Acrylonitrile Market Size and Share
Market Overview
| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
|---|---|
| Market Volume (2025) | 8.79 Million tons |
| Market Volume (2030) | 11.09 Million tons |
| Growth Rate (2025 - 2030) | 4.75% CAGR |
| Fastest Growing Market | Asia Pacific |
| Largest Market | Asia Pacific |
| Market Concentration | Medium |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order Image © Mordor Intelligence. Reuse requires attribution under CC BY 4.0. |
|
Acrylonitrile Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence
The Acrylonitrile Market size is estimated at 8.79 Million tons in 2025, and is expected to reach 11.09 Million tons by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.75% during the forecast period (2025-2030).
Expansion in downstream uses, most notably ABS/SAN resins, acrylic fibers, and polyacrylamide, remains the chief volume driver. Simultaneously, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 decision to list acrylonitrile as a High-Priority Substance has propelled manufacturers to adopt advanced emission controls and pilot bio-based routes. Demand within the Acrylonitrile Market is further supported by rising electric-vehicle production, growth in water-treatment infrastructure, and sustained infrastructure spending across Asia. Yet supply chains face heightened volatility after steam-cracker outages in Southeast Asia exposed propylene feedstock fragility.
Key Report Takeaways
- By process technology, ammoxidation held 83% of the acrylonitrile market share in 2024; while is also expected to post the fastest 5.1% CAGR through 2030.
- By application, ABS/SAN led with 37% revenue share of the acrylonitrile market size in 2024, and is projected to expand at a 5.9% CAGR to 2030.
- By end-use industry, automotive and transportation accounted for 35% share of the acrylonitrile market size in 2024; electrical and electronics is advancing at a 5.91% CAGR between 2025 and 2030.
- By geography, Asia-Pacific commanded 70% of the acrylonitrile market share in 2024 and is forecast to grow at 5.59% CAGR through 2030.
Global Acrylonitrile Market Trends and Insights
Driver Impact Analysis
| Driver | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising ABS demand in automotive and construction | +1.70% | Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Growth of the textile sector | +1.20% | Asia-Pacific, South America | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Higher acrylamide use in water treatment | +1.00% | Global with Middle East & Africa focus | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| EU incentives for renewable ACN pilots | +0.70% | Europe, spillover to North America | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Electronics industry expansion | +0.50% | Asia-Pacific, North America | Short term |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Rising ABS demand in automotive and construction
ABS demand continues to climb as automakers pursue lighter vehicle components that preserve impact resistance, making acrylonitrile-rich resins ideal for battery housings and interior trim. Trinseo’s 2024 rollout of recycled-content MAGNUM ECO+ ABS, showing an 18% carbon-footprint cut, illustrates how sustainability now commands a premium segment trinseo.com. Post-pandemic infrastructure programs in Asia are equally important; ABS pipe fittings and decorative panels gain traction in large-scale construction, locking in sustained acrylonitrile uptake over the medium term.
Growth of the Textile Sector
Middle-class expansion across Asia-Pacific fuels demand for durable, color-fast acrylic fibers in performance apparel and outdoor fabrics are the driving factors of ACN market. Acrylonitrile-derived fibers resist UV degradation and chemicals, which positions them for sportswear and home-textile markets growing at twice the pace of conventional cotton. Process innovations that trim water usage by 40% bolster competitiveness while addressing environmental scrutiny.
Higher Acrylamide use in Water Treatment
Chronic water scarcity has steered municipal and industrial operators toward polyacrylamide flocculants that raise clarification efficiency. The Middle East’s desalination boom and Africa’s urban water-supply investments underpin long-cycle demand for acrylamide, providing a resilient offtake avenue that is relatively immune to economic swings.
EU Incentives for Renewable ACN Pilots
Horizon Europe and national schemes such as the Netherlands’ SDE++ subsidy accelerate bio-based acrylonitrile demonstrations. The ISPA plasma-chemistry project and LANXESS’s commercialization of bio-circular acrylonitrile ion-exchange resins illustrate how policy now underwrites 15–20% price premiums in low-carbon niches.
Restraint Impact Analysis
| Restraint | (~) % Impact on CAGR Forecast | Geographic Relevance | Impact Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toxicity and tightening regulations | -1.4% | North America, Europe | Medium term (2-4 years) |
| Propylene feedstock volatility | -1.2% | Global with Asia-Pacific focus | Short term (≤ 2 years) |
| Alternative material competition | -0.7% | Global | Long term (≥ 4 years) |
| Source: Mordor Intelligence | |||
Toxicity and Tightening Regulations
The 2024 U.S. EPA High-Priority listing initiates a multi-year risk evaluation that could limit certain uses and ratchet permissible exposure levels. The UK already caps workplace exposure at 2 ppm, while the EPA estimates USD 169 million in annual compliance costs. Smaller producers face margin pressure as they retrofit scrubbers and bolster monitoring to meet stricter occupational and environmental thresholds.
Propylene Feedstock Volatility Tied to Cracker Outages
SCG Chemicals’ fire in Thailand forced a 2024 supply disruption that drove propylene spot prices, immediately squeezing acrylonitrile margins. Logistical snarls in the Red Sea and Panama Canal further stretch lead times, compelling Chinese plants to trim operating rates and revealing how upstream hiccups reverberate across the acrylonitrile market.
Segment Analysis
By Process Technology: Ammoxidation Remains Cost Leader
The acrylonitrile market size tied to ammoxidation reached 6.97 million tons in 2024, equal to 83% share. Robust catalyst know-how and plant debottlenecking keep cash costs low, supporting a healthy 5.1% CAGR outlook to 2030. NREL’s biomass-to-acrylonitrile pathway achieved a 98% lab-scale yield, sidestepping hydrogen cyanide by-products and shrinking carbon intensity National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “Renewable Routes to Acrylonitrile,” nrel.gov. Plasma-chemistry concepts under ISPA show promise for zero-fossil inputs. While commercial uptake remains modest, pilot data suggest viable economics once renewable-propylene premiums erode, foreshadowing a reshaped technology mix beyond 2030.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
By Application: ABS/SAN Drives Incremental Tons
ABS/SAN accounted for 37% of the acrylonitrile market share. Demand rides on electric-vehicle interiors, home appliances, and furniture, delivering a 5.55% CAGR through 2030. Acrylic fiber remains a sizeable niche for outdoor apparel and awnings, where UV durability commands premium pricing. Nitrile-butadiene rubber applications in oil-resistant seals hold steady, while acrylamide for water treatment gains absolute volume at a brisk pace. Composite research—such as rGO-enhanced ABS with 0.0305 S cm⁻¹ conductivity—opens novel opportunities in electronic housings and thermal-management parts.
By End-user Industry: Electronics Challenge Automotive Supremacy
Automotive and transportation consumed 2.94 million tons in 2024, sustaining its role as the largest buyer at 35% share. Battery-housing mandates favor lightweight, impact-resistant ABS, and recycled formats help automakers hit lifecycle emissions goals.
Electrical and electronics, though lower in absolute tonnage, is the fastest climber. The acrylonitrile market size tied to electronics will grow from 1.52 million tons in 2024 to an expected 2.13 million tons by 2030, tracing a 5.91% CAGR. Semiconductor back-end materials, 5G base-stations and consumer device housings all pull additional volumes. Construction, textiles, and water treatment round out demand, providing diversification against cyclical downturns in any one sector.
Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase
Geography Analysis
Asia-Pacific dominated with a 70% acrylonitrile market share and a 5.59% CAGR projection. China’s integrated propylene-to-ABS value chains anchor investment, while electronics manufacturing scales drive steady resin offtake. Government incentives for new carbon-fiber capacity, such as Rongsheng Petrochemical’s tie-up with Saudi Aramco, ensure long-term captive demand rongsheng.com.
North America holds mature yet resilient demand, buoyed by high-purity acrylonitrile from Ascend’s upgraded Texas unit that caters to carbon-fiber and specialty-chemical uses ascendmaterials.com. Stricter EPA oversight may cap net growth but encourages technology upgrades that raise cost barriers to entry.
Europe charts a transitional path. Bio-based pilot lines leverage Horizon Europe grants and national carbon-pricing signals. Early movers gain premium access to automaker supply chains targeting Scope 3 reductions. Latin America and the Middle East and Africa contribute incremental volumes through textile and water-treatment investments, diversifying global trade flows.
Competitive Landscape
The acrylonitrile market is moderately fragmented. with competitive propylene costs and large-scale units, Chinese players are driving price discovery toward Asia. Western companies are focusing on specialty applications and sustainability. INEOS launched certified bio-attributed acrylonitrile grades in 2023, securing early carbon-conscious contracts, while Reliance Industries is building a 20,000 tpa carbon-fiber facility in Hazira to meet internal demand and support renewable-energy blade production. The acrylonitrile industry, though moderately fragmented, is innovation-driven. Producers combining scale with low-carbon solutions are well-positioned to handle regulatory and market pressures.
Acrylonitrile Industry Leaders
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INEOS
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Ascend Performance Materials
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PetroChina
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Formosa Plastics Corporation
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China Petrochemical Corporation
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Recent Industry Developments
- May 2025: Ascend Performance Materials began commercial output of high-purity acrylonitrile at its Chocolate Bayou plant after installing new purification technology.
- June 2024: Trillium Renewable Chemicals selected INEOS Nitriles’ Green Lake site in Texas for “Project Falcon,” the first demonstration plant converting plant-based glycerol into acrylonitrile.
Research Methodology Framework and Report Scope
Market Definitions and Key Coverage
Our study views the acrylonitrile market as all merchant-grade liquid acrylonitrile obtained mainly through the ammoxidation of propylene and sold for captive or third-party use in acrylic fiber, ABS/SAN resins, nitrile-butadiene rubber, acrylamide, carbon fiber precursors, and allied chemical intermediates.
Scope exclusion: experimental bio-based acrylonitrile volumes that remain at pilot scale through 2025 are not included.
Segmentation Overview
- By Process Technology
- Ammoxidation Process
- Other Production Processes
- By Application
- Acrylic Fiber
- Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)/Styrene-Acrylonitrile Resin (SAN)
- Acrylamide
- Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber
- Other Applications
- By End-user Industry
- Automotive and Transportation
- Construction and Infrastructure
- Electrical and Electronics
- Textiles and Apparel
- Other End-user Industries (Water and Waste-water Treatment, Packaging and Consumer Goods, etc.)
- By Geography
- Asia-Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- South Korea
- Rest of Asia-Pacific
- North America
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Europe
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- France
- Italy
- Russia
- Rest of Europe
- South America
- Brazil
- Argentina
- Rest of South America
- Middle East and Africa
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East and Africa
- Asia-Pacific
Detailed Research Methodology and Data Validation
Primary Research
Mordor analysts interviewed North American and Asian acrylonitrile producers, ABS compounders, textile-grade acrylic fiber spinners, and carbon-fiber precursor buyers. Discussions focused on plant utilization, quarterly contract pricing, and emerging propane-based routes, letting us validate secondary indicators, close data gaps, and fine-tune regional demand splits.
Desk Research
We started with public data sets such as UN Comtrade trade codes for HS 292610, the U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, Eurostat PRODCOM, and industry statistics from Plastics Europe and the World Textile Information Network, which map demand in downstream fibers and plastics. Company 10-K filings, investor decks, and press releases were screened through Dow Jones Factiva, while capacity additions were verified via D&B Hoovers plant records. Petrochemical feedstock balances from the International Energy Agency helped us align propylene availability with regional output potential. These references illustrate our wider reading and are not exhaustive.
Market-Sizing & Forecasting
We initiated a top-down reconstruction from national production and trade flows (kilotons), which are then reconciled with selective bottom-up checks such as sampled average selling price multiplied by producer shipment volume and channel feedback on derivative off-take. Key variables in our model include propylene benchmark prices, global ABS resin output, acrylic-fiber mill runs, light-vehicle builds, wastewater polymer demand, and announced carbon-fiber capacity. Forecasts apply a multivariate regression blended with ARIMA smoothing to project each driver, while scenario analysis handles feedstock volatility. Where bottom-up data were incomplete, midpoint imputation anchored to peer plant statements bridged the gap.
Data Validation & Update Cycle
Every draft passes variance and anomaly checks against historical ratios, and senior reviewers sign off only after discrepancies fall within tolerance. We refresh the full data set annually; interim updates trigger when a capacity addition, force majeure, or regulatory shift moves market balance meaningfully. A final cross-check is performed just before delivery so clients receive the latest view.
Why Mordor's Acrylonitrile Baseline Commands Reliability
Published figures often differ because firms mix value and volume units, roll derivatives in or out, or lock forecasts to outdated feedstock scenarios.
Key gap drivers include: some providers convert volumes to USD using spot prices without regional discounts, others fold carbon-fiber precursor value into the base chemical total, and a few retain 2023 as their base year while our study moves to a 2024 baseline and updates yearly.
Benchmark comparison
| Market Size | Anonymized source | Primary gap driver |
|---|---|---|
| 8.79 million tons (2025) | Mordor Intelligence | |
| USD 12.31 billion (2025) | Global Consultancy A | reports revenue not volume and bundles downstream ABS compounding values |
| USD 12.13 billion (2025) | Regional Consultancy B | base year 2023 and uses average spot price rather than contract benchmarks |
| USD 14.97 billion (2025) | Industry Association C | includes carbon-fiber intermediates plus bio-based pilot output and refreshes every two years |
Taken together, the comparison shows that our volume-led, annually refreshed approach, supported by clearly traceable variables and first-hand validation, delivers a balanced baseline that decision-makers can reproduce and trust.
Key Questions Answered in the Report
What is the current acrylonitrile market size and growth rate?
The acrylonitrile market size is 8.79 million tons in 2024 and is projected to grow to 11.06 million tons by 2030 at a 4.75% CAGR.
Which region dominates global demand?
Asia-Pacific holds 70% of global demand owing to extensive ABS and electronics manufacturing bases.
Why is ABS important to acrylonitrile demand?
ABS/SAN consumes 37% of global acrylonitrile volumes because the resin offers impact resistance and thermal stability prized in automotive and electronics parts.
How are regulations impacting producers?
The U.S. EPA’s High-Priority listing and similar European rules require costly emission controls, favoring producers with advanced environmental technologies.
What role do bio-based routes play in future supply?
EU incentives and corporate pilots are accelerating bio-based acrylonitrile, which can command 15–20% price premiums in low-carbon markets.
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