Acetaldehyde Market Overview
A major trend gaining momentum in the global acetaldehyde market is the growing application of acetaldehyde in water treatment and its increasing usage as a preservative in food and beverages. Besides, the chemical is widely used in the paints and coatings, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals industries. Additionally, the growing demand for polymer resins and basic dyes, which are manufactured using this chemical, is anticipated to boost the growth of the acetaldehyde industry in the coming years.
Acetaldehyde, also known as ethanal (CH3CHO), is an organic compound that belongs to the group of aldehydes. It is a colorless and flammable liquid with a pungent smell and is mainly used as vinegar in households. The chemical is found in various fruits and vegetables and is also present in diesel and gasoline exhausts. In the report, the acetaldehyde market is segmented on the basis of process, derivative, application, and region.
On the basis of process, the acetaldehyde market is classified into ethylene oxidation, ethanol oxidation, and ethanol dehydrogenation. Among these, the chemical obtained from the oxidation of ethylene occupies a significant share in the market. The process, also known as the Wacker process, is catalytic in nature and involves the use of a reduction oxidation system to produce the chemical. Its main advantage is that it has a higher reaction rate in the absence of chlorinated products. The oxidation can be carried out in two ways: a single-step process, wherein the reaction and regeneration are conducted simultaneously in the same reactor, and a two-step process, wherein the reaction and regeneration take place in different reactors.
Based on derivative, the acetaldehyde market is categorized into pyridine, pentaerythritol, acetic acid, and ethyl acetate. Among these, pyridine holds the largest share in the market. It is mainly used as a raw material in ethylidene diacetate, which is further used in vinyl acetate production. It is also used as a plasticizer in the plastic industry and as a paint binder in the paint industry. Furthermore, it is used as a raw material in pesticides.
Common application areas of ethanal are chemicals, plastics and synthetic rubber, food and beverages, paints and coatings, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, paper and pulp, and water treatment. Among these, the category of food and beverages occupies a significant share in the acetaldehyde market. This can be mainly attributed to the use of the chemical as a flavoring agent in various food items. However, during the forecast period, the market is expected to register the fastest growth in the water treatment application.
Based on region, the acetaldehyde market is categorized into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. During the forecast period, the market is expected to witness the fastest growth in APAC. This can be mainly attributed to the easy availability of raw material for the production of ethanal in the region. Besides, in countries such as India and China, the cost associated with the manufacturing of ethanal is quite low. Additionally, the increasing demand for agrochemicals is further propelling the demand for ethanal in the APAC region. Besides APAC, North America can be viewed as a potential market owing to the growth witnessed in its pharmaceuticals industry in recent years.
Acetaldehyde Market Dynamics
Driver
One of the major factors driving the growth of the acetaldehyde market is the increasing consumption of pyridine and pentaerythritol, globally. Pyridine is majorly used in medicines, rubber products, adhesives, insecticides, and paints. The growth in associated industries is contributing to the increased consumption of pyridine for various applications. Besides, there is a rise in demand for pentaerythritol, which is used in manufacturing neoployol esters. Neopolyol esters are esters with no beta hydrogen. These esters demonstrate high performance as compared to other esters and are majorly used in industrial lubricants.
Restraints
The growth of the acetaldehyde market is moderately restrained by the use of methanol in the production of acetic acid. Besides, propylene is being used as a substitute for ethanal in the manufacturing of butyraldehyde. Also, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it is found to be carcinogenic to humans. Thus, these factors are negatively impacting the market growth to some extent.
Acetaldehyde Market Competitive Landscape
Some of the major players operating in the global acetaldehyde market are Showa Denko K.K. (SDK), Merck KGaA, Celanese Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, Jubilant Life Sciences, Lonza Group Ltd., BASF SE, CNPC, and Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd., and Ashok Alco-Chem Ltd.
The study provides the historical as well the forecast market size data for various countries, including the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Russia, Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
