Phthalic Anhydride - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The phthalic anhydride market size is expected to increase from 4.67 million tons in 2025 to 4.79 million tons in 2026 and reach 5.41 million tons by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 2.48% over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by Raw Material (Ortho-Xylene and Naphthalene), Application (Plasticizers, Alkyd Resins, Unsaturated Polyester Resins, and Other Applications), End-User Industry (Automotive, Electrical and Electronics, Paints and Coatings, Plastics, and Other End-User Industries), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle-East and Africa).

Global Phthalic Anhydride Market Trends and Insights

Expansion of UPR Use in Wind-Turbine Blades

Wind-energy capacity additions are reshaping unsaturated polyester resin demand, which in turn pulls phthalic anhydride consumption upward. Global wind-turbine installations require composite blades that blend glass fiber with UPR matrices, and each megawatt of offshore capacity consumes approximately 15-20 tons of composite material. China brought more than 70 GW online in 2025, while India targets 500 GW of renewables by 2030, driving sustained pull for high-purity phthalic anhydride in corrosion-resistant resin systems. Offshore projects in the North Sea and Taiwan Strait further amplify demand, as marine environments mandate resin systems with superior hydrolytic stability, a performance attribute directly linked to phthalic anhydride's aromatic backbone rigidity.

Electric-Vehicle Wire-and-Cable Plasticizer Boom

Electric-vehicle architectures require wire harnesses rated for 400-800 volt systems, and cable insulation must withstand thermal cycling, electromagnetic interference, and mechanical abrasion over 15-year service lives. Each battery electric vehicle carries up to 2 km of cabling that requires 3-4 kg of plasticized PVC. Global EV output topped 14 million units in 2025, lifting phthalate ester consumption for DINP and DIDP despite parallel interest in DOTP and DINCH alternatives to meet REACH limits of 0.1 wt% on legacy ortho-phthalates.

Shift Toward Bio-Based Anhydrides in Coatings

Alkyd resin formulators are substituting phthalic anhydride with azelaic acid, fumaric acid, and lignin-derived aromatic monomers to meet sustainability targets and reduce Scope 3 emissions. Perstorp's ISCC PLUS-certified plant in Sayakha, India, commissioned in 2024, produces mass-balanced polyols and intermediates from renewable feedstocks, enabling paint manufacturers to claim up to 70% bio-content without reformulation. European paint makers now substitute 8-10% of phthalic feedstock with azelaic or lignin-derived acids, leveraging Perstorp’s ISCC PLUS materials that enable 70% bio-content claims. Decorative lines move first because label marketing offsets the 20-30% price premium, while automotive OEM topcoats still rely on phthalic chemistry for hardness and weatherability.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Capacity Additions by Low-Cost Asian Producers
• PAN-Based MOFs for Carbon Capture and Utilisation
• Declining Coal-Tar Supply for Naphthalene Route

Segment Analysis

Naphthalene retained 83.18% of 2025 feedstock, yet tightening coal-tar supply and Western plant closures signal a structural pivot. Ortho-xylene, supported by integrated aromatics streams, is set for a 3.31% CAGR and will gradually trim naphthalene’s lead within phthalic anhydride market size metrics. Koppers’ withdrawal highlights the vulnerability of stand-alone tar processors, while China’s naphthalene imports dilute domestic cost advantages.

Integrated Asian complexes convert mixed xylene from catalytic reformers directly into ortho-xylene, lowering variable costs. CNPC reports reduced paraxylene imports to 19%, confirming rising local aromatics sufficiency that spills over into the phthalic anhydride market. Switching routes demands new fixed-bed oxidation reactors, posing a capital hurdle for legacy naphthalene plants.

Complete Report Scope:

• By Raw Material
  • Ortho-xylene
  • Naphthalene
• By Application
  • Plasticizers
  • Alkyd Resins
  • Unsaturated Polyester Resins
  • Other Applications (Dyes and Pigments, Insecticides, etc.)
• By End-user Industry
  • Automotive
  • Electrical and Electronics
  • Paints and Coatings
  • Plastics
  • Other End-user Industries (Chemicals, Agriculture, etc.)
• By Geography
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Italy
    • Rest of Europe
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Rest of South America
  • Middle-East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Africa
    • Rest of Middle-East and Africa

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific commanded 61.78% of the 2025 volume and is climbing at 3.22% through 2031. China alone hosts more than one-third of the capacity, and projects in Hebei (40,000 tons) plus Aekyung’s Ningbo expansion (50,000 tons) consolidate its lead even as domestic prices dropped 9.6% to RMB 5,967 t (USD 830.606 t) in 2025. India’s USD 37 billion capex plan raises native intermediates output, cutting 45% import dependence and cementing a two-company duopoly that already holds 70% of local supply.

North America faces shrinking coal-tar feed and now leans on imports after Koppers’ 2025 exit. Remaining integrated units cover niche demand, while Mexico channels finished PVC parts back into the US auto and electronics chains. Europe grapples with high energy costs and REACH limits; LANXESS safeguards regional output through proprietary catalysts but still reports EBITDA squeeze as Asian imports undercut prices.

South America and the Middle East & Africa remain comparatively small. Brazil’s recovery hinges on automotive output, and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 could deepen local conversion beyond commodity aromatics. For now, both regions act mainly as export yards feeding Asia and Europe rather than drivers of fresh demand within the phthalic anhydride market.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• AEKYUNG
• BASF
• EMCO Dyestuff
• IG Petrochemicals Ltd.
• Koppers Inc.
• LANXESS
• MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC.
• NAN YA PLASTICS CORPORATION
• Paari Chem Resources
• Perstorp
• Polynt S.p.A.
• Shandong Hongxin Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Stepan Company
• Thirumalai Chemicals
• UPC Technology Corporation

Additional Benefits:

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