North America Sulfuric Acid Market, By Raw Material (Base Metal Smelters, Elemental Sulfur, Pyrite Ore and Others), Form (Concentrated, 66 Degree Baume Sulfuric Acid, Tower/Glover Acid, Chamber/Fertilizer Acid, Battery Acid and Dilute Sulfuric Acid), Manufacturing Process (Contact Process, Lead Chamber Process, Wet Sulfuric Acid Process, Metabisulfite Process and Others), Distribution Channel (Offline and Online), Application (Fertilizers, Chemical Manufacturing, Petroleum Refining, Metal Processing, Automotive, Textile, Drug Manufacturing, Pulp & Paper, Industrial And Others) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029.
North America Sulfuric Acid Market Analysis and Size
Sulfuric acid is a strong acid with hygroscopic characteristics and oxidizing properties. It is used in the fertilizer, chemical, synthetic textile, and pigment industries. Other applications include manufacturing batteries metal pickling, among other industrial manufacturing processes. In market sulfuric acid is available in different concentration grades such as 98%, 96.5%, 76%, 70% and 38%. A large quantity of sulfuric acid produces potassium sulfates and fertilizers.
Sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless viscous liquid and one of the most used chemicals in various fertilizer, pulp & paper, mining, and chemical industries. The largest amount of sulfuric acid is used to make phosphoric acid, used, in turn, to make the phosphate fertilizers, calcium dihydrogen phosphate, and ammonium phosphates. It is also used to make ammonium sulfate, an essential fertilizer in sulfur-deficient.
Increasing demand for fertilizers in the agriculture industry and the growing demand for sulfuric acid across various industries are some of the drivers boosting sulfuric acid demand in the market. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the sulfuric acid market is expected to reach the value of USD 5,437,029.91 thousand by the year 2029, at a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period. "Fertilizers" accounts for the most prominent application segment in the respective market owing to rise in the demand for phosphate base fertilizers. The market report curated by the Data Bridge Market Research team includes in-depth expert analysis, import/export analysis, pricing analysis, production consumption analysis, and climate chain scenario.
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Report Metric |
Details |
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Forecast Period |
2022 to 2029 |
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Base Year |
2021 |
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Historic Years |
2020 (Customizable to 2019 - 2014) |
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Quantitative Units |
Revenue in USD Thousand, Volumes in Thousand Tonne, Pricing in USD |
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Segments Covered |
By Raw Material (Base Metal Smelters, Elemental Sulfur, Pyrite Ore and Others), Form (Concentrated, 66 Degree Baume Sulfuric Acid, Tower/Glover Acid, Chamber/Fertilizer Acid, Battery Acid and Dilute Sulfuric Acid), Manufacturing Process (Contact Process, Lead Chamber Process, Wet Sulfuric Acid Process, Metabisulfite Process and Others), Distribution Channel (Offline and Online), Application (Fertilizers, Chemical Manufacturing, Petroleum Refining, Metal Processing, Automotive, Textile, Drug Manufacturing, Pulp & Paper, Industrial And Others) |
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Countries Covered |
U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America |
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Market Players Covered |
LANXESS (Cologne, Germany), Brenntag GmbH (a subsidary of Brenntag SE) (Essen, Germany), Adisseo (Antony, France), Veolia (Paris, France), Univar Solutions Inc (Illinois, U.S.), NORAM Engineering & Construction Ltd. (Vancouver, Canada), Nouryon (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), International Raw Materials LTD (Pennsylvania, U.S.), BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany), Aurubis AG (Hamburg, Germany), Nyrstar (Budel, The Netherlands), Merck KGaA (Darmstadt, Germany), Shrieve (Texas, U.S.) |
Market Definition
Sulfuric acid is a colorless, odorless, and viscous liquid soluble in water at all concentrations. It is a strong acid made by oxidizing sulfur dioxide solutions and used in large quantities as an industrial and laboratory reagent. Sulfuric acid or sulphuric acid, also known as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen, with molecular formula H2SO4 and melting point is 10 °C, the boiling point is 337 °C. The U.S. is the largest consumer of fertilizers due to the increased demand for sulfuric acid based fertilizers in the region.
Regulatory Framework
- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS: Sulphuric acid is classified as dangerous goods, per U.S. DOT regulations, under 49 CFR 172.101. UN Identification Number: UN 2796 Proper Shipping Name: Sulfuric acid with not more than 51 per cent acid or Battery acid, fluid Hazard Class Number and Description: 8 (Corrosive) Packing Group: PG II DOT Label(s) Required: Class 8 (Corrosive) North American Emergency Response Guidebook Number (2012): 157
COVID-19 had a Minimal Impact on Sulfuric Acid Market
COVID-19 impacted various manufacturing industries in the year 2020-2021 as it led to the closure of workplaces, disruption of supply chains, and restrictions on transportation. Though, the imbalance between demand and supply and its impact on pricing is considered short-term and is expected to recover as this pandemic comes to an end. Due to the halt in production operations in various industries throughout the globe, the demand for sulfuric acid has gone down tremendously. Also, with the continuously dropping requirements of automotive petroleum refining and many other industries, the manufacturers’ margins are declining, which they earn from the supply of sulfuric acid. However, the governments are taking steps to relax tax, fiscal deficit, and others to minimize the impact. These steps might stabilize the situation of sulfuric acid in the future and help the market grow as it was before the pandemic.
The Market Dynamics of the Sulfuric Acid Market Include:
- Increasing Demand of Fertilizers in Agriculture Industry
Fertilizer is a chemical material added to crops for increasing overall yield productivity. Farmers use it to improve soil power, which helps increase the production of crops. It includes essential nutrients such as (potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus) necessary for the plants' growth. The demand for high-quality fertilizers is increasing in the agricultural industry. Several fertilizers are manufactured from sulfuric acid, which helps to increase crop production and soil fertility. The sulfuric acid can easily be mixed with the soil and liquid fertilizers.
- Growing Demand of Sulfuric Acid Across a Diverse Range of Industries
Sulfuric acid is used in the metal processing industry, fertilizer & agriculture, automotive, oil & gas refining and others. It is more used in the cleaning products used in the metal processing industry cleaning the surface of steel sheet known as pickling and is used to remove the corrosion from iron products. In fertilizers, sulfuric acid makes superphosphate of lime and ammonium sulfate. With the rise in demand for nutrient-rich food crops, the need and use of sulfuric acid increases in fertilizers
- Significant Growth in the Chemical Industry
The chemical industries produce petrochemicals, polymers, and industrial chemicals. Sulfuric acid is a necessary commodity chemical used primarily to produce phosphoric acid. It is used to manufacture several chemicals with high demand in the chemical industry. The market growth is augmenting due to higher requirements for hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, sulfate salts, synthetic detergents, dyes and pigments, explosives, and other drugs.
- Rising Use in the Recovery of Waste Printed Circuit Boards
Waste generated by electrical and electronic devices is a huge concern worldwide. With the decreasing life cycle of most electronic devices and the unavailability of suitable recycling technologies, huge electronic and electrical wastes will be generated in the coming years. Different metals such as gold, copper, nickel, silver, zinc, iron, and platinum are recovered from the waste printed circuit boards. Recovery from waste printed circuit boards is carried out using processes such as microwave pyrolysis, acid leaching, solvent extraction, and oxidative precipitation. The leaching efficiency of copper is approximately 95% when using a lixiviant composed of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
- Growing Demand for Batteries in the Automotive Industry
The use of sulfuric acid in the batteries helps automotives to store power for long periods, thus enabling the longer life of the batteries and vehicles. Therefore, the growing automotive industry in the electric vehicles segment is expected to provide lucrative opportunities for the North America sulfuric acid market growth.
- Abundance of Sulfur as a Raw Material
In the production of sulfuric acid, various sulfur elements undergo several processes and produce the acidic form of sulfur. Worldwide, there is abundant availability of sulfur which creates an advantage for sulfuric acid manufacturers.
Restraints/Challenges Faced by the Sulfuric Acid Market
- Health Hazards Associated with Sulfuric Acid
Sulfuric acid is a powerful diprotic acid. It is exothermic in nature and exhibits hygroscopic properties. It is a powerful oxidizing agent and reacts with many metals at high temperatures. Concentrated H2SO4 is also a strong dehydrating agent. The addition of water into concentrated sulfuric acid is a potent reaction and can lead to explosions. Thus, increasing health hazards associated with the use of sulfuric acid on the skin, eyes, and other organs is likely to hamper the North America sulfuric acid market demand.
- Difficulties Involved in the Transportation and Handling of Sulfuric Acid
Sulfuric acid has dehydrating properties as sulfuric acid absorbs moisture and water from its surroundings. It is a colorless compound that is toxic and has to be stored and maintained at a specific temperature range. It is carried and transportable in a stainless steel tank or container with a minimum concentration of about 90% and temperatures not exceeding 35ºC. Also, concerns regarding transportation and handling of sulfuric acid is projected to challenge the sulfuric acid market in the forecast period of 2022-2029.
This sulfuric acid market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import-export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, the impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on the sulfuric acid market contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, Our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.
Recent Developments
- In November 2020, Airedale Chemical Company Limited acquired Alutech, which provides a range of metal treatment solutions, including aluminum brighteners and pre-treatment cleaners. This development helps the company increase the demand for sulfuric acid, which has increased its profits.
- In May 2017, BASF SE introduced a new sulfuric acid catalyst preferred due to its unique geometrical shape. This update helps the company to increase production capacity, which generates revenue in the future.
North America Sulfuric Acid Market Scope
The sulfuric acid market is segmented on the basis of raw material, form, manufacturing process, distribution channel, and application. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyze meagre growth segments in the industries and provide the users with a valuable market overview and market insights to help them make strategic decisions for identifying core market applications.
Raw Material
- Base Metal Smelters
- Elemental Sulfur
- Pyrite Ore
- Others
On the basis of raw material, the sulfuric acid market is segmented into base metal smelters, elemental sulfur, pyrite ore, and others. Elemental sulfur accounts for the largest market, and are expected to witness high growth owing to the abundant availability of sulfur across the globe.
Form
- Concentrated (98%)
- Tower/Glover Acid (77.67%)
- Chamber/Fertilizer Acid (62.8%)
- Battery Acid (33.5%)
- 66 Degree Baume Sulfuric Acid (93%)
- Dilute Sulfuric Acid (10%)
On the basis of form, the sulfuric acid market is segmented into concentrated (98%), tower/glover acid (77.67%), chamber/fertilizer acid (62.8%), battery acid (33.5%), 66 degree baume sulfuric acid (93%) and dilute sulfuric acid (10%). Chamber/fertilizer acid (62.8%) accounts for the largest market, and is expected to witness high growth as it is available with a high acidic range and drops the soil's pH level, which improves the uptake of nutrients.
Manufacturing Process
- Contact Process
- Lead Chamber Process
- Wet Sulfuric Acid Process
- Metabisulfite Process
- Others
On the basis of manufacturing process, the sulfuric acid market is segmented into contact process, lead chamber process, wet sulfuric acid process, metabisulfite process, and others. The contact process accounts for the largest market, and is expected to witness high growth as it lowers the emission of harmful gases during the production of sulfuric acid.
Distribution Channel
- Offline
- Online
On the basis of distribution channel, the North America sulfuric acid market is segmented into offline and online. The offline segment accounts for the largest market, and is expected to witness high growth as transporting the bulk quantity to the nearby country is easy.
Application
- Fertilizers
- Chemical Manufacturing
- Petroleum Refining
- Metal Processing
- Automotive
- Textile
- Drug Manufacturing
- Pulp & Paper
- Industrial
- Others
On the basis of application, the sulfuric acid market is segmented into fertilizers, chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining, metal processing, automotive, textile, drug manufacturing, pulp & paper, industrial, and others. The fertilizers are expected to dominate the application segment as the demand for sulfuric fertilizers increases for crop plantation and soil fertility.
Sulfuric Acid Market Regional Analysis/Insights
The sulfuric acid market is analyzed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, raw material, form, manufacturing process, distribution channel, and application as referenced above.
The countries covered in the sulfuric acid market report are the U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America.
The U.S. dominates the sulfuric acid market because of the presence of a large number of manufacturers and increasing demand from various industries such as chemical manufacturing fertilizers, among others. U.S. is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period of 2022 to 2029 due to growing demand for batteries in the automotive industry in the region.
The country section of the report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in market regulation that impact the current and future trends of the market. Data points such as down-stream and upstream value chain analysis, technical trends and porter's five forces analysis, case studies are some of the pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, the presence and availability of North America brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data.
Competitive Landscape and Sulfuric Acid Market Share Analysis
The sulfuric acid market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, North America presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to sulfuric acid market.
Some of the major players operating in the sulfuric acid market are LANXESS, Brenntag GmbH (a subsidary of Brenntag SE), , Adisseo, Veolia, Univar Solutions Inc, NORAM Engineering & Construction Ltd., Nouryon, International Raw Materials LTD, BASF SE, Aurubis AG, Nyrstar, Merck KGaA, Shrieve, among others.
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