Global Defoamers Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026

The global defoamers market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.67% to reach US$5.113 billion by 2026, from US$3.973 billion in 2019.



A defoamer or an anti-foaming agent is a chemical additive that reduces and prevents the formation of foam in industrial process liquids. Foam is undesirable in most industrial processes and causes a lot of problems in operations as it may lead to defective coatings on the surface, block oxygen transfer prevents the filling of containers or tanks up to capacity. A defoamer eliminates existing foam while anti-foam prevents further formation of foam.  

Defoamers are used in many industrial processes and products such as agrochemicals, water treatment, paper and pulp, paints and coatings, food processing, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, chemical, and metalworking, etc. The application of defoamers benefits these processes through increased production capacity, output volume, and reduced operational cost. They also play an important role in reducing the carbon footprint caused by the manufacturing process of end-users, which is expected to drive the demand for low VOC solvent-free defoamers.

Manufacturers are prioritizing the utilization of bio-based and sustainable raw materials rather than petro-based variants, while the producers are focusing on the development of innovative and high-performance silicone compounds to improve product performance.

Companies are aiming to their footprints in the market through new product launches, product portfolios expansion, geographical expansions, and investments in research and development. They are focusing on developing products designed for specific applications. To strengthen their market positions, they are also planning to expand their customer base in various industries and focus on product development to meet varying customer needs.

Rising environmental awareness among consumers in developed regions is anticipated to propel the use of water-based defoamers due to their environmental sustainability.

In January 2019, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) introduced Ethylan TB345 which is a water-miscible defoamer that provides household and industrial cleaning formulators. It will enable them to meet the growing demand of customers for environmentally safe and cost-effective defoamer.

However, Silicone defoamers contain volatile organic compound (VOC) content. High VOC content is dangerous to the environment. Therefore, companies are focusing on manufacturing VOC content-free products and innovating to develop high-performance silicone compounds as raw materials, but some companies are still producing old silicone defoamer that might emit dangerous gases which are harmful to the environment as well as human health.

Regulatory bodies like the U.S. FDA and therefore the European Commission have also enforced several laws to manage the composition of defoamers. Because of the low VOC of solvent-free deformers, environmental regulations across the globe are encouraging their use over High VOC deformers

Stringent regulations on VOC-containing defoamers, as well as concerns regarding the health problems they cause, may put a damper on the growth of the defoamers market. Nevertheless, the growing demand for defoamers is expected to open new opportunities for the market over the years.

Growth prospects

A necessity for end-users

Deformer is a very important chemical and is used in almost every major industry such as paper and pulp, oil and gas, water treatment, etc. For example, in the oil & gas industry, when an oil well is drilled, drilling fluid is used to balance the borehole. At times drilling fluid generates foam as it reaches the surface and at this stage, foam can be difficult to pump and clean up. Hence, defoamers are added to the fluid to break the foam. It is a necessary chemical that will be consumed more with the expansion of end-user industries. Another example is the use of defoamers in water treatment facilities by municipal and industrial wastewater streams. Where they assist in reducing pump cavitation, preventing loss due to overflow, and improving sanitation and safety. Hence, defoamers optimize the sludge dewatering process and facilitate clarification, filtration, thickening, and floatation processes.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Defoamers Market

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively influenced the defoamers market. The shutting down of manufacturing facilities globally, combined with strict lockdown restrictions in various COVID-19 affected countries, impacted the operations of various industries that are end-user of defoamer. Halt in production activities of end-user industries caused a domino effect on the global defoamers market. However, with the ease of restrictions, globally the market is expected to rebound during the forecast period. 

Segmentation:

By product type

• Oil-based Deformers
• Water-based Deformers
• Silicone-based Deformers
• Others

By application

• Paints & Coatings
• Pulp & Paper
• Food & Beverage
• Water & Wastewater Treatment
• Agriculture Chemicals
• Others

By geography

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Israel
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Others