| Study Period | 2019 - 2029 |
| 2024 Market Size | USD 901.8 Million |
| 2025 Market Size | USD 982.1 Million |
| 2029 Forecast | USD 1,458.5 Million |
| Growth Rate (CAGR) | 10.4% |
| Largest Country | China |
| Fastest Growing Country | China |
| Nature of the Market | Fragmented |
| Largest End User Category | Paints & Coatings |
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The global crotonic acid market stood at USD 901.8 million in 2024, which is expected to reach USD 1,458.5 million by 2029, demonstrating a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period (2025–2029). The growth can be attributed to the rising consumption of crotonic acid-based copolymer dispersions for adhesives, paints, and coatings, which yield better adhesion performance.
The construction industry is growing at a significant pace in countries, such as Sweden, the U.S., China, India, Canada, Australia, and the U.K., owing to the rising population and increasing import and export of construction materials. This has resulted in large-scale investment in construction projects, such as hotels, apartments, offices, retail centers, and civic infrastructure. For instance, the residential sector in India is on an increasing trend, with government support and initiatives that are further boosting the demand. For instance, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MoHUA) allocated the funds of INR 76,549.46 crore in the 2022–23 budget for the construction of houses and the creation of funds in order to complete the halted projects.
Home sales in India's seven most-prominent cities, including Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore, increased by 36% in the July–September quarter of 2023 from the same period the previous year to more than 112,000 units, with an 8–18% increase in prices, according to data released by the Economic Times.
Crotonic acid-based copolymer coatings, being bio-compatible, are used in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries. A mixture of crotonic acid and vinyl acetate forms a copolymer, which is used as a film-forming agent in aerosol hair sprays and other hair preparations. The copolymer resin helps to preserve the curl and shape of the hair after styling. An increasing number of hair problems among men and women across the globe is expected to drive the demand for haircare products; thereby stimulating the demand for crotonic acid.
Crotonic acid is one of the key ingredients used for the formulation of paints & coatings, owing to its ability to form copolymers when mixed with other chemical compounds. In addition, crotonic acid monomer, when copolymerized with other compounds, results in the formulation of a thickener, which is further used in the production of glossy emulsion paints. Thus, the demand for paints & coatings continues to shape the market for crotonic acid, globally.
Factors such as the growing demand from the construction industry, coupled with the recovering automotive industry, are driving the demand for the paint industry in India. In the automotive industry, acrylic coatings have applications in both interior and exterior surfaces. Acyclic-based paints are mainly used as bases and topcoats for automotive OEM exterior applications. In recent years, the automotive sector has been growing at a faster rate, which has led to an increase in the growth of acrylic automotive paint. For instance, according to data published by the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India produced 22.93 million vehicles in the financial year 2022. Moreover, automobile exports in India reached 4,761,487 in the financial year 2023.
Growth in the gross domestic product (GDP), rise in disposable income of the middle-class population, rapid urbanization, shortening of the repainting cycle, increase in the sale of premium products, and launch of several innovative products are some of the major factors pushing the growth of the organized paint industry in India.
Thus, the strong demand for paints & coatings is pushing the demand for crotonic acid, a key raw material used in their production, thereby driving the market growth.
Crotonic acid is a monomer that, when copolymerized with vinyl acetate, is used as a raw material for the formulation of coatings, adhesives, and fungicides. Furthermore, the compound is used in water-soluble resins and copolymers for the production of pharmaceutical drugs, binders, and films. The growing demand for these end products has, thus, resulted in the demand for crotonic acid, which is used as a raw material in their production. However, the short shelf life of crotonic acid is a major factor affecting its market demand globally.
For crotonic acid, the just-in-time manufacturing approach is mostly followed to fulfill the market demand, as the product gets degraded in a short period. When released in the air, the compound’s molecules in vapor form get dissipated into the atmosphere upon reaction with photochemically produced hydroxyl radicals. Moreover, when dumped in water or soil, it does not volatilize but gets converted into butyrate and acetate by anaerobic microorganisms. Thus, the short shelf life of crotonic acid affects its market adoption to some extent.
The adhesive resins category holds the largest market share and it is expected to demonstrate the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The high share of crotonic acid in adhesive resins is owing to its usage in the production of copolymer dispersions for adhesive resins to enhance their adhesion properties. In addition, the increasing demand for crotonic acid-based adhesive formulations in the automobile, packaging, textile, and electronics industries has propelled the market growth in this category.
The applications analyzed here are:
The demand for crotonic acid is the largest from the paints and coatings industry, and it is also projected to demonstrate the highest CAGR, of 11.0%, during the forecast period. The high share of the category is attributed to the fact that crotonic acid-based binders, used in paint and coatings, form a coating layer and hold pigments in place by binding them tightly. It also has the ability to form copolymers when mixed with other chemical compounds. Furthermore, the high demand for paints and coatings in the construction, automotive, and packaging industries has pushed the demand for crotonic acid.
In addition, crotonic acid monomer, when copolymerized with other compounds, results in the formulation of a thickener, which is used in the production of glossy emulsion paints. These glossy emulsion paints provide protective coatings and extra glowing effects to the exteriors and interiors of buildings. Thus, the rising demand for emulsion paints continues to shape the crotonic acid market.
The end users analyzed here are:
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China is the largest market for crotonic acid globally, and it is expected to account for USD 560.2 million, in 2029. This trend is forecast to continue during the forecast period, with the country witnessing the fastest growth, of 10.8%. This will be owing to the increasing demand for paints and coatings for the renovation and repair of commercial and residential buildings. In addition, the high demand for crotonic acid as fungicides, intermediates, and plasticizers in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical industries has boosted the market growth in the country.
As per the U.S. International Trade Administration, China is the world’s largest construction market. The formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan of China demonstrates its increased focus on expanding infrastructure projects in urbanization, transportation, water, and energy systems for which nearly USD 4.2 trillion is allocated to the development of new infrastructure projects. Live streaming online channels used in China, as sales platforms for cosmetics, electronics, and clothing are the most swiftly rising. It accounts for approximately 10% of Chinese e-commerce and is an essential part of a successful multi-channel sales stratagem. With such advancements and expanding economic opportunities are creating a surge in demand for crotonic acid in the nation.
The geographical breakdown is as follows:
The crotonic acid market is fragmented in nature because it offers a variety of applications across multiple industries such as electronics, agriculture, paints and coatings, and pharmaceuticals. The presence of multiple companies from small and medium-sized to regional players contributes to its fragmented nature. Also, the volatility in demand based on requirements from industries like electronics, packaging, and construction creates an extensive array of competitors. Furthermore, the accelerating population leads to a heightened need to expand the infrastructure, urbanization, and an increase in demand for consumer goods have further widened the scope for the entry of new players and a new and diverse range of offerings contributing to the competition.
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