Published April 2023
The specialty biocides described in this report include many different chemical types that are used in a variety of end-use areas. They are linked only by their common functionality in destroying or inhibiting the growth of a broad range of microorganisms. The specialty biocides — active ingredients, not formulated products — have been subdivided into eight product categories — organic acids and salts, active halogen compounds, quaternary ammonium compounds, organometallics, inorganics, organosulfur compounds, phenolics and other biocides. Excluded are chemicals that are highly lethal to all living things (e.g., hydrogen cyanide), pharmaceuticals, chemicals used solely to control agricultural pests (i.e., pesticides) and commodity biocides (e.g., sodium hypochlorite and alcohols).
The following pie chart shows world consumption of biocides on a volume basis:
Since 2016, mainland China has become the largest global market for biocides. North America is the next largest market for specialty biocides; the much higher consumption of biocides in North America, compared with the other developed regions of Western Europe and Japan, reflects the far higher number of swimming pools requiring biocides. Western Europe is the third-largest market for biocides; growth expectations for Western Europe are low, as it is a mature market and suffering from a heavy legislative burden, which makes new product development very difficult. Biocides consumption in India is still in early stages of development, with food preservation being the only significant market. Strong growth will continue through 2027.
An important consideration in the biocides market is the impact of government regulations. In the United States, Western Europe, mainland China and Japan, as well as elsewhere in the world, these regulations require the registration of biocides, a process that includes lengthy and expensive toxicological tests that are designed to demonstrate whether the products can be used safely. Compliance with these regulations requires expertise and infrastructure, and this was a major reason why many large companies that first entered this business were often large manufacturers of pharmaceuticals or pesticides that already had similar biological testing capabilities and registration groups. Over time, newer regulations in most world areas have further restricted or banned the use of some biocides and stimulated the use of acceptable replacements with lower human toxicity.
Because of the increasing cost of complying with these regulations, very few new products have been introduced in the past five years. Since the Biocidal Products Directive first entered into force in mid-2000 in the European Union, about three-fourths of approximately 1,200 biocidal actives have disappeared from the market. Increasing costs have also led to further consolidation within the industry, as the smaller producers were forced to withdraw from the basic production of biocides because their lower sales volumes could not justify these added costs. This process is continuing, and several large companies may emerge with significant participation in a broad range of biocides. Only larger entities will be able to master the challenges of the varying regulations and customer demands in the different regions.
For more detailed information, see the table of contents, shown below.
S&P Global’s Specialty Chemicals Update Program –Biocides is the comprehensive and trusted guide for anyone seeking information on this industry. This latest report details global and regional information, including
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S&P Global’s Specialty Chemicals Update Program –Biocides has been compiled using primary interviews with key suppliers and organizations, and leading representatives from the industry in combination with S&P Global’s unparalleled access to upstream and downstream market intelligence and expert insights into industry dynamics, trade, and economics.
This report can help you:
- Identify the competitive environment and key players
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