Latin America Soda Ash Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

The Latin America Soda Ash market size is set to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% and to reach $2.8 billion during the period 2024-2030.  Growth of the Latin America soda ash market is mainly attributed to its wide-ranging applications across chemical, soaps & detergent, water treatment, and various other end-user industries. Increasing usage of soda ash in the manufacturing process of various glass and glass products is anticipated to raise the growth of the market. Additionally, the rising demand for light, medium, and dense grade soda ash due to its alluring properties from various end use sectors will also drive the market growth. Furthermore, the broader use of naturally available raw materials, i.e., Trona, due to their low-cost advantages, will upsurge the Latin America soda ash industry over the forecast period.

The report: “Latin America Soda Ash Industry – Forecast (2024-2030)”, by IndustryARC covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the Latin America Soda Ash Market Report. 

By Process: Solvay, Leblanc

By Type: Light Sodium Carbonate, Granular Soda ash, Refined Sodium hydrogen carbon

By Grade:  Light, Medium, Dense

By Application: Glass, Chemical, Others

By End User: Glass Industry, Food & Beverages, Paper & Pulp, Consumer Goods, Oil & Gas, Electronics, Others

By Country: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Rest of Latin America.

● Mexico dominated the Latin America soda ash market due to the rising construction activities in this country. Since soda ash acts as the most common material of choice in the construction industry to increase the efficiency of products, there can be seen a potential growth in the market.

● Increasing use of soda ash in the soap & detergent industry, in Latin America, due to the continuous improvement of health & hygiene standards, will also drive the soda ash market growth during the forecast period.

● Further, the fluctuating prices of soda ash in global markets will hinder the growth of the market, as the region is highly dependent on soda ash imports due to less production.

Light Grade Ash held a significant portion of the Latin America Soda Ash market in 2023, claiming a major share due to its versatile applications and desirable properties. Dense soda ash is produced from the Trona based process with ‘environmentally friendly’ methods. It is a white powder that is used in many industries, including aerospace, glass, pulp and paper, and detergents. The production of natural dense soda ash requires much less energy and much less water when compared to synthetic soda ash production. Dense soda ash is usually favored over light soda ash in the processing of glass because the particles are equal in size to silica sand. This allows a homogeneous mixture of raw materials which results in a high-quality finished product. It is preferred for all kinds of glass manufacture like flat glass, float glass, container glass, and others. Thus, the increasing demand of dense soda ash in various applications would drive the market for Latin America soda ash in the forecast period.

The Latin America Soda Ash Market is dominated by Glass Industry with a market share in 2023. Soda ash is used as a key ingredient in manufacturing glass, as it reduces melting temperatures and its alkali feature effectively supports the shaping of the glass item. With the result of increased glass demand in the LATAM market, many glass manufacturing companies have expanded their production capabilities and increased the product offering. Further, rising per capita glass consumption will also influence the domestic manufacturers to increase production which results in the rising soda ash demand. Therefore, with the rising glass sector, the growth for Latin America soda ash market is anticipated to rise in the forecast period.

Mexico dominated the market in terms of revenue with a share of 35% in 2023 and is projected to dominate its leading position during the forecast period. Mexico is one of the major economies in the Latin American region with a diverse range of end use industries including construction, chemicals, personal care, and food & beverages. The rising glass, cleaning products, and increased metallurgy industry usage are the major driving forces contributing to the increased demand for soda ash in Mexico. Mexico produces very less amount of soda ash which only fulfils its domestic demand by about 10% only; the rest of the demand is met by the import. The US is the largest exporter of soda ash to Mexico with more than 70% of share in import. Thus, growing demand for Latin America soda ash from various end use industries in this region will further drive the market growth in the forecast period.

With the rising construction of new houses and buildings, the need for glass windows and insulation is also intensifying. After being mined and refined, high quality soda ash is used to produce two essential things required for the construction of each building- fiberglass insulation and flat glass (glass panels, windows, and doors) with superior properties. The industry is constantly developing new and revolutionary glass innovations that deliver substantial and attractive performance advantages over older models, which will continue to push the trend of replacing the installed glass stock with high-performance products, thereby boosting demand for Latin America's soda ash market. Flourishing construction industry in various countries of Latin America region will drive the market growth in the forecast period. According to International Trade Administration (ITA), Mexico's construction industry is gradually shifted towards more private sector involvement. In 2023, the private construction increased by 1.9%. Thus, with the rising building and construction industries in Latin America, the market for Latin America soda ash is estimated to grow in the forecast period.

Soda ash is used in a slew of laundry and cleaning compound formulations to improve cleaning properties: as a builder to emulsify oil stains, to provide alkalinity for cleaning, to reduce the deposit of dirt during washing and rinsing, and to soften laundry water. In comparison, sodium ash is a part of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), another major component in detergent formulations. Typically, medium dense or lighter grades of soda ash are used in detergents. The products serve as builders in the formulation of soaps, detergents and other washing compounds, preparing wash water to reach an optimum degree of soil removal. Soda ash also profits by assisting agglomeration, being a carrier for surfactants and an alkali supply for pH change as well. Therefore, rising demand for soda ash due to its alluring properties from soaps and detergents industry is projected to fuel the market for Latin America soda ash market during the forecast period.

Every industry in Latin America from supermarkets to white goods, construction, and automobiles have an adverse effect with the fluctuations in the soda ash prices. Production of soda ash is very less in this region. So, it has to be dependent on other countries for import of soda ash in bulk amount. Any change in the price in international market is estimated to hinder the growth of the Latin America soda ash market. Thus volatility in the price of soda ash in global markets can hinder the Latin America soda ash market growth.

Partnerships and acquisitions along with product development and up gradation are key strategies adopted by players in the Latin America Soda Ash market. Major players in the Latin America Soda Ash market include Solvay S.A., DECCO LATAM, Vikudha Overseas Corporation Ltd., Tata Chemicals Limited, Ciner Resources Corporation, CIECH S.A., Minerals Technologies Inc., Genesis Energy LP, Vitro, and Innova Corporate among others.

● In September 2022, Solvay pioneers a more sustainable soda ash production process, investing $43.40 million in Dombasle, France. Their breakthrough technology slashes CO2 emissions by 50%, curtails water and limestone usage, and eliminates limestone discharge, aligning with their 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

● In CIECH has successfully contracted all soda production for 2022, catering to 400 Latin America clients, including major industrial players. Negotiated prices mitigate rising raw material costs, ensuring delivery reliability amid high demand from glass manufacturers. CIECH remains a leading soda ash producer in Central and Eastern Europe.

● In November 2022, GHCL, a Delhi NCR headquartered company with interests in soda ash and textiles, will establish a Rs 3,500 crore greenfield manufacturing facility in Gujarat. The 0.5 MTPA capacity plant, spanning 1,000 acres near Mandvi town in Kutch district, signifies their commitment to expanding operations and leveraging Gujarat's coastal advantage.