Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) Market Trends

Statistics for the 2023 & 2024 Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) market trends, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) trend report includes a market forecast to 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry trends analysis as a free report PDF download.

Market Trends of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) Industry

Laundry Detergents Segment to Dominate the Market

  • Linear alkylbenzene is used to manufacture linear alkyl benzene sulphonates (LAS) commercially. These are cytotoxic synthetic anionic surfactants used to produce laundry detergents.
  • When dissolved in water, these anionic surfactants form anions with a negative charge on the hydrophilic part of the surfactant.
  • Laundry detergents containing LAS form a lot of foam when mixed and are most effective at removing oily and greasy stains.
  • Countries such as India, China, Japan, etc., are the leading manufacturers of laundry detergents.
  • For instance, in recent times, India has been one of the largest producers of soaps and detergents globally. Government initiatives, such as the Swachh Bharat Mission, promote health and hygiene. Such initiatives, along with the growing usage of soaps and detergents, have led to the growth of the manufacturing industry, which is further boosting the demand for LABS in the country.
  • According to the METI (Japan), the production volume of laundry detergent powders in Japan accounted for 124.49 kilotons in 2021, compared to 132.79 kilotons in the previous year.
  • Furthermore, the US detergent industry includes around 630 establishments (single- and multi-location companies), with a combined annual revenue of about USD 25 billion.
  • Laundry is a part of the daily routine in many European households. Laundromats are a more popular option for countries in western European countries compared to countries in eastern Europe.
  • Individual households, laundromats, and hotels generate most of the demand for laundry detergents in European and CIS countries.
  • All the abovementioned factors are likely to increase the demand for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate over the forecast period.
Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) Market - Production Volume of Laundry Detergent Powders, in Kilotons, Japan, 2017-2021

Asia-Pacific Region to Dominate the Market

  • The Asia-Pacific region dominated the global market share as the increasing need for cleaners in countries such as China, India, and Japan supported using linear alkylbenzene in the region.
  • The market for soap, washing powder, and synthetic detergent in China has grown at an average annual rate of over 13% in the past five years due to increasing awareness about hygiene and development in the liquid soap segment. The growing consumption of industrial cleaners in the country, supported by rapid growth in the industrial segment, is expected to drive the market for linear alkyl benzene over the forecast period.
  • A growing number of consumers is stimulating the demand for personal care products, which, in turn, is driving the linear alkylbenzene (LAB) market in India.
  • According to the Chemical and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association (CPMA), India, the annual production capacity of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) in the country was about 550 kilotons in FY2020-21, which is further anticipated to increase in the forecast period.
  • According to the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (India), the production volume of synthetic detergent intermediates accounted for 736.44 kilotons in 2021, compared to 714.68 kilotons in 2020.
  • According to the METI (Japan), the sales volume of dishwashing detergents in Japan accounted for 255.44 kilotons in 2021, compared to 253.02 kilotons in 2020.
  • The abovementioned factors are expected to contribute to the increased demand for linear alkyl benzene (LAB) in the region during the forecast period.
Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) Market - Growth Rate by Region, 2022-2027

Linear Alkyl Benzene Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029)