Cellulose Esters And Ethers Market Size, Share, Market Research and Industry Forecast Report, 2027 (Includes Business Impact of COVID-19)

                                          
Industry Insights, Market Size, CAGR, High-Level Analysis: Cellulose Esters And Ethers Market


The global cellulose esters and ethers market size was valued at USD 5.3 billion in 2019 and is estimated to witness a revenue-based CAGR of 4.9% over the forecast period. The industry is expected to exhibit remarkable growth over the forecast period owing to increasing demand in application industries such as textiles and apparel, food and beverages, cigarette filters, photographic films, printing inks, and building.

The food and beverage industry is anticipated to witness a notable CAGR over the forecast period owing to increasing demand for meat, bakery products, processed food, dairy products, confectionery, convenience foods, juices, and alcoholic beverages. An emerging economy such as China has witnessed a high demand for cigarette filters primarily produced using cellulose acetate. The growing demand for cigarette filters coupled with growth in the food and beverage sector is expected to exhibit the growth of the market for cellulose esters and ethers over the forecast period.

Mounting consumption of emulsifiers such as carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose in salad dressings, baked products, peanut butter, chocolates, margarine, and frozen desserts has propelled product demand in the recent past. Increasing consumer spending on eating out at locations such as fast-food outlets and full-service restaurants along with the rising number of food and beverage operators in retail destinations is expected to foster the growth of the food and beverage sector.

Cellulose esters and ethers are mostly employed in personal care products such as body lotions, shampoos, face creams, and cold creams owing to their excellent binding, thickening, stabilizing, and moisturizing properties. Moreover, the rising popularity of skincare products due to increasing consumer concerns regarding the harmful effects of pollution on the skin is projected to stimulate the demand for cellulose esters and ethers in personal care and cosmetics products.

Demand for cellulose acetate is projected to increase owing to its extensive use in cigarette filters. A cigarette filter comprising of the acetate ester lessens the toxicity of tobacco smoke by dropping the amount of smoke, tar, and fine particles. Factors such as strong distribution network and growing popularity of flavored cigarettes are expected to drive the market for cellulose esters and ethers.

High growth in the construction value was observed in the recent past owing to rising investments in transport networks, public construction, and additional infrastructure. Methylcellulose is used in building materials such as cement-based tile grouts, cement-based plasters, tile adhesives, and mortars for the skim coat. Thus, the increasing number of infrastructural projects across the globe is also projected to fuel the cellulose esters and ethers market over the forecast period.

Product Insights of Cellulose Esters And Ethers Market

Cellulose acetate is expected to sustain the largest market share. The majority of the demand for this product is likely to come from the cigarette filters industry. The growing use of the acetate ester as a silk substitute owing to its low-cost is anticipated to fuel market growth. Also, changing consumer lifestyles, coupled with the high spending capacity of consumers on cigarettes, are some of the factors that are expected to drive the market for cellulose esters and ethers.

Cellulose nitrate, also known as nitrocellulose, is an inflammable composite manufactured by nitrating cellulose with other nitrating agents. It is also used in civilian and military industries for producing nitrocellulose films, explosives, lacquers, and propellants. Nitrocellulose, when produced from cotton, is a fluffy white solid and is majorly used in wood and paint industries. Widening application scope of nitrocellulose in end-use industries such as automotive paints and printing inks is expected to drive the market cellulose esters and ethers.

Carboxymethyl cellulose is estimated to appear as the prominent growing product segment. Rising demand for this segment is supported by the increasing consumption of emulsifiers in peanut butter, salad dressings, frozen desserts, chocolate, and margarine. It is widely used as a stabilizer in the pharmaceutical industry for the coating of tablets. Growing consumption of the product in toothpaste on account of its excellent acid resistance, smooth texture, salt tolerance, and even substitution ability is anticipated to drive the market for cellulose esters and ethers over the forecast period.

Process Insights

The kraft process is projected to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The kraft process is anticipated to emerge as the dominant process over the forecast period since it is characterized by efficient waste recovery and reduced cooking time. The growth of the process can also be attributed to the high demand for cellulose.
The yield of pulp is higher for sulfite pulping as compared to that for kraft pulping. However, the sulfite pulp fibers are weaker as compared to the kraft pulp fibers. The sulfite process has been substituted by the kraft process to a large extent and is anticipated to be used more sparingly over the forecast period.

The kraft process is widely utilized for manufacturing cellulose and produces the most substantial fiber-based paper and paperboard products. The primary goal of this pulping process is to create easily bleachable pulps with low lignin content and high strength properties. The by-products obtained during the kraft process include tall oil, turpentine, soap, and rosin.

Regional Insights of Cellulose Esters And Ethers Market

Asia Pacific is projected to witness the highest revenue-based CAGR of 6.2% by 2027, in terms of revenue. The growth in the region can be attributed to the increasing demand for cellulose esters and ethers from food and beverages, cigarette filters, and the pharmaceutical sector. Asia Pacific is predicted to be one of the promising markets for cellulose esters and ethers on account of favorable government regulations for promoting investments in the manufacturing sectors. This is expected to fuel the demand for cellulose esters and ethers in paints, coatings, and adhesives applications over the forecast period.

North America is anticipated to propel at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period owing to burgeoning product use in various applications such as construction, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage. The growing pharmaceutical sector in U.S. due to increasing expenditure on medicines by local customers is anticipated to have a positive impact on the market for cellulose esters and ethers. U.S. has a well-established cosmetic sector coupled with the presence of leading cosmetic manufacturers such as Johnson and Johnson, Procter and Gamble, and Unilever, which, in turn, is projected to fuel the consumption over the forecast period.

Europe accounted for over 23.0% of the market revenue in 2019 and is projected to witness a CAGR of 2.9% over the forecast period. Cosmetics is predicted to be one of the fastest-growing applications on account of high consumption of cellulose esters and ethers for improving the viscosity of cosmetic formulations such as skin care products, makeup products, and shampoos. Also, regions such as North America and Europe are anticipated to register strong growth in the market for cellulose esters and ethers owing to the rising concentration of cosmetics manufacturers.

Cellulose Esters and Ethers Market Share Insights

The cellulose esters and ethers manufacturers depend on the facilities provided by a third party for both transportation of the products as well as delivery of raw materials to the manufacturing sites. In some instances, the manufacturing companies have formed strategic partnerships and direct alliances with the application industries.
Manufacturers of cellulose esters and ethers include Celanese Corporation, Eastman Chemical Corporation, Akzo Nobel N.V., and The Dow Chemical Company. Moreover, several companies are focusing on dealing with more than one supplier for a particular resource. Various end-users in the market for cellulose esters and ethers include Shell, Halliburton, Palsgaard, Sanofi, Pfizer, British Petroleum, and PPG Industries.

Segmentations, Sub Segmentations, CAGR, & High-Level Analysis overview of Cellulose Esters And Ethers Market Research Report

This report forecasts revenue and volume growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2019 to 2030. For the purpose of this report, this market research report has segmented the global cellulose esters and ethers market report on the basis of product, process, and region:

Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2019 - 2030)

  
Cellulose Acetate
  
Cigarette Filters
  
Textiles & Apparel
  
Photographic Films
  
Tapes & Labels
  
Cellulose Nitrate
  
Printing Inks
  
Automotive Paints
  
Wood Coatings
  
Leather Finishes
  
Nair Varnishes
  
Others
  
Carboxymethyl Cellulose
  
Cosmetics & pharmaceuticals
  
Food & beverages
  
Oil & gas
  
Paper & board
  
Paints & adhesives
  
Detergents
  
Others
  
Methyl Cellulose
  
Building industry
  
Dispersion paints
  
Wall paper paints
  
Cosmetics
  
Polymerization
  
Detergents
  
Others
  
Ethyl Cellulose
  
Personal care
  
Inks
  
Specialty coatings
  
Others
  
Hydroxyethyl Cellulose
  
Building materials
  
Oil production
  
Inks
  
Cosmetics & detergent
  
Special agent
  
Others
  
Hydroxypropyl Cellulose
  
Adhesives
  
Cosmetics
  
Pharmaceuticals
  
Foods
  
Others

Process Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2019 - 2030)

  
Kraft
  
Sulfite