Defoamers are also denoted as antifoaming agents. These are chemical additives that decrease and obstruct the foam formation in industrial processes. Defoamers are normally insoluble in a foaming medium and keep surface active properties. They offer important characteristic like low viscosity and spread rapidly on the foamy surface. Defoamers have attraction to air-liquid surfaces, where they impend the formation of foam lamellas. This breaks air bubbles and breakdown of the surface foam.
Rising adoption of defoamers from various end-use industries such as pulp & paper, wastewater treatment, paint & coatings, and others to increase work efficiency by reducing foam formation are the prime factors driving the market growth. Properties of defoamers such as low viscosity, high affinity toward the air-liquid surface and ability to diffuse on a foamy surface have widened its application areas. Moreover, development of eco-friendly defoamers by key players owing to rising health concerns is increasing its penetration within end-use industries. Regulatory bodies such as the U.S. FDA and the European Commission have enforced several laws to regulate the composition of defoamers. The organizations have specified usage limits of various components in the product formulation. Some variants contain harsh chemicals used in foods and have the potential to cause health hazards. As a result, stringent regulations by governing bodies in developed countries and associated side-effects could hinder the market during the forecast period.
COVID-19 Impact Analysis
- The coronavirus's unfavorable global effects are already evident, and they will have a big impact on the defoamers in 2020.
- The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency after the COVID-19 virus outbreak in December 2019. The disease has spread to over 100 nations and resulted in massive deaths across the world. Exports & Imports, global manufacturing, tourism, and financial sectors have all been heavily damaged.
- The downward pressure on the global economy, which had previously shown signs of improvement, has escalated once more. The outbreak of the virus has added danger factors to the international economy's already sluggish development. Many international groups have stated that the global economy is experiencing its most difficult moment since the financial crisis.
- Since the pandemic, the restriction of imports and exports has affected the defoamers market to a great extent as the consumers’ consumption and demand patterns are changing amidst pandemic.
Top Impacting Factors
Globally, the expenditure on water and wastewater treatment has increased significantly over the past few years. Developing countries, particularly in Asia-Pacific (APAC), have increased their budgetary allocation on wastewater projects. Besides, several water treatment projects in developed countries such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, and the U.K. have been at the forefront of integrating innovative solutions and making capacity additions to existing facilities. In coherence, the application of defoamers in these plants has considerably increased in recent times. Thus, the increasing expenditure on waste treatment is expected to offer substantial mileage to the defoamers market to grow in the near future. Defoamers are extensively utilized during production of paper & pulp. These products help in reducing the generation of foam quantity during paper & pulp making. Growing demand for paper & pulp primarily in packaging sector will augment the defoamer’s market growth in the next few years. Increasing paper-based product usage in the flexible packaging industry due to significant growth of e-commerce sector.
Market trends
- Rising environmental awareness among consumers in developed regions is anticipated to propel the use of water-based defoamers.
- Water-based defoamers are devoid of organic solvents and, therefore, do not have any detrimental effect on the environment. Thus, increased environmental awareness and focus on sustainability have led to increased preference for water-based products in developed countries. Also, this defoamers reduce the health hazard posed by the foam formation in wastewater treatment plants and hence the market is expected to grow at a healthy rate.
- Rise in demand in automobile and paint industry coupled with increasing population across the globe has bolstered the demand for the market.
- Another key growth enabling factor for the defoamers market is rising demand for paints & coatings products in automotive and construction sector. Rising number of vehicle production in major countries including China, India, Mexico, the U.S., etc. are likely to drive the automotive industry growth in next few years. Further, rising urbanization and population across the world has led to increase in the construction of residential buildings in the emerging economies. Increasing construction and automotive industry in emerging countries will drive the paints & coatings demand.
- Growing importance as an essential product in various industries also has a positive impact on the market growth.
- The necessary demand from the end users is growing the defoamers market. They are used as the most important chemical in all the major end users such as paints & coatings, pulp & paper, oil & gas and others. As an example, in oil & gas drilling fluid is used when an oil well is being drilled. The fluid balance the borehole. At times drilling fluid generate foam as it reaches the surface. Foam at this stage due to drilling fluid can be difficult to pump and clean up. So defoamers are added in the fluids.
Key Benefits of the Report
- This study presents the analytical depiction of the defoamers industry along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the imminent investment pockets.
- The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with detailed analysis of the defoamers market share.
- The current market is quantitatively analysed to highlight the defoamers market growth scenario.
- Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of buyers & suppliers in the market.
- The report provides a detailed defoamers market analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in coming years.
Key Market Segments
- By Product Type
- Oil-based Defoamers
- Water-based Defoamers
- Silicone-based Defoamers
- By End-use Industry
- Oil and Gas
- Paper and Pulp
- Paints and Coatings
- Water and Wastewater Treatment
- Food and Beverages
- Detergents
- Agrochemicals
- Metal Working
- Others
- By Region
- North America
- Europe
- UK
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Rest of Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- Japan
- India
- South Korea
- Australia
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- LAMEA
- Brazil
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Rest of LAMEA
Key Market Players
- Elementis PLC
- Clariant AG
- Ashland Inc.
- Roth Darina
- KCC Basildon
- Kemira Oyj
- BASF SE
- Evonik Industries AG
- Eastman Chemical Company
- Wacker Chemie AG