IndustryARC updated the market research study on “North America Adsorbent Market”- Forecast (2024 - 2030)
The North America Adsorbent Market size is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030 and reach US$1.86 billion by 2030. Adsorbents are substances that are primarily used to extract pollutants from a liquid or gas. It can be categorized into various types which include activated carbon, molecular sieves, activated alumina, clay, silica gel and more. Adsorbents are used in a wide range of industries such as petrochemical, water treatment, medical, metallurgy, textile and other industries. Among these, activated carbon holds the largest market share due to its extensive use in water treatment plants and air purification applications. The U.S. dominates the North American market, accounting for the majority of the market share. This is attributed to the presence of a large number of petrochemical industries and stringent environmental regulations in the country. The COVID-19 lockdown had significantly reduced production activities as a result of the country-wise shutdown of manufacturing sites, shortage of labor and the decline of the supply and demand chain all across North America, which temporarily halted production from some of the major industries such as petrochemical, water treatment and more. This, in turn, reduced the demand for adsorbents that are primarily used in such industries for petroleum refining, water purification and other similar applications, thus, affecting the North American adsorbent industry. However, a steady recovery in development activities from multiple industries has been witnessed across North America, this led to an increase in demand for adsorbents for use in water treatment and purification applications, thus, fueling the market growth. The surging development of wastewater treatment facilities along with the increasing demand from the petrochemical industry is expected to drive the growth of the North America adsorbent market size in the upcoming years. On the other hand, the lower shelf life of adsorbents may confine the growth of the market. In conclusion, the North America adsorbent market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years, driven by increasing demand from various end-use industries and stringent environmental regulations. However, challenges such as the lower shelf life of adsorbents may hinder market growth.
North America Adsorbent Market Report Coverage
The report: “North America Adsorbent Market Report – Forecast (2024-2030)” by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments in the North America Adsorbent Market.
By Type: Activated Alumina, Activated Carbon, Activated Clay, Silica Gel, Metal Oxides, Polymer Adsorbents, Zeolites (Molecular Sieves) (Type 3A, Others) and Others.
By Form: Powder, Flakes and Others.
By End-Use Application: Oil and Gas Industry (Natural Gas Purification, Gasoline, Diesel and Jet Fuel Production, Others), Petrochemical Industry (Ethylene Production, Propylene Production, Xylene Separation, Others), Chemical Industry (Industrial Gases, CASE (Coatings, Sealants, Adhesives and Elastomers), Others), Automotive and Transportation, Pharmaceutical and Food, Water Treatment, Nuclear Waste Remediation, Refrigerant (Commercial, Industrial), Building & Construction, Personal Care and Cosmetic and Others.
By Country: The USA, Canada and Mexico.
Key Takeaways
The activated carbon segment held a significant share in the North America Adsorbent Market in 2023. Its wide range of characteristics and operational efficiency made it stand out in comparison to other types of adsorbents in the market.
Petrochemical industry held the largest share in the North America Adsorbent Market in 2023, owing to the increasing demand for adsorbents for petroleum refining applications in the petrochemical sectors.
The United States dominated the North America Adsorbent Market in 2021, owing to the increasing demand for adsorbents from the petrochemical sectors in the country.
A detailed analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats will be provided in the North America Adsorbent Market Report.
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North America Adsorbent Market Segment Analysis – by Type
The activated carbon segment held a significant North America Adsorbent Market share in 2023, owing to its increasing demand due to the characteristics and benefits it offers over other types of adsorbents. For instance, activated carbon offers a very high removal capacity of organic impurities and toxic substances as compared to activated alumina, clay, silica gel and other types of adsorbents. They offer excellent removal of odor and are capable of removing carbon-based, organic chemicals as well as some microorganisms. Moreover, activated carbon is easy to use and maintain and has higher efficiency for VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) removal in comparison to other types of adsorbents. Furthermore, they as more economical and cost-effective as opposed to other adsorbents. Hence, all of these benefits are driving its demand over other types of adsorbents, which in turn, is expected to boost the market growth in North America during the forecast period.
North America Adsorbent Market Segment Analysis – by End-use Industry
The petrochemical industry held the largest North America Adsorbent Market share of over 25% in 2023, owing to its increasing demand from the petrochemical sectors in the region. Adsorbents such as activated carbon, molecular sieves, activated alumina and silica gel are primarily used in petrochemical plants or refineries as a medium for the separation process in order to extract a component from a mixture. They are also used for the recovery or removal of sulfur from oil along with the removal of various pollutants and recovery of oil from wastewater in such petrochemical plants. For instance, Qatar Petroleum partnered with ExxonMobil for the development of the LNG expansion liquefaction plant worth US$10 billion in Texas, United States. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2024. In this way, such new development of petrochemical plants in the region is expected to increase the demand for adsorbents as a medium for petroleum refining applications as stated above. This is expected to expand the North American adsorbent market size during the forecast period.
Following closely behind is the water treatment sector, accounting for around 18% of the market. Adsorbents play a crucial role in purifying drinking water, treating wastewater, and removing contaminants in industrial applications. Other notable players include the chemical industry (12%), which leverages adsorbents for gas purification, air separation, and catalyst recovery. The automotive and transportation sector (10%) employs them for air and fuel filtration, while the building and construction industry (8%) utilizes them for air and water purification in enclosed spaces.
North America Adsorbent Market Segment Analysis – by Country
The United States held a dominant North America Adsorbent Market share of over 38% in the year 2023. The consumption of adsorbents is particularly high in this region due to its increasing demand from the petrochemical sectors in the country. For instance, Royal Dutch Shell invested around US$6 billion for the development of the petrochemicals plant in Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Canada trails behind with a respectable 15.2% share. Its mining and oil & gas industries drive the demand for adsorbents, and environmental regulations are further propelling market growth. The presence of key manufacturing players also contributes to Canada's significant market presence.
Adsorbents are primarily used in petrochemical plants as a medium for the separation process in order to extract a component from a mixture. They are also used for the removal of various pollutants and recovery of oil from wastewater in such petrochemical plants. Thus, the surging development associated with the petrochemical sectors in the country is expected to increase the demand for adsorbents for refining applications in such plants. This is expected to accelerate the growth of the North America adsorbent market during the forecast period.
North America Adsorbent Market Drivers
Surging development of wastewater treatment facilities
Adsorbents such as activated carbon and activated alumina are primarily used for tertiary purification in the wastewater treatment facilities in order to remove organic micro-pollutants, COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand), along with the removal of specific contaminants such as heavy metals and oily molecules from wastewater. For instance, Government initiatives in the US and Canada, like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, are allocating billions towards water infrastructure projects. This financial backing is translating into concrete developments like Pennsylvania American Water's new $8.7 million treatment plant and Acciona's $159 million project in Mexico. Furthermore, Acciona announced its plans to build a water treatment plant in the municipality of Los Cabos in Mexico. The project has a budget of around US$159 million. The project is estimated to have a water treatment capacity of 250 liters per second, equivalent to 7,884,000 m3 per year. The new facility is scheduled to be delivered by 2023.
In this way, such surging development of wastewater treatment facilities in North America is expected to increase the demand for adsorbents for use in water purification and treatment applications in such facilities. This is expected to accelerate the growth of the market in North America in the upcoming years.
An increase in textile production
Adsorbents such as activated carbon, silica gel and molecular sieves are primarily used in the textile industry for the removal of textile dyes and for treating dyes contained in textile wastewaters and effluents, owing to their low cost and ease of operation. The surging investments, new facility development and government initiatives related to the textile industry are the key determinants that are driving the growth of the textile industry in North America. This increasing production from the textile industry in North America is expected to increase the demand for adsorbents utilized in such industries for the removal of textile dyes and treatment of dyes contained in textile wastewater and effluents. This is anticipated to drive the growth of the market in North America in the upcoming years.
Increased textile production might indirectly lead to higher demand for adsorbents in wastewater treatment. Textile manufacturing generates wastewater laden with dyes, chemicals, and fibers that require treatment before discharge. However, this effect wouldn't be solely attributable to textile production growth and would depend on overall industrial activity and stricter regulations. Similarly, adsorbents are used in air filtration systems within textile factories to control dust and emissions. Growth in textile production could translate to more demand for such filtration systems, leading to increased use of adsorbents.
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North America Adsorbent Market Challenge
Lower shelf life of adsorbents may confine the market growth
The overall shelf life of a specific type of adsorbents used in separation, refining and purification procedures in multiple industries is limited, thus, it needs frequent replacement after a specific period of time. Adsorbents that are primarily employed in various industries such as petrochemical, wastewater treatment and more are highly susceptible to fouling, resulting in the degradation of their functional and operational quality. Applications such as the treatment of wastewater, petroleum refining, or any other purification process would result in unwanted components and pollutants forming precipitate on the adsorbent surface. This may foul the adsorbent and decrease the overall life expectancy of the adsorbent, as a result, frequent replacement of the adsorbents would be required. Thus, such issues associated with the lower shelf life of adsorbents may confine the growth of the North American adsorbent industry during the forecast period.
North America Adsorbent Industry Outlook
Technology launches, acquisitions and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the North America Adsorbent Market. The top companies in North America Adsorbent Market are:
Acquisitions/Technology Launches
• In October 2022, Clariant acquired BASF's U.S. Attapulgite business assets for $60 million. This deal strengthened Clariant's position in the growing markets for purification of edible oils and renewable fuels, expanding its footprint in North America.
• In September 2022, Honeywell International Inc. acquired Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT) from Solenis LLC for $5.3 billion. This acquisition included PMT's activated carbon business, which provided Honeywell with a broader portfolio of adsorbents and strengthened its presence in the water treatment and industrial gas purification markets.