Inorganic Catalyst Market Report 2026

The inorganic catalyst market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $27.6 billion in 2025 to $29.06 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of petroleum refining capacity, growth of chemical synthesis operations, increasing use of catalysts in emission control, rising adoption in polymer production, availability of metal oxide catalyst formulations.

The inorganic catalyst market size is expected to see steady growth in the next few years. It will grow to $35 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing investments in sustainable refining technologies, rising demand for catalysts in green chemistry, expansion of environmental remediation applications, growing focus on catalyst lifecycle management, increasing adoption of advanced catalyst materials. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for high-performance catalysts, rising adoption of zeolite-based catalysts, growing use in environmental applications, expansion of catalyst recycling and regeneration, enhanced focus on process efficiency.

The growing demand for petroleum and petrochemical products is expected to drive the inorganic catalysts market. Petrochemicals, derived from crude oil and petroleum, rely heavily on inorganic catalysts like zeolites to enhance yield and process efficiency. For instance, in August 2023, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global oil demand increased by 2.2 million barrels per day (mb/d), reaching approximately 102 mb/d, largely driven by a strong rebound in China’s petrochemical sector, which accounted for nearly 60% of the demand growth. Therefore, the rising demand for petroleum and petrochemical products is propelling the inorganic catalysts market.

Major companies in the inorganic catalysts market are focusing on innovative solutions such as tri-metal catalyst technologies to achieve higher selectivity, improved activity control, and enhanced fuel processing efficiency. These advanced catalysts combine multiple active metals to optimize feedstock conversion and provide operational flexibility compared with conventional single-metal catalysts. For instance, in October 2023, Grace & Co., a U.S.-based chemical company, launched PARAGON™ FCC catalyst technology. This system integrates a rare-earth-based vanadium trap into high-matrix surface area FCC catalytic solutions, allowing refiners to expand operating windows, process diverse feedstocks, and increase profitability.

In September 2025, Technip Energies, a France-based global engineering and technology provider, acquired Ecovyst Inc.’s advanced materials & catalysts business for US$556 million. The acquisition expanded Technip Energies’ inorganic and specialty catalyst capabilities, including silica- and zeolite-based catalysts, strengthening offerings across traditional petrochemical processes as well as sustainable fuels and circular-chemistry applications. Ecovyst’s business is a U.S.-based provider of inorganic catalysts and advanced catalyst materials used in hydrocracking, plastics production, sustainable fuels manufacturing, and chemical processing.

Major companies operating in the inorganic catalyst market are 3M Company, Eaton Corporation Public Limited Company., Donaldson Company Inc., Alfa Laval India Private Limited, BASF SE, Johnson Matthey plc, W.R. Grace & Co., Clariant AG, Albemarle Corporation, Evonik Industries AG, Solvay S.A., Cataler Corporation, Umicore N.V., Axens S.A., Haldor Topsoe A/S, JGC C&C Co. Ltd., Zeolyst International Inc., Ceramisphere Pty Ltd., Applied Catalysts LLC, CRI Catalyst Company LP, KNT Group, INTERCAT Inc., Silbond Corporation, SACHEM Europe B.V.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the inorganic catalyst market share in 2025. The regions covered in the inorganic catalyst market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the inorganic catalyst market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The inorganic catalysts market consists of sales of metal oxides and aluminum alkyl. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.