Sulfuric Acid Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Sulfuric Acid Market is projected to increase from USD 14.39 Billion in 2025 to USD 18.39 Billion by 2031, achieving a CAGR of 4.17%. As a highly corrosive mineral acid, sulfuric acid is a critical raw material for various industries, utilized extensively in fertilizer production, chemical synthesis, and metallurgical leaching. The market is primarily driven by the substantial need for phosphate fertilizers to ensure global food security, as well as its role in manufacturing industrial chemicals and processing non-ferrous metals like copper and zinc. This high level of consumption is highlighted by the International Fertilizer Association's estimate that global phosphoric acid production would grow by 4 percent to 88.4 million metric tons in 2024, a volume that directly influences worldwide sulfuric acid usage.

However, the market faces significant obstacles due to the logistical complexities and stringent safety regulations required for transporting such a hazardous material. International rules governing the handling of corrosive substances result in increased operational costs and compliance burdens, which restrict the economic feasibility of long-distance trade. Consequently, these rigorous regulatory frameworks contribute to geographical supply imbalances and effectively limit the ease with which the market can expand into regions that do not possess adequate domestic production infrastructure.

Market Drivers

The escalating demand for phosphate fertilizers to bolster global food security acts as the primary catalyst for the sulfuric acid market. As the agricultural industry strives to feed an expanding population, there has been a surge in the chemical processing of phosphate rock, which relies heavily on sulfuric acid to generate phosphoric acid. This trend is clearly visible in major fertilizer production centers where exports have risen to meet international needs; for example, OCP Group reported in March 2025 that their Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) export volumes increased by 48 percent year-over-year in 2024, demonstrating the strong consumption of acid for high-nutrient agricultural products.

Simultaneously, the growth of base metal mining and hydrometallurgical leaching is significantly reinforcing market expansion. The global energy transition has triggered a massive increase in the extraction of metals such as copper, where sulfuric acid is vital for ore leaching and refining. Mining companies are rapidly scaling up production to address supply gaps, driving upstream demand for the acid. Notably, Teck Resources announced in February 2025 a record annual copper production of 446,000 tonnes for 2024, a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, data from the General Administration of Customs China shows that cumulative sulfuric acid exports reached 2.68 million metric tons in 2024, illustrating the extensive movement of material to support these industrial activities.

Market Challenges

The market is significantly hindered by the logistical complexity and strict safety mandates associated with sulfuric acid transport, which enforce a highly regionalized supply chain. Since the compound is classified as a hazardous corrosive substance, suppliers must navigate elevated compliance costs and liability risks that often render long-distance trade economically impractical. This limitation effectively fragments the global landscape, preventing surplus production from industrial hubs from efficiently reaching agricultural regions with high demand. As a result, persistent supply imbalances occur, where local shortages impede consumption growth in import-dependent areas despite the existence of sufficient capacity elsewhere.

This difficulty in balancing global supply and demand is particularly problematic given the sheer scale of downstream requirements. The International Fertilizer Association forecast that global fertilizer consumption would recover to a record level of approximately 204 million metric tons in 2024. While this substantial demand depends on consistent sulfuric acid availability, logistical bottlenecks obstruct the seamless transfer of acid needed to satisfy these rising nutrient requirements across continents. Consequently, the physical and regulatory challenges of transporting the raw material directly stifle the market's potential for expansion in areas where it is most needed.

Market Trends

A major trend in the market is the surge in production of ultra-pure electronic grade sulfuric acid, driven by the rapid growth of the semiconductor manufacturing sector and a focus on supply chain localization. As chip architectures reduce to nanometer scales, the need for wet chemicals with parts-per-trillion purity has intensified, causing major suppliers to upgrade their infrastructure. This shift in capital investment is illustrated by Chemtrade Logistics, which noted in its May 2024 investor presentation a plan to allocate approximately $40 million for growth capital expenditures within its ultrapure sulfuric acid business to meet the escalating demands of the semiconductor ecosystem.

Additionally, the adoption of spent acid regeneration and recycling technologies is transforming the market as industrial producers increasingly favor circular economy models to lower environmental impact. Refineries and chemical plants are shifting away from single-use consumption toward regeneration services that convert hazardous spent acid back into commercial-grade material, thereby reducing disposal costs and sulfur dependency. The commercial viability of these operations is underscored by Veolia's July 2024 announcement regarding the sale of its North American sulfuric acid regeneration business to American Industrial Partners for an enterprise value of $620 million, highlighting the significant value placed on sustainable acid recovery assets.

Key Players Profiled in the Sulfuric Acid Market

• BASF
• DuPont
• Yara International
• Nutrien
• Tata Chemicals
• Kemira
• Nouryon
• SABIC
• OQ Chemicals
• Solvay

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Sulfuric Acid Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Sulfuric Acid Market, by Grade:

• Industrial
• Technical

Sulfuric Acid Market, by End Use Industry:

• Fertilizers
• Chemical Manufacturing
• Automotive
• Textile
• Pulp & Paper
• Others

Sulfuric Acid Market, by Sales Channel:

• Direct
• Indirect

Sulfuric Acid Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Sulfuric Acid Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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