Impact of COVID-19 on Benzalkonium Chloride Market: The Challenges, Demand, Solutions and Opportunities

Benzalkonium Chloride Market Information by Purity, Concentration (50%, 80%, Others), Function (Biocide, Cationic Surfactant, Preservative, Phase Transfer Agent), Application (Corrosion Inhibition, Pharmaceutical Formulations, Enhanced Oil Extraction, Formulation of Cleaner-Sanitizers, Water Treatment, Timber Protection), End-Use Industry (Pharmaceuticals, Oil & Gas, Food & Beverage, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Chemicals, Pulp & Paper, Textile, Plastics & Polymer) and Region – Forecast till 2023

Competitive Analysis

Kao Corporation (Japan), Novo Nordisk A/S (Denmark), Stepan Company (US), Iwaki Seiyaku Co.,Ltd (Japan), Bramchem Ltd (UK), Shanghai Bichain Industrial Chemical Co., Ltd (China), MP Biomedicals (US), Quat-Chem Ltd (UK), Innova Corporate (India) Haihang Group (China), Dishman Group (India), TCI Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd (India), SAJMIL CHEMICALS (US), and ALPHA CHEMICALS PVT. LTD (India) are some of the key players in the global benzalkonium chloride market.

Market Overview

Benzalkonium Chloride Market is projected to be valued at over USD 1 Billion by the end of 2024 at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. Benzalkonium chloride is one of the quaternary ammonium biocides, recognized for its dual biocidal and detergency properties. The increasing demand for the product as a biocide in the pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, chemicals, and oil & gas industries is expected to be the key factor driving the market growth during the forecast period. The growing popularity of the product in the oil & gas industry for enhanced oil recovery is likely to provide lucrative opportunities to the players operating the global market during the review period.

Market Segmentation

The global benzalkonium chloride market has been segmented on the basis of purity/concentration, function, application, end-use industry, and region.

By purity/concentration, the global benzalkonium chloride market has been categorized into 50%, 80%, and others. The 80% segment was the leading segment in 2018 owing to its widespread use in the major end-use industries, including food & beverage, pharmaceutical, chemicals, and oil & gas. In addition, the increasing use of 80% purity benzalkonium chloride in the water treatment industry is also expected to favor the growth of the segment.

Based on function, the global benzalkonium chloride market has been divided into biocide, cationic surfactant, preservative, and phase transfer agent. Its major applications as a biocide are in the pharmaceutical and food & beverage industries. With the need to ensure food safety, the use of biocides in the food industry has increased, and chemical-based disinfectants to control the microbial ecology of the production environment. This is expected to propel the growth of the segment during the forecast period.

By application, the global benzalkonium chloride market has been classified into corrosion inhibition, pharmaceutical formulations, enhanced oil extraction, formulation of cleaner-sanitizers, water treatment, timber protection, and others. The formulation of cleaner-sanitizers segment held the major share of the global market, with major applications in the home care products, pharmaceutical cleansers, food & beverages, disinfectants, and cleansers.

Based on end-use industry, the global benzalkonium chloride market has been segmented into pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, personal care & cosmetics, chemicals, pulp & paper, food & beverage, textile, plastics & polymer, and others.

The food & beverage industry held the largest share of the market in 2018 and is projected to register healthy growth during the forecast period. The oil & gas segment is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the rising demand for the product in the oil & gas industry for EOR.

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for benzalkonium chloride during the forecast period. The food & beverage industry in the region is growing at a significant rate and is one of the largest in the world. With the rising population and increasing demand for food, the industry in the region is expected to witness high growth in the years to follow. This is likely to boost demand for benzalkonium chloride in the region and thus favor market growth in the coming years.

In addition, wastewater management has been one of the major challenges for the sustainable development of the region. Industrial wastewater and municipal sewage account for a large number of waste effluents, which is disposed into the water systems without undergoing proper treatments. The use of benzalkonium chloride for treating wastewater is gaining popularity due to rising concerns over environmental impacts and pollution. Moreover, stringent regulations, particularly in the areas of water reuse and wastage, is likely to boost the demand for benzalkonium chloride and favor the regional market growth. Furthermore, the healthy growth of the paints & coatings industry in the region is projected to boost demand for the product as emulsifier and preservative in this industry.

North America is the leading consumer of the benzalkonium chloride, accounting for the largest market share in 2018. Stringent regulations pertaining to the treatment of industrial effluents and significant growth of the pharmaceuticals industry in the regional market is expected to favor the growth of the regional market.

The market in the Middle East & Africa is projected to witness healthy growth in the coming years. This is mainly attributed to the development of the industrial sector in the region and expanding personal care & cosmetics market in the region.