP is 25% during this period. Growth factors included robust domestic demand, strong investment activity bolstered by the government’s push for investment in infrastructure, and private consumption.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's value-added industrial output expanded by 5.3 percent year on year in June, indicating the robust growth rate in the largest economy in Asia. These indicators suggest the demand for specialty water treatment chemicals for industrial purposes.

About Report

This research study examines the specialty water treatment chemicals market based on various segments: type, end-user, and geography. First, a brief market overview details key driving factors and challenges. Next, Porter's five forces model comprehensively analyzes the specialty water treatment chemicals industry. This is followed by industry value chain analysis, determining which companies are part of the different processes and contributing to various sectors.

The study also presents in-depth information concerning the development, trends, and industry policies and regulations affecting the specialty water treatment chemicals market. Moreover, the research study analyzes the overall regulatory framework of the specialty water treatment chemicals sector, offering stakeholders a better understanding of the key factors influencing the overall market environment.

Specialty water treatment chemicals key developments:

• In June 2024, Kurita established a local company in India for water treatment chemicals sales, Kurita AquaChemie India Private Limited (KAIL). It is established in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.  India possesses one of the world's leading economic importance in the region. With growing economies, the need for water treatment is growing across various industries. KAIL would offer optimum water treatment solutions in the country to meet their various needs.  
• In January 2024, Italmatch Chemicals Grou signed a binding agreement to purchase the majority of Alcolina, a leading Brazilian company specializing in water treatment for bioethanol, sugar production, and industrial applications. This acquisition would give Italmatch Chemicals a strategic presence in the Latin American market.
• In November 2023, Kemira, a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries, announced a ferric sulfate water treatment chemicals production line in Goole, UK. The additional 70,000 tons capacity investment would help to follow stricter regulations. The new capacity would be in operation from Q3 2025.
• In June 2022,  Italmatch Chemicals acquired Aubin Group from BGF, an equity capital investor in the UK and Ireland. It is a key strategic developer and supplier of innovative chemical solutions for the oil and gas industry and the renewable energy sector, and it has a presence in the UK and the Middle East. Italmatch Chemicals is a global specialty chemical group that produces and markets chemicals related to the treatment of water, oil & gas, industrial lubricants, and plastics.

The specialty water treatment chemicals market is segmented and analyzed as follows:

By Type

• Corrosion Inhibitors
• Coagulants And Flocculants
• Disinfectants
• Biocides
• Anti-foaming Agents
• Others

By End-user

• Municipal
• Industrial
• Chemicals
• Oil And Gas
• Energy And Power
• Pulp And Paper
• Metallurgy
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Rest of South America
• Europe
• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Rest of the Middle East and Africa
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Rest of Asia-Pacific