Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The linear alkyl benzene (LAB) market is expected to register a CAGR of less than 3% during the forecast period.

In 2020, the market was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the disruption in supply chains, closures of various institutions/offices, and others. However, the demand for LAB has increased from housecleaning products, considering the increased awareness of cleanliness and hygiene. The market recovered significantly in 2021, and it is expected to grow with the pre-COVID rate during the forecast period.

Key Highlights

• Over the medium term, the growing demand for linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid from the detergent and cleaning industry is boosting the demand for the market studied.
• On the other side, increasing concerns over health issues and environmental regulations and the emergence of substitutes are expected to hinder market growth.
• The growing demand for bio-based LAB is likely to act as an opportunity for the market studied, during the forecast period.
• The Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the market and is also likely to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Linear Alkyl Benzene Market Trends

Laundry Detergents Segment to Dominate the Market

• Linear alkylbenzene is used to manufacture linear alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS) commercially. These are cytotoxic synthetic anionic surfactants used to produce laundry detergents.
• When dissolved in water, these anionic surfactants form anions with a negative charge on the hydrophilic part of the surfactant.
• Laundry detergents containing LAS form a lot of foam when mixed and are most effective at removing oily and greasy stains.
• Countries such as India, China, Japan, etc., are the leading manufacturers of laundry detergents.
• For instance, in recent times, India has been one of the largest producers of soaps and detergents globally. Government initiatives, such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, promote health and hygiene. Such initiatives, along with the growing usage of soaps and detergents, have led to the growth of the manufacturing industry, which is further boosting the demand for LABS in the country.
• According to the METI (Japan), the production volume of laundry detergent powders in Japan accounted for 124.49 kilotons in 2021, compared to 132.79 kilotons in the previous year.
• Furthermore, the US detergent industry includes around 630 establishments (single- and multi-location companies), with a combined annual revenue of about USD 25 billion.
• Laundry is a part of the daily routine in many European households. Laundromats are a more popular option for countries in western European countries compared to countries in eastern Europe.
• Individual households, laundromats, and hotels generate most of the demand for laundry detergents in European and CIS countries.
• All the abovementioned factors are likely to increase the demand for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate over the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market

• The Asia-Pacific region dominated the global market share as the increasing need for cleaners in countries such as China, India, and Japan supported using linear alkylbenzene in the region.
• The market for soap, washing powder, and synthetic detergent in China has grown at an average annual rate of over 13% in the past five years due to increasing awareness about hygiene and development in the liquid soap segment. The growing consumption of industrial cleaners in the country, supported by rapid growth in the industrial segment, is expected to drive the market for linear alkyl benzene over the forecast period.
• A growing number of consumers is stimulating the demand for personal care products, which, in turn, is driving the linear alkylbenzene (LAB) market in India.
• According to the Chemical and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association (CPMA), India, the annual production capacity of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) in the country was about 550 kilotons in FY2020-21, which is further anticipated to increase in the forecast period.
• According to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (India), the production volume of synthetic detergent intermediates accounted for 736.44 kilotons in 2021, compared to 714.68 kilotons in 2020.
• According to the METI (Japan), the sales volume of dishwashing detergents in Japan accounted for 255.44 kilotons in 2021, compared to 253.02 kilotons in 2020.
• The abovementioned factors are expected to contribute to the increased demand for linear alkyl benzene (LAB) in the region during the forecast period.

Linear Alkyl Benzene Market Competitor Analysis

The linear alkyl benzene (LAB) market is fragmented in terms of production capacity. The major companies (not in any particular order) in the market include Cepsa, Sasol Limited, Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, Ho Tung Chemical Corp., and ISU Chemical, among others.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support