India Ethoxylates Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type by End-use (Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylates, Fatty Acid Ethoxylates), By Function (Cleaning Agent, Emulsifying Agent), And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The India ethoxylates market size was estimated at USD 612.4 million in 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7 % from 2023 to 2030. The growth is attributed to the consumption of ethoxylates across personal care, pharmaceutical, industrial, and household cleaning applications as foaming and wetting agents in detergent and cosmetic formulations. The personal care industry, including skincare, haircare, and cosmetics is witnessing significant growth in India owing to the increasing population and awareness of these products. Surfactants and cleansing agents are essential ingredients in shampoos, shower gels, and facial cleansers. Thus, the rising demand for personal care products would drive the need for surfactants and cleansing agents. This, in turn, is further expected to increase the demand for ethoxylates (fatty alcohols, fatty esters, and fatty amines) as they are used for manufacturing surfactants and cleansing agents.

However, the demand for the product is majorly dependent on its increasing toxicity. The surfactants used in the production of detergents and cleaners are mostly ethoxylate-based. Moreover, the products containing ethoxylates have registered high concerns regarding the negative effect on the environment due to the presence of volatile organic compounds in the product composition, due to which the industry players are switching to the increasing use of sustainable products in their value chain.

India is the largest consumer of the product in the Asia Pacific region. This is attributed to growing end-use industries in the country. As per IBEF, the Indian pharmaceutical market was estimated at USD 42 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 65 billion in 2024 and USD 130 billion by 2030. Moreover, over 20% of the global demand for generic drugs is met by India. Thus, the growing pharmaceutical industry is expected to propel the demand for the product in India.

Type by End-use Insights

In terms of type by end-use, the fatty alcohol ethoxylates segment dominated the market in 2022 with a revenue share of 55.7%. This growth is attributed to the fact that they are known for their excellent surface-active emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, and solubilizing properties. They are widely used in personal care products, as well as in household cleaning, agricultural, and industrial applications thus, driving their demand in the market.

Fatty alcohol ethoxylates are produced by reacting ethylene oxide with fatty alcohols. These alcohols are typically derived from natural sources such as coconut oil or palm oil. They can vary in chain length. Common examples of fatty alcohol ethoxylates are lauryl alcohol (C12), stearyl alcohol (C18), and cetyl alcohol (C16). Moreover, the number of ethylene oxide units added during ethoxylation determines the degree of ethoxylation and impacts the properties of the resulting ethoxylate.

Fatty Acid Ethoxylates is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR of 5.9% over the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that they are highly ethoxylated, and have superior solubility and dispersing properties that facilitate their use in personal care products. Moreover, in household cleaning products, fatty acid ethoxylates help in the removal of dirt, grease, and stains by reducing the surface tension of liquids and improving their ability to penetrate and disperse soils.

Functional Insights

In terms of function, the cleaning agent segment dominated the market in 2022 with a revenue share of 44.1%. This is attributed to their excellent ability to dissolve grease and dirt. They are a type of non-ionic surfactant, which implies they have no charge. This makes them well-suited for use in cleaning products as they do not react with other chemicals found in the environment.

In addition to laundry detergents, ethoxylates are also used in other cleaning products such as all-purpose cleaners, floor cleaners, and dishwashing detergents. These products benefit from ethoxylates’ ability to break up dirt and grease, making them more effective at cleaning. Thus, the growing demand for cleaning products is anticipated to propel the growth of the product market over the forecast period.

Emulsifying agent segment is anticipated to witness a notable CAGR over the forecast period. Emulsifying agents are substances that help to create stable emulsions by mixing two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. Ethoxylates work as excellent emulsifying agents because of their unique chemical properties. When added to water, they can form micelles tiny spheres with a non-polar core and a water-soluble outer shell.

These micelles surround oil droplets and allow them to mix with water, creating a stable emulsion. They are commonly used in detergents, cosmetics, and textiles to emulsify creams, lotions, and chemicals. In addition to their emulsifying properties, the product can act as solubilizers. For example, they can be used to dissolve fragrances into cosmetic products and solubilize essential oils in cleaning products.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The India ethoxylates market is extremely consolidated with few players vying for a majority share in the market. Market players are investing in innovation, product launches, and mergers and acquisitions to improve their market share and gain a competitive edge. For instance, in April 2023, Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals Private Limited introduced its bio-based range of surfactants and ethoxylated derivatives supporting carbon footprint reduction in ChemExpo India. This is expected to help the company to strengthen its position among the market competitors. Some prominent players in the India ethoxylates market include:

• APL

• Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals Private Limited

• Core Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.

• Esteem Industries Pvt. Ltd.

• Godrej Industries Limited

• Matangi Industries

• MOHINI AUXI CHEM PVT. LTD

• Fibrol Non-Ionics Pvt. Ltd.

• Rimpro-India

• Saibaba Surfactants PVT LTD.

• Shree Vallabh Chemical

• Shubh Industries

India Ethoxylates Market Report Scope 

India Ethoxylates Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue & volume growth at a country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the India ethoxylates market report based on type by end-use and function:

• Type by End-use Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Fatty Alcohol Ethoxylates

    • Soaps & Detergents

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Pharmaceuticals

    • Food & Beverages

    • Other End-uses

  • Fatty Acid Ethoxylates

    • Agriculture

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Leather & Textile

    • Other End-uses

  • Fatty Amine Ethoxylate

    • Agriculture

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Pharmaceuticals

    • Oil & Gas

    • Textile

    • Other End-uses

  • Castor Oil Ethoxylates

    • Agriculture

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Oil & Gas

    • Other End-uses

  • Ethyl/Methyl Ester Ethoxylates

    • Agriculture

    • Detergents & Industrial Cleaning Agents

    • Oilfield

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Other End-uses

  • Glyceride Ethoxylates

    • Agriculture

    • Construction

    • Personal Care & Cosmetics

    • Pharmaceuticals

    • Other End-uses

  • Other Types

• Function Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Cleaning Agent

  • Emulsifying Agent

  • Wetting Agent

  • Lubricating Agent

  • Other Functions