FATTY AMIDES MARKET ANALYSIS

The fatty amides Market size is valued at US$ 428.2 Mn in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 568.1 Mn by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% from 2024 to 2031. Fatty amides such as oleamide, behenamide, erucamide, and stearamide are widely used across a variety of industries including plastics processing, rubber, and inks & coatings. Fatty amides are mainly used as slip agents and anti-block agents in the production of polyolefin films & sheets that have applications in the packaging industry. Fatty acids maintain the clarity of polyolefin film and act as an anti-blocking agent. Nearly 70% of fatty amides are used in the film processing industries. Oleamide and stearamide are majorly used by industries such as paper, textiles, rubber, and ink.

Fatty Amides Market Regional Insights:

• Asia Pacific: The Fatty Acid Amides market is dominated by the Asia-Pacific region  with 51 % presence in terms of both consumption and production. China, India, Japan, Malaysia, etc. are the major manufacturers of Fatty Acid Amides in the region and World as well.
• North America North America accounts for the second largest share in the global fatty acid amides market and the market is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period.
•  Europe is also expected to follow a similar trend as of North America. The region is expected to experience slow growths over the short-term forecast, due to regulatory policy changes, and moderate growths over mid and long term forecast.

Figure 1. Fatty Amides Market Share (%), by Region, 2024

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Analyst Viewpoint:

The global fatty amides market is expected to see steady growth over the next five years. The market is driven by the increasing demand from the personal care and lubricants industries. Personal care products containing fatty amides are growing in popularity due to their skin conditioning and hair care properties. The lubricants industry is another major end-use sector for the fatty amides market owing to their benefits as high-temperature lubricants and release agents.

However, the availability of substitutes could limit the growth of the fatty amides market. Natural oils and synthetic alternatives are also used in personal care and industrial applications that provide competition to fatty amides. Stringent environmental regulations around the world pose a restraint as the production process of fatty amides releases harmful emissions.

The Asia Pacific region dominates the global fatty amides market and is likely to witness the fastest growth. The expanding personal care industry in countries like India and China will boost the demand. North America is another major regional market for fatty amides driven by the large lubricants industry in the U.S. and Canada. Opportunities lie in product innovation to replace traditional ingredients and develop bio-based varieties. Successful innovation can help manufacturers gain a competitive edge.

In conclusion, while the fatty amides market will see steady growth based on end-use demand, availability of substitutes and emission norms can limit the expansion to some extent.

Fatty Amides Market Drivers:

• Increasing demand from the personal care industry: The personal care industry has been witnessing significant growth in the last few years owing to rising income levels and changing lifestyles across the globe. As consumers are becoming more conscious about their personal appearance and hygiene, there has been a surge in the demand for various personal care products such as skin care creams, lotions, hair care products, makeup products, etc. Fatty amides, which act as thickening agents, foam boosters, and emulsion stabilizers, find wide applications in such personal care formulations. Fatty amides help improve the texture and consistency of various personal care creams and lotions by increasing their viscosity. They also allow the uniform distribution of oil and water components in emulsions which is important for the quality of products like sunscreens, moisturizers etc. Moreover, fatty amides have outstanding foam boosting properties which make them suitable for use in hair care and cleansing products. Their ability to stabilize emulsions makes them effective surfactants for various cosmetic emulsions as well. With growing consciousness about hair and skin care, the demand for innovative personal care products with superior properties is rising rapidly. This is positively impacting the consumption of fatty amides across the globe. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, organic personal care product sales rose over 8% from 2020 to 2021, indicating increased preference for natural ingredients.
• Surging consumption in the paints & coatings market: The paints and coatings industry has seen significant growth over the past few years, especially in developing economies. This rising consumption of paints and other coating materials has created a strong demand for additives and chemicals that enhance the performance and properties of formulations. Fatty amides, as key rheology modifiers and thickeners, play an important role in paint and coating manufacturing. They help optimize viscosity and improve the flow and leveling of products. With the steady expansion of the building and construction, automotive, industrial, and protective coatings sectors, the requirement for high-quality paints and coatings has increased substantially. For instance, according to data from the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, the Indian paint industry grew at a rate of 13-15% during 2018-2020. Statistics from the American Coatings Association also indicate a rise in coatings demand across various applications in the United States during this period.

Fatty Amides Market Opportunities:

Innovation of fatty amides for niche applications: Innovation of fatty amides for niche applications could unlock great opportunities in the fatty amides market. Fatty amides have traditionally been used primarily as lubricants and release agents in various industries. However, with ongoing research and development, new niche applications of these versatile compounds are being identified.

Many new discoveries relate to the use of fatty amides as slip agents and processing aids. For example, oleamide is being widely studied for its potential as an additive to enhance the flowability and spreadability of silicone sealants, elastomers, and coatings. Oleamide enables better adherence and wetting between silicone formulations and various substrates. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, using oleamide and other fatty amides allows significant reduction in silicone raw material usage while maintaining product performance. This could translate to considerable cost savings for manufacturers. For instance, as per the American Chemical Council, the specialty chemicals sector is estimated to grow at over 5% annually between 2022 and 2023.

 Growing demand from emerging economies: The growing demand from emerging economies can provide significant opportunities for the fatty amides market in the coming years. Many developing nations in Asia Pacific and South America are witnessing rapid economic and industrial growth which is increasing the disposable incomes as well as consumption abilities of people in these regions. As lifestyle of people improves, there is a growing demand for personal care products, lubricants, pharmaceuticals and other industrial applications where fatty amides are used. For example, countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, etc. are experiencing strong growth in the middle class population who are able to spend more on consumer goods. For instance, according to the United Nations, the middle class population in Asia Pacific is expected to rise to over 3.5 billion people by the year 2030 from around 1 billion currently.

Fatty Amides Market Trends:

Increasing adoption of oleamide and erucamide: The adoption of oleamide and erucamide as slip agents and releasing agents in polymer processing has been growing significantly over the past few years. These fatty amides are increasingly being used in the production of flexible films, blown films, wire and cable coatings, and blow molded containers. Their ability to reduce friction and provide anti-blocking properties makes them favorable over conventional slip and release agents.

 Focus on reducing volatility of fatty amides: The fatty amides market has seen a significant shift in focus towards developing less volatile formulations in recent years. Fatty amides are primarily used as slip and anti-block additives in plastic films and food packaging. However, concerns have been growing about the potential health impacts of exposure to these chemicals during product use or disposal. Various toxicology studies have suggested links between higher volatility of certain fatty amides and increased absorption or respiratory issues. This has led to tighter regulation of Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels in Europe and other Western markets under REACH. Major brands and retailers are also demanding safer and more sustainable ingredients in the goods they sell.

To comply with these evolving standards and growing consumer awareness, fatty amides producers are investing heavily in research & development to create new low-VOC variants. Layn, a major global producer of fatty amide slip and anti-block additives, launched its Layslip LVO range in 2021 with alkanolamide structures optimized for lower vapor pressures. According to the company’s website, these new grades show equivalent performance to traditional variants but with VOC emissions reduced by over 50% as certified by the ECHA. Major packaging converters like Amcor and Coveris have publicly endorsed adopting these low-VOC solutions in their product portfolios to transition towards greener options.

Fatty Amides Market Restraints:

Availability of substitutes: The fatty amides market has seen a significant shift in recent years towards developing products with lower volatility. Fatty amides are widely used as lubricating agents, greases, release agents, and softening agents. However, the high volatility of traditional fatty amide formulations has posed challenges such as potential safety hazards and inconsistent performance. This has driven strong consumer demand for safer and more stable alternatives.

Counter balance: Enhance the performance and characteristics of fatty amides to make them more appealing. This could involve improving their efficiency in applications, developing more environment-friendly formulations, or increasing their stability and shelf life. Innovation can make your product indispensable or superior to substitutes.

 Stringent regulations regarding fatty amides: The fatty amides market has seen a significant shift in recent years towards developing products with lower volatility. Fatty amides are widely used as lubricating agents, greases, release agents, and softening agents. However, the high volatility of traditional fatty amide formulations has posed challenges such as potential safety hazards and inconsistent performance. This has driven strong consumer demand for safer and more stable alternatives.

Many players in the fatty amides industry have responded by investing heavily in research and development to formulate novel variants of fatty amides with markedly reduced volatility. One such innovation is the use of carbon chain lengthening technology during the synthesis process which increases the molecular weight of the resulting amide molecules. Heavier fatty amides have a lower vapor pressure and are therefore less prone to vaporization, especially at higher temperatures.

Counter balance: Ensure that fatty amides not only comply with regulations but exceed them where possible. Use this compliance to differentiate products in the market and communicate it effectively to customers as a value proposition.

Recent Developments:

• In May 2022, Kao Corporation announced that the company would establish a new amine plant in Texas. This new plant is scheduled to start operations by 2025, and the annual production capacity of the plant will be 20,000 tons.
• Kao Corporation is a Japanese global chemical and cosmetics company headquartered in Nihonbashi-Kayabacho, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. The company was founded in June 1887 and is listed as a public company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Kao Corporation operates in the personal care and cosmetics industry, with a focus on creating products that contribute to a more sustainable world. The company's major products include cosmetics, facial and body cleansers, soaps, shampoos, and other related products. Kao Corporation has a strong global presence, with business operations in the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Acquisitions and partnerships :

• In January 2021, ChemPoint announced a partnership with allnex in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This allnex chosen as partner for marketing sales and distribution of the UVEKOL glass laminating system.
• ChemPoint is a unique distribution platform that provides marketing and sales services for specialty and fine chemicals in North America and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa). It was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with additional offices in Maastricht, Netherlands. The company operates as a service provider for chemical producers with a distribution backbone, engaging in exclusive product-line relationships with premier manufacturers and providing tailored solutions to over 90 supplier partners and more than 200 product lines. ChemPoint employs more than 200 people globally and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Univar Solutions, a leading global chemical and ingredient distributor.
•  Allnex is a global producer of industrial coating resins and additives for architectural, industrial, protective, automotive, and special purpose coatings and inks. The company was established in 2013 after Advent International acquired the Coating Resins Division. In September 2016, Allnex and Nuplex Industries, a global manufacturer of resins, were merged to form one company, which has its corporate center in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Allnex has 33 manufacturing facilities, 23 research and technology support centers, and 5 joint ventures spread across five continents: Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Oceania.

Figure 2. Fatty Amides Market Share (%), by Product Type, 2024

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Fatty Amides Market Top Players:

• Haihang Industries Co. Ltd.
• BASF SE
• Croda International Plc.
• PMC Biogenix Inc.
• Fine Organic Industries Pvt. Ltd.
• Nippon Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.
• Kao Corporation
• Italmatch Chemicals S.p.A.
• Sichuan Tianyu Oleochemical Co., Ltd.
• Nippon Kasei Chemical Co., Ltd.