Top 14 Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturers, Worldwide 2024

The Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturers Quadrant is a comprehensive industry analysis that provides valuable insights into the global market for Water Treatment Chemicals. This quadrant offers a detailed evaluation of key market players, technological advancements, product innovations, and emerging trends shaping the industry. MarketsandMarkets 360 Quadrants evaluated over 150 companies of which the Top 14 Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturers were categorized and recognized as the quadrant leaders.

Water treatment chemicals can be defined as chemical compounds used in the water treatment process to remove impurities, which cause corrosion, scales, high turbidity, and biological imbalance. These impurities can be metallic, organic, or non-organic in nature. The chemicals that are used to eliminate the impurities are corrosion inhibitors, coagulants & flocculants, scale inhibitors, chelating agents, biocides & and disinfectants, and pH adjusters, among others.

The 360 Quadrant maps the Water Treatment Chemicals Manufacturers based on criteria such as revenue, geographic presence, growth strategies, investments, and sales strategies for the market presence of the Water Treatment Chemicals’ quadrant. While the top criteria for product footprint evaluation included Type (Coagulants & Flocculants, Corrosion Inhibitors, Scale Inhibitors, Biocides & Disinfectants, Chelating Agents, Anti-Foaming Agents, PH Adjusters & Stabilizers), Source (Bio-Based, Synthetic), Applications (Boiler Water Treatment, Cooling Water Treatment, Raw Water Treatment, Water Desalination, Others), and End-use Industry (Residential, Commercial, Industrial).

Key trends highlighted in 360 Quadrant’s study include:

• Global water treatment chemicals market size is estimated to reach USD 43.9 billion by 2028 from USD 36.7 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 3.6% during the forecast. Factors propelling this growth include the rising demand for water treatment, strict environmental regulations, and a growing population. The increased adoption of water treatment chemicals is driven by the need to safeguard public health and enhance the efficiency of equipment like boilers and cooling towers.
• The dynamics of the water treatment chemicals industry are advancing at a rapid pace. The water treatment chemicals manufacturers are now also focusing on bio-based chemicals. It was observed that Bio-based chemicals for water treatment had nearly 42.6% of the market in 2022, in terms of value. The increasing need for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials in water treatment is what is driving the expansion of the bio-based category. Therefore, creating opportunities for water treatment chemicals manufacturers in the development of advanced biodegradable water treatment chemicals, offering a potential avenue to mitigate environmental impact and explore new prospects.
• In 2022, the coagulants & flocculants segment emerged as the dominant segment in the water treatment chemicals market. The surge in demand for industrial water treatment and the escalating issue of water scarcity are key drivers behind the prominence of the coagulants & flocculants segment. Additionally, the escalating demand for biocides and disinfectants, particularly from hospitals dealing with a heightened risk of infection transmission, is contributing substantially to the growth of this segment. Some of the notable water treatment chemicals manufacturers in this segment include Ecolab, Kemira, BASF, Solenis, Nouryon, Kurita Water, Veolia, SNF Floerger, and others.
• While the synthetic water treatment chemicals accounted for the largest share, the bio-based treatment chemicals also witnessed a rising demand for environment-friendly and sustainable materials in the water treatment, thereby creating multitude of opportunities for the water treatment chemicals manufacturers.
• In 2022, North America took the lead in the water treatment chemicals market, with Asia Pacific and Europe following closely. The Asia Pacific region stands out as the fastest-growing market, propelled by its large population, expanding industrial sector, and adherence to stringent environmental regulations. This growth is also attributed to the increasing demand from the end-use industries in the region.
• There are a significant number of global water treatment chemicals manufacturers in this market, with top players like Dow, BASF, Kemira, and Solenis, capturing around 15% to 20% of the market share. The leading water treatment chemicals manufacturers have majorly been benefited from their well-recognized brands and a wide-range of products, and strong distribution capabilities in this growing market.
• Another primary factors that are driving the growth of water treatment chemicals manufacturers is the increasing need for chemically treated water across various industries, stringent regulations governing water and wastewater, and a rising demand for these chemicals due to the escalating issue of water pollution.
• Water treatment chemicals manufacturers are adopting various strategies such as geographic expansions, new product launches, partnerships, and acquisitions to accelerate their position in the market. The key players have been trying to strengthen their product & service portfolios and cater to the untapped markets. For instance, in October 2023, Solenis acquired CedarChem in order to enhance customer value for water and wastewater treatment sales and services and supports direct go-to-market strategy. Through this acquisition, expand its portfolio in the southeastern U.S. Earlier In May 2022, Solenis purchased Neu Kimya Anonim irketi (Neu Kimya), a Turkish manufacturer and supplier of specialized chemicals. Neu Kimya services the heavy/light water treatment and oil and gas industries in Turkey, Southeast Europe, and the Middle East.
• Another water treatment chemicals manufacturers like Nouryon, in August 2022, Nouryon established an exclusive collaboration with Brenntag Specialties to act as the sole distributor of its unique LumaTreat tagged polymers in the US and Canada. The arrangement covered a broad range of Nouryon's specialty polymers, giving water treatment professionals easier access to vital components for cooling and heating systems used in commercial and industrial settings.
• The top water treatment chemicals manufacturers also make investments such as geographical expansion, to offer their experience in water treatment chemicals and extensive industry knowledge. Nalco Water, Ecolab's water and process management division, planned to design, build, run, own, and maintain a new water treatment facility at Shell Jurong Island, a chemical manufacturing site. The plant was slated to start up in July 2023 and was anticipated to help Shell achieve its goal of conserving water. Ecolab would oversee supervising the design and construction phase as well as the final commissioning and operation.