Hydrochloric Acid Market Synopsis

Hydrochloric Acid Market Size Was Valued at USD 2.3 Billion in 2023, and is Projected to Reach USD 4.0 Billion by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of 6.2% From 2024-2032.

HCl is a strong corrosive acid that is commonly present in gastric acid in the human stomach. From the chemical point of view, it is built of hydrogen and chlorine ions, respectively. HCl dissolved in water is a colourless solution with a very strong smell, is a strong acid, and a gas. In an industrial scale, hydrochloric acid is manufactured by treating hydrogen chloride gas with water and it draws industrial application mainly for cleaning metals and using it in refining specially ores as well as in chemical reactions. In laboratories, it has the use of a buffer solution and as a starting material for synthesis of numerous products. Concentrated hydrochloric acid is very toxic and is a strong corrosive agent that when in contact with skin and mucous membranes it causes deep tissue burns.

• This industry is growing because hydrochloric acid has numerous uses in various fields and industries. Esentially employed in the manufacturing of chlorides, which is extensively utilized in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and water treatment chemicals, hydrochloric acid has a pivotal position in these industries. It is also very vital in the steel as well as metallurgical industries where it is used for pickling as well as metal cleaning purposes. In addition, another application of hydrochloric acid especially in the oil and gas industry, especially in the well acidizing and hydraulic fracturing business, create a higher demand for this acid.
• On a regional level, Asia-Pacific leads the hydrochloric acid market because of the factors such as quick industrialization and prominent manufacturing industries in countries such as China and India. North America and Europe have significant market share due to the established chemical manufacturing and other related industries. Technological changes affecting production and other factors are another element that has an impact on market characteristics, for instance, moving from dirty and energy-consuming technologies, and towards cleaner and more efficient technologies. However, problems like the strict regulatory measures of fresh environment especially in the aspect of emissions and wastes also threatens the growth of the market hence the need for organizations to look for ways such as engaging in sustainable production and use of hydrochloric acid.

Hydrochloric Acid Market Trend Analysis

Increasing shift towards recycling and reuse of hydrochloric acid

• Another trend which have been observed in the market of hydrochloric acid is the trend of recycling and reusing of the hydrochloric acid. In the past, the hydrochloric acid consumption has been associated with several processes across industries; this has created large quantities of spent acid which in turn have to be disposed of or treated. Nevertheless, new technology and acknowledges on environmental issues have encouraged the society to search for methods of recycling hydrochloric acid. All these processes focus in recycling and purification of hydrochloric acid from spent solutions for use in line production.
• Recycling also has numerous environmental benefits in relation to the production of hydrochloric acid since it entails the minimization of the footprint of new acid production. Some of the recycling approaches that are under development include; membrane technologies, and chemical treatments to recover hydrochloric acid from waste streams which is a common practice among the companies. These are due to this tendency for practices associated with sustainable industrial and regulatory aspects, together with economic benefits from improved use of resources in operations. Based on the analysis made above, the recycling of hydrochloric acid is anticipated to carry on increasing and positively form the trends depicting the market in the future.

Its use as a key raw material in the production of chemicals used in water treatment processes

• The new growing trend with regard to hydrochloric acid market is its application to manufacture chemicals involved in water treatment. As the global awareness toward the need to enhance the quality of water being used as well as the availability of clean water increases, so does the need to advance water treatment systems. Actually, hydrochloric acid plays an important role to synthesize other chemical such as ferric chloride and polyaluminum chloride that commonly used in water treatment processes including municipal water treatment, industrial wastewater treatments, and desalination.
• The opportunity originates from a rise in concerns pertaining to water pollution and the resultant need to develop strict norms of water quality in many industries. Due to the increasing actions taken by various governments around the globe such as, stringent laws regulating discharge standards of wastewater and stringent measures put in place to do with drinking water standards, there is a pressing need for effective and sustainable water treatment systems. Thus, as a general purpose chemical reagent, hydrochloric acid is set to become one of the solutions fulfilling these needs. Currently, this element of the market has a high growth rate and producers of hydrochloric acid, as well as their consumers, can increase their sales by investing in the development of new products for water treatment.

Hydrochloric Acid Market Segment Analysis:

Hydrochloric Acid Market Segmented on the basis of grade and application.

By Grade, Synthetic Grade segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period

• The synthetic grade segment is expected to dominate the hydrochloric acid market during the aforementioned time frame as per numerous factors. Further, synthetic grade hydrochloric acid is synthesized from the direct synthesis of hydrogen chloride gas and water to afford maximum purity and uniformity of the chemical. This makes it more appropriate to use where high quality output is desired for example in the manufacture of drugs, electronics products and in the food industry.
• Furthermore, the industrial grade hydrochloric acid is prepared from synthetic grade and in this case comes with the added benefits of controlled impnities and precise concentration as is required by several processes inn industries. Since industries adopt high-quality products and obey regulations more and more, the consumption of synthetic grade hydrochloric acid should also rise, thus, taking a larger market share in the future market in the future several years.

By Application, Steel Pickling segment expected to held the largest share

• Among all the segments by application, the steel pickling segment is expected to capture the largest market size in the hydrochloric acid market. The process of pickling is important in industries where the surface of steel is required to be cleaned before various processes like galvanizing or coating, and this is done using hydrochloric acid, although other strong acids could also be used. This makes it possible to put the right surface finish on the steel and enhance its corrosion resistance characteristics. As a result of this, the need for efficient and effective steel pickling solutions cannot be overemphasized especially given that the demand for steel is constantly on the rise globally in industries such as construction, automotive and infrastructure.
• HCl immersed in steel pickling cannot be substituted by any other chemical solution without incurring into a similar effectiveness in the process of dissolving the oxides and other pollutants from steel. The process also raises the quality and decoration of the steel merchandise together with the properties of the steel component, yielding better final products. Hydrochloric acid can also be used for steel pickling because different industries aim at cutting cost while at the same time trying to adopt environmental conscious techniques of manufacturing. Hydrochloric Acid suppliers and manufacturers are thus striving to meet the requirements of the ever-growing steel sector by offering highly concentrated acids as well as formulations best suited for increasing the efficacy of the pickling process and decreasing downtime.

Hydrochloric Acid Market Regional Insights:

Asia Pacific is Expected to Dominate the Market Over the Forecast period

• Based on the given region, it could be observed that the hydrochloric acid market for Asia-Pacific would have the greatest growth in the forecast period. This dominance is due to several reasons such as; industrialization dynamics, successful manufacturing operations, and enhanced infrastructure in developing countries, especially China, India, Japan and South Korea. The main end-users of hydrochloric acid in the region are the chemical, steel, and pharmaceutical industries including the use of hydrochloric acid in metal pickling, chemical production, and water treatment respectively.
• In addition, Asia-Pacific has the price advantage when it comes to production of hydrochloric acid since many manufacturers are located in the region. The competitive price offered by these firms also helps the growth of the market because localized production capacity helps consolidate the supply chain. Also, availability of government incentives, specifically urbanization, and growth in per capita income leads to increase in consumption of consumer products and industrial goods which are used in manufacturing of hydrochloric acid hence stimulating its demand.

Active Key Players in the Hydrochloric Acid Market

• AGC Inc. (Japan)
• Akzo Nobel N.V. (Netherlands)
• BASF SE (Germany)
• Celanese Corporation (USA)
• ChemChina (China)
• Dow Chemical Company (USA)
• Formosa Plastics Corporation (Taiwan)
• Inovyn (UK)
• Kemira Oyj (Finland)
• Occidental Petroleum Corporation (USA)
• Olin Corporation (USA)
• Orica Limited (Australia)
• Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Japan)
• Solvay S.A. (Belgium)
• Westlake Chemical Corporation (USA), Other Active Players

Key Industry Developments in the Hydrochloric Acid Market:

• In February 2022, Westlake Chemical Corporation, a US-based producer and supplier of petrochemicals, polymers, and construction products, acquired Hexion Inc. It is anticipated that Westlake will benefit from this partnership by gaining access to a comprehensive selection of composite products and coatings that are used in downstream applications, thereby significantly expanding its integrated business. Hexion Inc., a chemical manufacturer headquartered in the United States, develops thermosetting polymers, specialized products, and associated technology that operate in hydrochloric acids.

Chapter 1: Introduction
 1.1 Scope and Coverage

Chapter 2:Executive Summary

Chapter 3: Market Landscape
 3.1 Market Dynamics
  3.1.1 Drivers
  3.1.2 Restraints
  3.1.3 Opportunities
  3.1.4 Challenges
 3.2 Market Trend Analysis
 3.3 PESTLE Analysis
 3.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
 3.5 Industry Value Chain Analysis
 3.6 Ecosystem
 3.7 Regulatory Landscape
 3.8 Price Trend Analysis
 3.9 Patent Analysis
 3.10 Technology Evolution
 3.11 Investment Pockets
 3.12 Import-Export Analysis

Chapter 4: Hydrochloric Acid Market by Grade
 4.1 Hydrochloric Acid Market Snapshot and Growth Engine
 4.2 Hydrochloric Acid Market Overview
 4.3 Synthetic Grade
  4.3.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  4.3.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  4.3.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  4.3.4 Synthetic Grade: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 4.4 By-Product Grade
  4.4.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  4.4.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  4.4.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  4.4.4 By-Product Grade: Geographic Segmentation Analysis

Chapter 5: Hydrochloric Acid Market by Application
 5.1 Hydrochloric Acid Market Snapshot and Growth Engine
 5.2 Hydrochloric Acid Market Overview
 5.3 Steel Pickling
  5.3.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.3.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.3.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.3.4 Steel Pickling: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.4 Oil Well Acidizing
  5.4.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.4.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.4.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.4.4 Oil Well Acidizing: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.5 Ore Processing
  5.5.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.5.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.5.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.5.4 Ore Processing: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.6 Food Processing
  5.6.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.6.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.6.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.6.4 Food Processing: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.7 Pool Sanitation
  5.7.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.7.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.7.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.7.4 Pool Sanitation: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.8 Calcium Chloride
  5.8.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.8.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.8.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.8.4 Calcium Chloride: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.9 Biodiesel
  5.9.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.9.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.9.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.9.4 Biodiesel: Geographic Segmentation Analysis
 5.10 Others
  5.10.1 Introduction and Market Overview
  5.10.2 Historic and Forecasted Market Size in Value USD and Volume Units (2017-2032F)
  5.10.3 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  5.10.4 Others: Geographic Segmentation Analysis

Chapter 6: Company Profiles and Competitive Analysis
 6.1 Competitive Landscape
  6.1.1 Competitive Benchmarking
  6.1.2 Hydrochloric Acid Market Share by Manufacturer (2023)
  6.1.3 Industry BCG Matrix
  6.1.4 Heat Map Analysis
  6.1.5 Mergers and Acquisitions
  
 6.2 AGC INC (JAPAN)
  6.2.1 Company Overview
  6.2.2 Key Executives
  6.2.3 Company Snapshot
  6.2.4 Role of the Company in the Market
  6.2.5 Sustainability and Social Responsibility
  6.2.6 Operating Business Segments
  6.2.7 Product Portfolio
  6.2.8 Business Performance
  6.2.9 Key Strategic Moves and Recent Developments
  6.2.10 SWOT Analysis
 6.3 AKZO NOBEL N V (NETHERLANDS)
 6.4 BASF SE (GERMANY)
 6.5 CELANESE CORPORATION (USA)
 6.6 CHEMCHINA (CHINA)
 6.7 DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY (USA)
 6.8 FORMOSA PLASTICS CORPORATION (TAIWAN)
 6.9 INOVYN (UK)
 6.10 KEMIRA OYJ (FINLAND)
 6.11 OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (USA)
 6.12 OLIN CORPORATION (USA)
 6.13 ORICA LIMITED (AUSTRALIA)
 6.14 SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD (JAPAN)
 6.15 SOLVAY S A (BELGIUM)
 6.16 WESTLAKE CHEMICAL CORPORATION (USA)
 6.17 OTHER ACTIVE PLAYERS

Chapter 7: Global Hydrochloric Acid Market By Region
 7.1 Overview
 7.2. North America Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.2.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.2.2 Top Key Companies
  7.2.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.2.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.2.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.2.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.2.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.2.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.2.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.2.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.2.5.4 Food Processing
   7.2.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.2.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.2.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.2.5.8 Others
  7.2.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.2.6.1 US
   7.2.6.2 Canada
   7.2.6.3 Mexico
 7.3. Eastern Europe Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.3.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.3.2 Top Key Companies
  7.3.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.3.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.3.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.3.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.3.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.3.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.3.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.3.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.3.5.4 Food Processing
   7.3.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.3.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.3.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.3.5.8 Others
  7.3.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.3.6.1 Bulgaria
   7.3.6.2 The Czech Republic
   7.3.6.3 Hungary
   7.3.6.4 Poland
   7.3.6.5 Romania
   7.3.6.6 Rest of Eastern Europe
 7.4. Western Europe Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.4.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.4.2 Top Key Companies
  7.4.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.4.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.4.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.4.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.4.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.4.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.4.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.4.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.4.5.4 Food Processing
   7.4.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.4.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.4.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.4.5.8 Others
  7.4.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.4.6.1 Germany
   7.4.6.2 UK
   7.4.6.3 France
   7.4.6.4 Netherlands
   7.4.6.5 Italy
   7.4.6.6 Russia
   7.4.6.7 Spain
   7.4.6.8 Rest of Western Europe
 7.5. Asia Pacific Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.5.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.5.2 Top Key Companies
  7.5.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.5.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.5.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.5.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.5.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.5.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.5.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.5.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.5.5.4 Food Processing
   7.5.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.5.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.5.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.5.5.8 Others
  7.5.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.5.6.1 China
   7.5.6.2 India
   7.5.6.3 Japan
   7.5.6.4 South Korea
   7.5.6.5 Malaysia
   7.5.6.6 Thailand
   7.5.6.7 Vietnam
   7.5.6.8 The Philippines
   7.5.6.9 Australia
   7.5.6.10 New Zealand
   7.5.6.11 Rest of APAC
 7.6. Middle East & Africa Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.6.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.6.2 Top Key Companies
  7.6.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.6.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.6.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.6.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.6.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.6.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.6.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.6.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.6.5.4 Food Processing
   7.6.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.6.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.6.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.6.5.8 Others
  7.6.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.6.6.1 Turkey
   7.6.6.2 Bahrain
   7.6.6.3 Kuwait
   7.6.6.4 Saudi Arabia
   7.6.6.5 Qatar
   7.6.6.6 UAE
   7.6.6.7 Israel
   7.6.6.8 South Africa
 7.7. South America Hydrochloric Acid Market
  7.7.1 Key Market Trends, Growth Factors and Opportunities
  7.7.2 Top Key Companies
  7.7.3 Historic and Forecasted Market Size by Segments
  7.7.4 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Grade
   7.7.4.1 Synthetic Grade
   7.7.4.2 By-Product Grade
  7.7.5 Historic and Forecasted Market Size By Application
   7.7.5.1 Steel Pickling
   7.7.5.2 Oil Well Acidizing
   7.7.5.3 Ore Processing
   7.7.5.4 Food Processing
   7.7.5.5 Pool Sanitation
   7.7.5.6 Calcium Chloride
   7.7.5.7 Biodiesel
   7.7.5.8 Others
  7.7.6 Historic and Forecast Market Size by Country
   7.7.6.1 Brazil
   7.7.6.2 Argentina
   7.7.6.3 Rest of SA

Chapter 8 Analyst Viewpoint and Conclusion
8.1 Recommendations and Concluding Analysis
8.2 Potential Market Strategies

Chapter 9 Research Methodology
9.1 Research Process
9.2 Primary Research
9.3 Secondary Research