Wax Emulsion Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Wax Emulsion Market is forecast to reach $957.741 million by 2030, after growing at a CAGR of 6.3% during 2024-2030. Wax emulsion is a stable mixture of one or more waxes in water. Waxes are immiscible, but they can be brought together stably by using surfactants or emulsifiers. Surfactants and emulsifiers can be cationic, anionic or non-ionic. Extensive use of wax emulsion in paints and coatings for enhanced properties such as matting & gloss, hydrophobicity, soft-touch, abrasion & rub resistance augments the market growth. Wax emulsions are also used in paper sizing and in textile industries for waterproofing of textile substrates. Surging demand for wax emulsions like synthetic wax, carnauba, candelilla waxes, alcohol ethoxylates from emerging countries like Brazil, Argentina, and India further drives the growth of the market.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively impacted the wax emulsion market. The abrupt closure of production centers in China, and its impact caused chaos among global auto manufacturers in European Union, US, India, and South America region. For instance, Toyota Motor Corporation reported a YoY sales decline of 26%, May’s unit sales were almost double that of April, which fell 56% YoY. 

Additionally, Sales of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) in China in June fell 35% YoY to 85,600 units, following a drop of 26% in May and 30% in April. The demand for wax emulsion lowered due to the declining automotive industry. In addition, a decrease in purchasing capital lowered construction activities and demand for apparel. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the online retail sales of clothing goods decreased by 18.1 percent, substantially hampering the growth of the wax emulsion market.

The report: “Wax Emulsion Market – Forecast (2024-2030)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Wax Emulsion Market.

By Type: Natural (Animal, Vegetable and Minerals), and Synthetic (Polyethylene, Polypropylene, Paraffin, poly tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Fischer-Tropsch, and Others)

By Application: Wood Coatings, Adhesive & Sealants, Printing Inks, Fiberglass Insulation, Metal Polish, Lubricants, Textile Finish, cold creams, lipsticks, Tires, and Others

By End-Use Industry: Paint & Coatings, Building & Construction (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, and Infrastructure), Textile & Leather, Pulp & Paper, Cosmetics and Personal care, Automotive (Passenger Cars, Light Commercial Vehicle, and Heavy Duty Vehicles), Packaging, Wood Processing, and Others.

By Geography: North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia & New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Rest of South America), Rest of the World (the Middle East, and Africa)

● The U.K has shown significant growth in the wax emulsion market due to its high demand from wood processing industries for the protection of woods from water and prevent rotting. 

● Rising popularity of natural waxes such as beeswax, Carnauba, synthesized from plants and animal drives the market growth. 

Synthetic segment held the largest share of more than 60.23% in the Wax Emulsion market in 2023. Synthetic wax emulsions are synthesized from synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, and many more. Synthetic wax emulsions are long-lasting, abrasion-resistant and provide good protection from contaminants like dust, grime, and corrosion. Thus, the availability of synthetic wax emulsion with varied properties makes it suitable for numerous applications including paints & coatings, cosmetics, and construction, significantly augmenting the market growth. However, increasing environmental concerns are driving the demand for natural wax emulsions such as Lanolin, Beeswax, Carnauba, and Candellila waxes.

Polyethylene wax segment consists of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and is obtained by polymerization of Ethylene monomers. Physical attributes such as water-repellence, abrasion resistance, slip control, lubrication, and anti-blocking are contributing to the growth of polyethylene wax emulsion. Polyethylene wax emulsion manufactures more easily and is cost-effective. Surging use of polyethylene wax emulsion in lithographic and flexographic inks for an improved rub and mar resistance and slip characteristics also aids the market growth.

Wood Coatings segment is projected to witness the highest CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. Wax emulsions are extensively used in paints & coatings as they provide a consistent neutral color and offer formulators maximum flexibility in pigmented applications. Wax emulsions also improve the durability of water-based paints, by offering excellent scratch- and abrasion resistance. An increase in building and constructions has proliferated the demand for paint & coatings. 

Hence, surging demand for paints and coatings as a consequence of huge constructional activities may bolster the growth of the wax emulsion market.

Textile and leather segment held the largest share of more than 26% in the wax emulsion market in 2023. Wax emulsions are used in the textile and leather industry for waterproofing of textile and leather substrates, modifying the frictional properties of fibers, yarns, and sewing threads for better processability, and for enhancing the performance of finishing compounds such as softeners, silicones, and resins. They also provide superior fabric properties such as improved flex abrasion resistance, tear strength, and sewability. Owing to the above benefits the demand for wax emulsions is increasing from textile and leather industries. The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America Institute (AFFOA) brought over $300 million in public-private investment to develop futuristic fabrics and textiles helping to accelerate the revival of textile manufacturing in the United States. The thriving textile industry across the globe and vast technological advances may boost the global demand for wax emulsion.

Asia Pacific dominated the Wax Emulsion market with a share of more than 41% in 2023 followed by North America and Europe. Increasing per-capita income and adoption of western culture in emerging economic nations especially in China, and India has boosted the growth of fashion industry and also increased the demand for leather. Increasing demand for apparel and expansion of textile industries across the country is also aiding the growth of market. 

With the rising popularity of functional textiles that offer additional properties like water repellency, UV protection, and stain resistance, the demand for wax emulsions in textile coatings and finishes is on the rise. The growing demand for leather and apparel products in emerging markets, coupled with increasing disposable incomes and changing consumer preferences, presents significant opportunities for wax emulsion manufacturers to expand their presence and capture a larger market share in these regions. Thus huge spending on apparels and leather articles escalate the growth of the wax emulsion market.

Wax Emulsions are water repellent, hence its use in automotive paints and polishes prevents water from accumulating in nooks and crannies of car’s surface thereby reducing the risk of corrosion and prevents the formation of water stains and spots on the surface. Wax emulsion are also used as lubricants and in car’s interior leather for matt effect and smoothness. Increase in standard of living coupled with high disposable income boosts the demand for automotive. 

Automotive manufacturers prioritize the aesthetic appeal of vehicles to attract customers. Wax emulsions contribute to achieving a glossy finish and enhancing the appearance of automotive coatings, making vehicles more visually appealing to consumers. Continuous innovations in wax emulsion formulations cater to the evolving needs of the automotive industry. Advanced wax emulsions offer improved performance characteristics such as enhanced durability, scratch resistance, and water repellency, meeting the stringent requirements of automotive manufacturers and contributing to market growth. Thus rise in automotive demand augments the growth of the wax emulsion market.

Increasing environmental concerns and the use of paper as a substitute for plastics drive the growth of the wax emulsion market. In paper coatings, the wax emulsion is added to the coating mixture to reduce dusting during calendaring, to increase water repellency, to improve flexibility, and to raise gloss. When used as sizing in the paper, the wax emulsion helps prevent aqueous solutions, such as ink, from soaking into the paper and paperboard. According to an environmental paper network (EPN), paper use is steadily increasing year on year and exceeded 412 million tons per year in 2023. Also, total paper and paperboard demand for domestic applications such as tissue paper, newsprint, boxboard, etc. reached to 26,592 thousand metric tons in 2023 in Japan, according to the Japan paper association. Therefore, accelerating use for paper augments the demand for wax emulsions for paper sizing.

The raw materials often used for manufacturing waxes emulsion such as paraffin, polyethylene, and polypropylene are derived from the crude oil. So, fluctuation in oil prices also hampers the prices of wax emulsions. According to, BP Statistical Review of World Energy, in the recent year there is been an increase in the price volatility of crude oil, such as the crude oil price increased from $81.12 in 2022 to a price of $97.67 per barrel in the financial year 2023 hovering a high price rise, and because of this uncertainty in crude oil prices, the price of wax emulsions also increases. The volatility in crude oil prices is expected to be a significant challenge for wax emulsion manufacturers during the forecast period.

Technology launches, acquisitions and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Wax Emulsion market report. Major players in the Wax Emulsion market are:

1. The Dow Chemical Company

2. Exxon Mobil Corporation

3. Momentive Performance Materials Inc.

4. Michelman, Inc.

5. Lubrizol Corporation

6. BASF SE

7. Croda International Plc

8. Arkema SA

9. Lanxess AG

10. Huntsman Corporation and others 

● Münzing Group’s Production Plant Inauguration (July 21, 2022): The Münzing Group inaugurated a state-of-the-art production plant in Zeitz Chemical and Industrial Park. This significant investment of EUR 50 million resulted in the creation of 40 new jobs.