Ethyl Cellulose Market Report 2025

This Ethyl Cellulose market report provides a comprehensive analysis of the market’s characteristics, size, and growth, including segmentation, regional and country-level breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends, and strategies. It also tracks historical and forecasted market growth across various geographies.

The ethyl cellulose market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $0.88 billion in 2024 to $0.97 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the growing adoption of cosmetic and personal care products, rising demand from the pharmaceutical industry, increasing use of paints and coatings, rise in solar panel production, and growing demand for the plastic industry.

The ethyl cellulose market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $1.38 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing research on natural polymers, rising demand from the construction sector, global trade expansion, regulatory support for biodegradable products, and rise in e-commerce platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include technological innovations, food packaging innovations, customization of ethyl cellulose for specific applications, innovative coating solutions, and technological advancements.

The growth of the ethyl cellulose market is expected to be driven by the expansion of the plastic industry. The plastics industry involves the production, development, and manufacturing of plastic materials and products used across various sectors, such as packaging, automotive, construction, electronics, and healthcare. This expansion is fueled by the large-scale production of synthetic polymers and the increasing use of plastics in packaging, particularly for consumer goods and food items, due to their versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, there is a growing focus on sustainability and recycling innovations within the industry. Ethyl cellulose is widely used in the plastic industry as a binder, film-former, and thickener for protective and decorative finishes, as well as in coatings, adhesives, and sealants. For example, in August 2024, the Government of Canada reported that sales of plastics and rubber products manufacturing in Ontario reached $21.6 million in 2022, marking a 16.9% increase compared to 2021. Thus, the growth of the plastic industry is contributing to the rising demand for ethyl cellulose.

Key players in the ethyl cellulose market are concentrating on developing innovative, sustainable products to reduce environmental impact and meet the increasing demand for eco-friendly solutions across various sectors. Sustainable ethyl cellulose products are designed and manufactured with a focus on minimizing their environmental footprint, offering the same functionality as traditional ethyl cellulose while promoting sustainability throughout their lifecycle. For instance, in April 2022, Nouryon, a Netherlands-based chemical manufacturer, introduced Bermocoll FLOW cellulose ether, a natural alternative to synthetic paint thickeners. This new, sustainable product combines the flow and leveling characteristics of associative synthetic thickeners with the stability provided by cellulose thickeners, allowing customers to achieve an ideal paint rheology profile without the need for complex thickener systems.

In April 2023, Apollo Global Management Inc., a US-based asset management firm, acquired Univar Solutions Inc. for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition is part of Apollo’s strategy to drive transformation and growth in the specialty chemicals market by focusing on a customer-centric approach. Univar Solutions Inc. is a US-based company that supplies ethyl cellulose.

Major companies operating in the ethyl cellulose market are Dow Inc., Eastman Chemical Company, Celanese Corporation, Nouryon Chemicals Holding B.V., FMC Corporation, Daicel Corporation, Ashland Global Holding Inc., Borregaard AS, Colorcon Inc., Lamberti S.p.A., DKS Co. Ltd., Fenchem Biotek Ltd., Shandong Head Co. Ltd., Huzhou Zhanwang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., J. Rettenmaier & Söhne GmbH Co KG, SE Tylose GmbH & Co. KG, Scope Ingredients Pvt. Ltd., LOTTE Fine Chemical Co. Ltd., Sidley Chemical Co. Ltd., Asha Cellulose Pvt. Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the ethyl cellulose market in 2023. The regions covered in the ethyl cellulose market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the ethyl cellulose market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Ethyl cellulose is a cellulose derivative produced by reacting cellulose with ethyl chloride in the presence of a base. It appears as a white, tasteless, and odorless powder that is insoluble in water but dissolves in several organic solvents such as alcohols and certain oils. Ethyl cellulose is widely utilized as a film-former, binder, or coating agent in pharmaceuticals, food, and various industrial applications.

The primary types of ethyl cellulose include cosmetic grade, food grade, industrial grade, and pharmaceutical grade. Cosmetic-grade ethyl cellulose is a refined form used in personal care products to improve texture, stabilize formulations, and extend product shelf life. It can be sourced from cotton or wood pulp and is applied in industries such as personal care and cosmetics, food, pharmaceuticals, paint and ink, textiles and paper, among others.

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

The ethyl cellulose market consists of sales of standard-grade ethyl cellulose, low-viscosity ethyl cellulose, and aqueous ethyl cellulose. 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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