Industrial Absorbents Market

High Demand for Biodegradable Absorbents in Oil & Gas Industries

Recent events of drone attacks on the Saudi Arabia oil facility, Abqaiq, has raised the issue of safety requirements in oil & gas industries. To reduce the severity of such emergency situations, stakeholders in the oil & gas industry are complying with safety requirements by increasing the volume of industrial absorbents at their oil processing facilities. This is well justified, since the oil & gas industry is projected to dominate the industrial absorbents market with the highest requirement for absorbents, projected to reach ~183,900 tons by the end of 2027.

In order to reduce environmental impact, manufacturers in the industrial absorbents market are fostering innovation in all-cotton oil absorbents. For instance, E Innovate, LLC - a provider of biodegradable oil cleanup solutions, collaborated with a company in India to develop biodegradable towels using West Texas cotton to clean up oil spills. Biodegradable absorbents are growing increasingly popular in the industrial absorbents market, since they solve the problem of micro plastic pollution. Companies are focusing on expanding their product offerings to local garages and offshore facilities to solve the problem of oil spills.

To gauge the scope of customization in our reports Ask for a Sample 

Naturally-made Industrial Absorbents Help Companies Comply with Stringent Environmental Regulations

Companies in the industrial absorbents market are innovating in natural materials for the development of lightweight absorbents. For instance, in January 2019, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, announced the sanctioning of repayable loans to Hi-Point Industries - a manufacturer of oil absorbents. This was done to boost international export of their lightweight industrial absorbent - Oclansorb, which is made from naturally-occurring blonde sphagnum peat moss. Although synthetic absorbents dominate the market, natural industrial absorbents are projected for high growth in the industrial absorbents market, with an estimated output of ~275,400 tons by the end of 2027.

Get an idea about the offerings of our report from Report Brochure 

Industrial absorbents made with natural materials help companies in the industrial absorbents market to comply with strict environmental regulations. Another driver that is creating incremental opportunities for manufacturers is the emergence of biodegradable industrial absorbents. These absorbents are being extensively used to clean hazardous hydrocarbon oil spills in the most environmental-friendly way. Companies are increasing R&D to develop industrial absorbents that soak petroleum products. 

Companies Tapping into New End Markets to Increase Scope for Incremental Opportunities

Apart from oil & gas and chemical industries, companies in the industrial absorbents market are tapping into new opportunities in the personal care and hygiene sector. Incontinence is a major health concern amongst elderly patients. Hence, manufacturers in the market are innovating novel fecal incontinence protection products that cater to the convenience of elderly individuals. They are utilizing highly absorbent nonwoven materials to provide continued cleanliness to the wearer. Likewise, they are also shifting focus to cater to the needs of women, since there is growing demand for absorbent menstruation underwear.

The trend of 'ready biodegradable' products is engulfing the industrial absorbents market. Companies in the landscape are increasing research efforts to make ready biodegradable products from naturally-occurring materials. Where most players are innovating new synthetic absorbents, other market players are aiming toward a circular economy to gain credibility in the eyes of consumers. They are developing multi-functional biopolymers made from renewable feedstock such as glucose and glycerol. Companies are increasing efforts to get their products certified, so that they are readily available for end users.

Increasing Popularity of Recyclability of Absorbents as Cost-efficient Solution in Demanding Situations

The industrial absorbents market is highly fragmented, with five major players accounting for only ~15% of the total market share. This creates many opportunities for start-ups and emerging players to dominate the landscape. However, there is a need for risk assessment before entering the market, since manufacturers may have to face hurdles in real oil-sorbing applications and environmental disasters.

Demanding situations have caused issues of overharvesting in the agricultural landscape. To overcome this challenge, manufacturers are increasing awareness regarding recyclable absorbents to reduce production stress on local farmers. Recyclability of sorbents allows faster collection of oil in practical situations and environmental disasters. End-use industries are benefitting from this technique, as recyclability leads to lesser volumes of waste at the end of the cleanup.

Looking for Regional Analysis or Competitive Landscape in Chemicals & Materials, ask for a customized report

Analysts’ Viewpoint

Companies in the industrial absorbents market are increasing their production capabilities in Asia Pacific, as the region is projected for high growth during the forecast period. Biodegradability and recyclability are the key trends driving market growth. Manufacturers are tapping into opportunities for the development of superabsorbents for various hygiene products. However, high manufacturing costs of both, synthetic and collected material absorbents, poses as a challenge for manufacturers, as large-scale oil spill situations demand huge volumes of absorbents, which creates environmental stress. Hence, manufacturers should increase awareness about recyclability amongst end-use industries to reduce environmental impact. They should invest in the development of naturally-made oil absorbents to boost international exports.