SURFACTANTS 

A Market Opportunity Study Update 

Prepared for the 

United Soybean Board 

December 2008 

 By: Dwight Rust and Stephen Wildes 

 

 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Executive Summary.....................................................................................................1 

Study Objectives..........................................................................................................2 

The Surfactants Market ...............................................................................................3 

Market Segment Summaries.......................................................................................7 

Household Detergents......................................................................................7 

Personal Care....................................................................................................9 

Industrial and Institutional Cleaners .............................................................11 

Food Processing .............................................................................................15 

Oilfield Chemicals ...........................................................................................16 

Agricultural Chemicals ...................................................................................19 

Textiles.............................................................................................................21 

Emulsion Polymerization................................................................................23 

Paints & Coatings ...........................................................................................24 

Construction....................................................................................................26 

Lubricant and Fuel Additives.........................................................................27 

Surfactant Industry Manufacturers ..........................................................................28 

Soy-Based Surfactants and Emerging Opportunities ............................................35 

Issue Analysis............................................................................................................38 

Environmental and Regulatory Issues ..........................................................38 

Unmet Surfactant Market Needs ....................................................................39 

Barriers to Market Entry .................................................................................41 
1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Surfactants or surface active agents are broadly defined as organic compounds that can 

enhance cleaning efficiency, emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, solvency, foaming/defoaming 

and lubricity of water-based compositions. 

The annual surfactant demand in the United States is estimated to be 7.7 billion pounds. 

The largest end use market for surfactants is household cleaning detergents. These are 

comprised of large volume, lower priced laundry and dishwashing detergent commodity 

products that account for roughly one-half of the U.S. surfactant market. “Specialty 

surfactants” are higher-priced, low-volume products used in a broad range of industrial and 

personal care market applications with annual demand estimated at 2 billion pounds or 

26% of the total US surfactant market. 

Surfactants are produced from petrochemical (synthetic) feedstocks or oleochemical 

(natural) feedstocks. U.S. surfactant production is based on 40% petrochemical and 60% 

oleochemical feedstocks. The basic petrochemical feedstocks are ethylene and benzene 

which are derived from crude oil and converted to surfactant intermediates ethylene oxide 

(EO), linear alkylbenzene (LAB) and detergent alcohols. The basic oleochemical 

feedstocks are typically seed oils - palm and coconut – as well as tallow. Raw material 

costs for these feedstocks are a prime determinant of surfactant pricing. 

The U.S. surfactant market is extremely diverse and includes many primary product 

manufacturing industries and segments which are described in this report. Surfactants are 

used in formulated products to provide optimum performance. 

The structure of the surfactant supply industry is stratified and complex. It consists of large 

surfactant manufacturers that produce surfactant raw materials, surfactant producers 

without a raw material position that typically modify basic surfactants by sulfonation or 

ethoxylation, smaller specialty surfactant producers and/or formulators and end users that 

are often focused on specific industries. 

It is difficult to estimate the amount of soy-based surfactants being produced because of 

the supply chain complexity. The largest volume of soy-based surfactants is represented 

by lecithin. Examples can be found of soy-based surfactants in most of the markets 

studied. Soybean oil and soy protein are used as the starting materials for surfactants; 

however, soybean oil is currently the predominate feedstock used in the manufacture of 

surfactants where soybeans are used. 

One thing that is common in the surfactant industry is concern for the environment. This 

concern ranges all the way from the impact of crude oil supply and demand to the 

environmental impact of chemicals, energy usage and conservation of resources. The 

interest in the “cradle to grave” use of products by both governmental organizations and 

consumers has heightened environmental interests and created a growing trend in more 

stringent environmental regulations impacting surfactants. 

Increasing environmental awareness and the use of renewable resources provide 

opportunities for the use of soybeans in surfactants through new technologies that are 

emerging, especially in the field of protein-based surfactants. 
2

STUDY OBJECTIVES 

The main objective of this study is to update the May 1996 report “Emulsifiers and Wetting 

Agents – A Market Opportunity Study.” This study update provides much more surfactant 

industry background information and summaries of ten primary market segments. The 

original study analyzed three market segments. A more comprehensive overview is also 

provided on industry environmental issues, surfactant manufacturers, pricing and emerging 

surfactant technologies that may provide opportunities for soy chemistry. 

Much has changed in the surfactant industry since 1996. Identification of these changes is 

another objective of this report and discussion of the changes occurs throughout. 

The final objective is to provide recommendations for the development and 

commercialization of soy-based surfactants. The emergence of oleochemical-based 

surfactants has come a long way since 1996. Unfortunately, most of these surfactants 

have not involved soy. 

SURFACTANT INDUSTRY CHANGES 1996 – 2008 

• Much more surfactant industry information is available especially on the internet. 

However, very little market demand study has been done or published since 2003. 

• There has been considerable industry consolidation through mergers and acquisitions 

among surfactant manufacturers and customers. 

• There is growing awareness and interest in renewable-based products by consumers 

and industrial end users for “Green Products”. 

• Increasing environmental and regulatory pressure on petrochemicals 

• Major feedstock pricing changes favoring oleochemicals 

• The emergence of oleochemical-based biosurfactants 

• A gradual emergence of new product and market application opportunities for soy 
3

THE SURFACTANTS MARKET 

OVERVIEW 

Surfactants or surface active agents are broadly defined as organic compounds that can 

enhance cleaning efficiency, emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, solvency, foaming/defoaming 

and lubricity of water-based compositions. 

All surfactants have the same basic chemical structure - a hydrophilic (water-loving) 

“head” and a hydrophobic (oil-loving) “tail” which is always a long (linear) chain of carbon 

atoms. Surfactants are made from oleochemical (natural) and/or petrochemical (synthetic) 

raw materials. 

WORLD SEED OIL PRODUCTION – 2007 

 

SURFACTANT FEEDSTOCKS 

Oleochemical / Natural surfactants are commonly derived from plant oils – coconut and 

palm oils, from plant carbohydrates – sorbitol, sucrose and glucose or from animal fats 

such as tallow. Oleochemical feedstock sourcing for surfactants has been changing in 

recent years. Animal fats have lost ground in favor of vegetable oils, including the growing 

utilization of soybean oils. Beef tallow has been impacted by mad cow disease concerns 

while fish oil use has declined due to high oil prices caused by growing antioxidant 

demand. 

Petrochemical / Synthetic surfactants are derived from petroleum-based feedstocks, 

mainly crude oil. The primary synthetic feedstocks are ethylene, benzene, kerosene and 

n-paraffins. The surfactant industry currently uses roughly equal amounts of “natural” 

oleochemicals and “synthetic” petrochemicals. 
4

OLEOCHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS 

Oils and fats can lead to a variety of products as shown below: 

 

Prepared by D. J. Burden, Center for Crop Utilization Research, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 

SURFACTANT PRODUCT TYPES 

Surfactants are classified by their ionic (electrical charge) properties in water: 

Surfactant Type Ionic Charge 

Anionic Negative 

Nonionic No charge 

Cationic Positive 

Amphoteric Positive/Negative 
5

CONVENTIONAL SURFACTANT PRODUCTS BY TYPE 

The primary function of a surfactant is to enhance the performance properties of waterbased formulations composed of a range of ingredients such as other surfactants, 

solvents, thickeners, alkalis/salts, chelating agents, foamers/defoamers and fragrances. 

They are grouped by their ionic charge. 

Anionic Surfactants 

• Alkylbenzene sulfonates – detergents 

• Fatty acids – soaps 

• Sulfosuccinates – wetting agents 

• Lauryl sulfates – foaming agents 

• Lignosulfonates – dispersants 

Anionic surfactants are the largest group accounting for approximately 40% of world 

production. These products exhibit superior wetting and emulsifying properties and tend to 

be higher-foaming materials. 

Nonionic Surfactants 

Alkylphenol ethoxylates Alcohol ethoxylates 

Alkanolamides Fatty amine ethoxylates 

Polyglucosides Sucrose esters 

Sorbitan esters 

Nonionic surfactants are the second largest group by volume at about 35%. Demand for 

these sugar-based products is escalating due to their low toxicity. 

Cationic Surfactants 

Imidazolines Morpholines 

Betaines Quaternary ammonium compounds 

Pyridenes 

Cationics typically have excellent antibacterial properties, provide good corrosion 

protection and can be good demulsifiers. 

Amphoteric Surfactants 

Imidozoline derivatives Quaternary ammonium compounds 

Betaines Phosphatides 

Amine condensates 

Amphoterics can behave as a cation or anion depending on pH. These surfactants are 

“mild” and are increasingly used in personal care products. 
6

SURFACTANT USES 

The largest end use market for surfactants is as household cleaning detergents. These 

are typically formulated cleaners based on linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) made from 

petroleum feedstocks – benezene, kerosene and n-paraffins. The largest producers are 

Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Colgate Palmolive. These “household cleaning” products 

are comprised of large volume, lower priced laundry and dishwashing detergent 

commodity products that account for roughly one-half of the U.S. surfactant market. The 

rest of the U.S. surfactant market involves “Specialty Surfactants”. The portion of these 

that are higher-priced, low-volume products used in a broad range of industrial and 

personal care market applications is estimated at 2 billion pounds, or 26% of the total US 

surfactant market. 

U.S. SURFACTANT MARKET 

2007 DEMAND 

MARKET SEGMENT MILLION POUNDS 

 

Key Markets 

 Household Detergents 3,500 

 Personal Care 800 

 Industrial & Institutional Cleaners 490 

 Food Processing 405 

 Oilfield Chemicals 385 

 Agricultural Chemicals 270 

 Textiles 200 

 Emulsion Polymerization (Plastics) 200 

 Paints & Coatings 200 

 Construction 100 

 

 6,550 

Other Markets 

 Lubricant and Fuel Additives 615 

 Metal Working 150 

 Mining Chemicals 100 

 Pulp & Paper 75 

 Leather Processing 30 

 Other 195 

 

 1165 

Total 7,715 
7

MARKET SEGMENT SUMMARIES 

HOUSEHOLD DETERGENTS 

OVERVIEW 

The household detergent market includes laundry detergents, dishwasher detergents, 

prespotters, carpet cleaners and fabric softeners. 

This market consumes almost half of the total surfactant demand. For laundry detergents, 

the primary function of a surfactant is to remove soil from fabrics and to suspend the soil in 

the wash water. Fabric softeners are either added to the final rinse or as dryer sheets 

which are used to dry the wet clothes in dryers. Surfactants in dishwasher detergents are 

used for wetting surfaces to help soil removal. The surfactant level in automatic 

dishwasher detergents is lower than in hand dishwash detergents to minimize foaming in 

the dishwasher. The amount of automatic to hand dishwash detergent sales in pounds is 

almost equal. 

The amount of surfactants used in this market area is around 3.5 billion pounds. The 

percentage breakdown of surfactant usage by market is: 

• Laundry detergents - 80% 

• Dishwashing detergents - 10% 

• Fabric Softeners - 7% 

• Other - 3% 

MARKET TRENDS 

Household laundry cleaners have an active history of change, and the function of 

surfactants has changed in the process. 

The use of soaps in home laundry products was 99% of the total in 1940 as compared to 

synthetic detergents. Synthetic detergents were initially developed to replace soap when 

the supply of edible oils and fats were in short supply. These synthetic detergents were 

found to have better cleaning properties, especially in hard water, than soaps. By 1960, 

the trend to synthetic detergents reached about 75% of U.S. consumption. The initial 

detergents had poor biodegradability and modifications were made so that these products 

degraded before they entered the water supply in streams, etc. Synthetic detergents 

account for over 85% of the category today. 

The second trend has been the growth of liquid laundry detergent sales at the expense of 

powders. This trend is more one of convenience as the cost per wash of liquids has been 

higher than that of powders. The split between liquid and powder detergents was about 

50:50 in 1994. The amount of liquid laundry detergent used today is at least 85% of the 

combined liquid and powder laundry sales in pounds, and it is projected to increase to 

90%. 
8

The third trend has been the concentration of liquid laundry detergents which was targeted 

for 2008. The use of more concentrated (2:1) liquid laundry products has been promoted 

by Wal-Mart to decrease shelf space requirements, decrease plastics used in containers, 

decrease usage of water and to obtain savings in shipping costs. Water content reduction 

in these products ranges from 44% to 60%. 

The fourth trend is the current movement to side loading home laundry machines along 

with lower wash temperatures to save water and energy. In January 2007, the U.S. 

Department of Energy phased in tougher efficiency requirements for washing machines. 

New washers are required to use 21% less energy. Much of the increase in Energy Star 

shipments has been because of the growth of front-loading washing machines. These are 

usually more efficient than conventional top loaders. The Association of Home Appliance 

Manufacturers reports that shipments of front loaders grew from 9% in 2001 to 29% in 

2006. The market has traditionally preferred top-loading agitator models; front-loading 

washers made up only 14.5% of all installed units in 2006 while current front-loader sales 

are reported at about 35% of shipments. 

These trends can be summarized as: 

• Emergence of synthetic detergents (surfactants) to replace soaps (1950 -1960). 

• Liquid home laundry products replace powders (1990 - current). 

• Concentration of liquids to save on shipping, container costs and shelf space (2007 - 

2008). 

• Front loading washing machines that use less water and operate at lower temperatures 

to save energy (current). 

SURFACTANT INNOVATIONS 

To satisfy requirements for the front loading home laundry machines along with lower 

wash temperatures, surfactants for laundry detergents will have to demonstrate low 

foaming in horizontal-axis machines, be more easily rinsed due to cooler wash 

temperatures, and provide reduced redeposition of soils with lower volumes of water. The 

biodegradability of any new surfactant also has to be considered. 

In reformulating detergents for cold water, a product requires a surfactant system that 

solubilizes oily soils in cold water as well as proteases and carbohydrases (enzymes) that 

work on insoluble dirt residues in cold water. Examples of special surfactants with greaseremoval properties are branched-chain narrow-range ethoxylates, ethoxylated amines and 

alky amidopropylamines. Hydrotropic surfactants such as short-chain alkyl polyglucosides 

that help solubilize ingredients and provide cleaning are also needed. Finally there is also 

an opportunity for surfactants that clean well in hard water, cold water and over a wide 

temperature range. 

HOUSEHOLD DETERGENT SURFACTANT MARKET 

The total amount of detergents used in the home detergent market is about 13 billion 

pounds and the corresponding amount of surfactants used is estimated at 3.5 billion 
9

pounds. The market growth of surfactants in the household detergent area is projected at 

1-2% per year. 

The leader in the US detergent market is P&G with a 55-60% share. The second largest is 

owned by Vestar Capital Partners which acquired Huish Detergents and the North 

American business of Unilever to form Sun Products Corporation in 2008. Other players 

are Henkel and Church & Dwight. 

The major categories of surfactants used in household detergents are: 

• Anionic 

o Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (modified) 

o Alcohol ether sulfates 

o Alcohol sulfates 

• Nonionic 

o Alcohol ethoxylates 

• Cationic 

o Fatty nitrogen quaternaries (fabric softeners) 

Major producers, in addition to others listed in this study are: 

• Proctor & Gamble (P&G) 

• Sun Products Corporation 

• Stepan. 

Introduction of methyl ester sulfonates into heavy duty laundry detergents is of interest as 

they perform better at lower water temperatures. Huish, which now belongs to Sun 

Products Corporation, and Stepan manufacture this surfactant. Production capacity of this 

anionic surfactant is estimated at 285 million pounds. 

PERSONAL CARE 

OVERVIEW 

The personal care market includes bubble baths, body washers, hand soaps and cleaners, 

shaving products, hair shampoos and oral care products. 

The personal care retail market in the United States is valued at over $70 billion. The sub 

segment of this market that is defined as natural products in hair, skin and cosmetics is 

valued at $7 billion. 

The amount of surfactants used in this market segment is close to 800 million pounds. 

Surfactants reportedly constitute around 15% of the raw material costs for personal care 

products. 
10

MARKET TRENDS 

Natural products and ingredients remain a big trend in the global cosmetics and toiletries 

market. Key growth sectors for natural products include baby products, bath and shower 

products and hair care. Organic products see growth in oral hygiene, deodorants, liquid 

soaps and skin care. 

Consumers are also looking for improved performance in this market segment along with 

sustainable or “green” products. Companies that are active in these types of surfactants 

are Sea-Land, Croda, Cognis, Chattem Chemicals, Inc. and Air Products. 

Toilet soap bars with high levels of surfactants are projected to decline in volume and be 

replaced by liquid body washes. The use of lower levels of surfactants in liquid soaps has 

caused the surfactant growth in this market to level out as bar soap is being replaced with 

liquid soap for personal care. 

Another market that is seeing growth is wipes with surfactants growth at 5-10% per year in 

that market niche. Surfactant producers see this market as one to provide higher value 

products with improved profit margins to offset the surfactants that are used in the 

household detergent area that are more commodity priced. 

SURFACTANT INNOVATIONS 

The development and commercialization of new surfactants are more prevalent in the 

personal care area than other market segments in this study. The interest of consumers 

using personal care products has driven this market. The interest in more environmentally 

friendly and more natural products has been a big driver in the development of new 

surfactant products. 

Innovations in personal care are aimed primarily at skin and hair care. The types of new 

products introduced here include naturally derived surfactants based on oat triglycerides 

that have a composition close to that of the skin, vegetable derived nonionic surfactant to 

solubilize essential oils and fragrances, and the use of sulfonated methyl esters to 

formulate a surfactant in a soap bar that reduces drying of the skin, 

PERSONAL CARE SURFACTANT MARKET 

The total amount of surfactants used in this market is estimated at around 800 million 

pounds. The market growth of surfactants in the personal care area is projected at 4-6% 

per year. 

The usage of surfactants in this major market is: 

• Bar Soaps -20% 

• Liquid Soaps/Body Washes -15% 

• Hair Care -35% 

• Skin Care -20% 

• Other -10% 
11

The types of surfactants in personal care are: 

• Amphoterics -10% 

• Anionics - 55% 

• Nonionics - 5% 

• Cationics - 30% 

Major producers of surfactants in this market, in addition to others listed in this study, are: 

• Procter & Gamble 

• Stepan 

• Cognis 

• Rhodia 

• Degussa 

• Croda 

• Lonza 

INDUSTRIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL (I & I) CLEANERS 

The Industrial and Institutional cleaning industry (I&I) utilizes formulated cleaners in a 

broad variety of market uses: restaurants, office buildings, hospitals, schools, nursing 

homes, food processing plants, transportation vehicles – cars, planes, trains, marine, 

janitorial and general housekeeping and metal treatment and cleaning. 

The cleaning products used include general purpose cleaners, floor care and carpet 

cleaners, disinfectants and sanitizers, laundry detergents, hard-surface cleaners and hand 

cleaners. 

Surfactants are used in I&I formulations for detergency, foam control, bacterial action, 

coupling ability, rinsability and emulsification. 

I&I cleaning products are estimated to represent about 10% of total U.S. surfactant use. In 

2007, I&I market surfactant demand was approximately 490 million pounds and growing at 

a 2.3% annual rate. 

The I&I market segments that use the most surfactants in cleaning products are: hard 

surface cleaning, machine dishwashing, commercial laundries and metal cleaning. The 

most widely used surfactants in I&I products are: 

• LAS – Linear alkybenzene sulfonate 

• APE – Alkylphenol ethoxylates 

• AE – Alcohol ethoxylates 

• Biocidal quats 

These product types account for 60% of all surfactants used in I&I cleaners. 
12

MARKET SEGMENTS 

The largest I&I market segment is housekeeping. 

1. Janitorial Products represent about 40% of the market volume. This involves hard 

surface cleaners, floor care, disinfectants and hand soaps. This market utilizes the 

largest volumes of hard surface cleaners that contain low foaming surfactants and 

solvents to remove fatty soils. These cleaners have become a major market for 

renewable biobased solvents such as methyl soyate and d’Limonene that offer 

significant environmental advantages: renewable based, biodegradable, low toxicity 

and reduced VOCs. 

2. Transportation Vehicles – Vehicle cleaning generally involves high pressure 

foaming sprays that contain quaternary ammonium surfactant and spray-on waxes. 

Hard surface cleaning of commercial fleet cars, trucks, aircraft, trains and ships will 

require an increased use of safer solvent and specialty surfactant ingredients. 

3. Metal Cleaning – Parts cleaners degrease and remove scale and the oxides of 

corrosion. Various immersion and spray cleaning processes utilize solvents, 

aqueous-based emulsion cleaners and detergents. The use of low VOC, low 

toxicity surfactants is growing. 

4. Hand Cleaners – This is a rapidly growing market that requires ingredients that are 

not harmful to skin. Mild biosolvents such as methyl soyate and amphoteric 

surfactants are growing in use. Most hand cleaners are waterless. 

5. Food Processing Equipment – Dairies, bakeries, canneries, beverage and meat 

packing plants all require the removal of fats and proteins from processing 

equipment. Typical cleaners are highly alkaline, heated and involve mechanical 

action. Surfactants provide rinsability, foam control and sanitizing with biocidal 

detergents or disinfectant. 

6. Commercial Machine Dishwashing – Surfactants used in commercial 

dishwashing products are similar to household detergents. Product formulations 

are concentrate powders, liquids and solid blocks that are chlorine-stable and 

designed for use in restaurants, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, hotels and office 

buildings. Leading suppliers are BASF, Ecolab and Johnson Diversey. 
13

MARKET TRENDS 

Consumer Demand 

The I&I market is usually the leading edge for tomorrow’s household cleaning products. 

However, in today’s market environment, the consumer is increasingly demanding product 

changes focused on wellness, safety and sustainability. Consumer awareness has 

created significant demand-pull for ecofriendly, biodegradable, renewable natural-based 

and safer products that are cost-effective, convenient and efficient. 

Environmental Issues - Product Safety 

Most I&I cleaning products are regulated under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration) but there is increasing environmental pressure from the Consumer Product 

Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). 

Primary I&I product ingredient concerns involve surfactants and solvents: 

SURFACTANTS CONCERN 

NPE (Nonylphenol ethoxylates) Endocrine disruptors 

LAS (Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates) Sulfates 

DEA (Diethanolamides) Skin cancer in mice 

Mineral Spirits VOCs, Flammability, Toxicity 

d’Limonene VOCs, Flammability, Skin irritation 

MARKETING TRENDS 

The I&I cleaning industry is a service business with suppliers that solve cleaning problems 

rather than just sell products. Roughly two thirds of I&I products move through distributors, 

janitorial supply companies and food service suppliers. Beyond the major detergent 

manufacturers – P&G, Unilever and Colgate Palmolive – most industry manufacturers are 

small or regional with the exception of Ecolab, Johnson Diversey, Clorox and Reckitt 

Benckiser. Many of these companies have been involved in recent consolidations and 

brand acquisitions. Some of the leading suppliers of renewable-based cleaners currently 

are smaller companies such as Spartan Chemical, Maumee, OH with their Soy Strong 

product line and Acuity Specialty Products, Atlanta, GA with their Zep brand, of 20 soybased products. These companies, being smaller, can move quickly to develop and 

launch new green products. 

Cleaning product ingredient concerns are increasingly being addressed to provide better 

resource assistance to formulator/manufacturers of I&I cleaning products. An example is 

the Clean Gredients Program developed under the direction of the EPA’s Design for the 

Environment (DFE) effort. It is an online database that contains “Modules” for primary 

formulation ingredients – Surfactants, Solvents, Chelating Agents and Fragrances. 

Industry manufactures/suppliers of these ingredients list their products with analytical data 

documenting physical and chemical properties, toxicity test data and EH&S (Environmental 

Health & Safety) data for each product. Formulators can subscribe to the service and 
14

select ingredients to provide the combination of safety, performance and cost required for 

any formulated product. 

FEEDSTOCK COSTS 

I&I cleaning product raw material costs have escalated dramatically since 2003. 

Surfactant feedstocks are equally based on petrochemicals, mainly crude oil and 

oleochemical/natural materials, mainly plant oils – coconut, palm and tall oil; plant 

carbohydrates/sugars – sucrose and glucose or animal fats – tallow and lard. 

Oleochemical feedstocks did not escalate in price like petrochemicals until 2006 when they 

began to skyrocket and then retreat. Currently, the highly volatile cost of feedstocks is an 

industry condition all with which producers of I&I cleaners must contend. 

PRODUCT INNOVATIONS 

In response to the market trends listed above, the manufacturers of I&I cleaners have 

implemented significant changes in raw material content, product packaging/delivery and 

product end use/application methods. Raw material selection options have increased with 

the assistance of new resources such as the Clean Gredients database. “Green Products” 

is a universal theme today in the I&I cleaning market. Surfactants based on tropical 

(coconut, palm) oil-based detergent alcohols are a major industry trend that now accounts 

for about 60% of world surfactant production (vs. petrochemical alcohols). 

Another example of petrochemical surfactant/detergent substitution potential is Stepan 

Company’s MES (methyl ester sulfonate) based on soybean oil and designed to replace 

LAS detergents. The use of renewable specialty surfactants to replace conventional 

petrochemical surfactants is increasing and is often dictated by the purchasing policy of 

some major chain retailers like Wal-Mart in their commitment to improve the environment. 

Another way the producers are minimizing costs and offering customers better product 

value is through the optimization of multifunctional ingredients. By utilizing the synergism 

between complimentary surfactants and other ingredients, they are using co-products and 

blends to custom design product properties, performance and cost for each formulated 

product. 

Innovative product use delivery methods are also being introduced to bring about a 

paradigm shift from price per pound to cost in use. This is gradually being done with 

cleaner concentrates that offer reduced product volume usage and lower shipping, storage 

and disposal costs. This allows for on-site dilution with water, blending, mixing and 

product application with measured use rates. 
15

FOOD PROCESSING 

OVERVIEW 

The U.S. food processing industry is the largest market for specialty surfactants. The 

industry is mature and encompasses meats, processed foods, beverages, dairy products, 

baked goods, candy, snack foods, frozen foods, fats and oils. Food and beverage demand 

is forecast to grow 1.5% per year supported by population gains, growth in prepared 

convenience foods, nutrition-conscious consumers and export demand. There are 20 

major U.S. food processors that are among the world’s largest. 

FOOD SURFACTANT USES 

Surfactants provide multifunctional properties for food additives as emulsifiers, 

dispersants, wetting agents and solubilizers in foods which contain fats and oils such as 

baked goods, dairy foods, salad dressings, shortenings and margarine. 

FOOD SURFACTANT TYPES 

Commodity and specialty surfactants used in food are primarily nonionic esters: 

• Nonionics: 

o Mono & diglycerides 

o Fatty acid esters 

o Sorbitan esters 

o Propylene glycol esters 

o Lactylate esters 

• Anionics: 

o Sulfosuccinates 

o Lecithin 

• Cationics: 

o Quaternary ammonium salts 

FOOD PROCESSING SURFACTANT MARKET 

2007 Market Demand (North America) 

 Nonionics – 355 million pounds 

 Lecithin – 50 

 

 Total 405 Market growth – 3% 

SURFACTANT FOOD APPLICATIONS 

The largest food processing use for surfactants is in bakery products as emulsifiers, dough 

strengtheners, crumb softeners and texturizers. Dairy products such as ice cream, 

whipped cream and margarine utilize surfactants to form stable emulsions containing fats 

and oils. Other major uses include shortenings, salad dressings, peanut butter, cake 

mixes, toppings and breads. 
16

Surfactant use in food and beverage applications is projected to grow about 3% per year 

supported by increased demand for processed and pre-prepared foods that often contain 

specialty surfactants. About 60% of surfactant use is in bakery goods. Emulsifiers are the 

largest surfactant type often sold as preformulated systems based on glycerides and/or 

sorbitan esters. Dispersants are another major surfactant type that helps uniform mixing of 

food additives such as flavors and texturizers 

A growing concern in the food processing industry is consumer health and the control of 

contamination from microorganisms. There is growing use of surfactants as biocides to kill 

fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoa that may be present in fresh food such as fruits, 

vegetables, fish and poultry. Quaternary ammonium salts and ethylene oxide/propylene 

oxide copolymer sprays are used as antimicrobial washes. 

LECITHIN 

Lecithins are phospholipid compounds found in all plant and animal organisms but the 

primary commercial source is the by-products from the soybean degumming process. 

They are natural anionic surfactants that are widely used in many food applications as 

emulsifiers in salad dressings and sauces, viscosity reducers and stabilizers in chocolate, 

anti-spattering agents in margarine, pan release agents in bakery and confectionery 

products and as wetting agents in instant food powders. Use levels are small, about 0.1% 

to 2% in foods which is consistent with use levels of synthetic (petrochemical) surfactants. 

Lecithin use is often combined with synthetic surfactants which, synergistically, allows for 

lesser amounts of the synthetic products. Of the estimated 405 million pounds per year 

food use of surfactants in the U.S., about 80% are synthetic and 20% natural. Lecithin is a 

major contributor to this portion of natural surfactants used in food products. 

MAJOR FOOD SURFACTANT SUPPLIERS 

• AMD 

• Cargill 

• Croda 

• International Specialty Holdings 

• Lambent Technologies 

• Kao 

• Cytec 

• Dow 

• McIntyre Group 

• Noveon 

• Rhodia 

• Solae 

• Unilever

• Lonza

OIL FIELD CHEMICALS 

OVERVIEW 

The U.S. oil and natural gas industry consumes a variety of large volume chemicals 

including a broad range of commodity and specialty surfactants to drill and produce oil, 

natural gas and coal bed methane. The dramatic increase in crude oil and gas prices 

has generated renewed interest in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies that 

involve extensive use of surfactants that must meet demanding down-hole 
17

environmental regulations and performance requirements. Surfactant applications 

involve well stimulation, drilling/completion, production/refining and pipeline transport. 

These operations will require an increased use of specialty surfactants that are 

effective, safer and cause less environmental damage. 

OILFIELD SURFACTANT USES 

• Emulsifiers/demulsifiers 

• Lubricants 

• Dispersants 

• Corrosion inhibitors 

• Foam control agents 

• Wetting and suspending agents 

• Biocides 

U.S. OILFIELD SURFACTANT MARKET 

SURFACTANT DEMAND 2007 

SURFACTANT TYPE MILLION POUNDS MARKET GROWTH 

Anionics 135 2.0% 

Nonionics 100 1.0% 

Cationics & Amphoterics 150 4.0% 

TOTAL 385 3.4% 

The dramatic rise in oil and gas prices has caused a significant increase in the need for 

more effective EOR processes and materials. This has stimulated greater market 

demand for specialty, higher cost surfactants such as cationics and amphoterics that 

are more costly than nonionics and anionics but perform more effectively. The use of 

surfactant combinations with other ingredients in formulated oilfield chemical additive 

products is also a growing trend. Tighter environmental regulation is forcing the use of 

less invasive products that have lower VOCs, are less flammable, are biodegradable 

and reduce the large volumes of water required to recover and refine crude oil and 

natural gas. 

OIL AND GAS SURFACTANT APPLICATIONS 

Crude oil and natural gas production and refining operations utilize the largest volume of 

oilfield industrial surfactants. Typical applications involve the use of nonionics as 

demulsifiers, anionics as defoamers and cationics and amphoterics as biocides and 

corrosion inhibitors. 

Surfactants containing formulated products are also important additives in drilling 

operations. They are used in drilling muds and drilling fluids to provide lubricity for 

better flow and pumpability, for foam control, emulsification and to reduce water loss 

during drilling. Commonly used surfactants include aromatic sulfates, aromatic 
18

sulfonates, lignosulfonates, fatty amine ethoxylates and betaines. They also provide 

corrosion and biocidal control. 

Natural gas and coal bed methane down hole drilling utilizes surfactants for gas well 

stimulation in foaming systems that provide formation blocking and fracturing with 

cationic quaternary ammonium compounds. These foamers can reduce water loading, 

reduce corrosion and increase gas production. 

CONVENTIONAL OILFIELD SURFACTANTS 

Conventional oilfield surfactants can be produced from petrochemical (synthetic) or 

oleochemical (natural) feedstocks and can often be interchangeable depending on 

feedstock costs. Major oilfield surfactants products are: 

• Aromatic sulfates 

• Aromatic sulfonates 

• Alkylphenol ethoxylates 

• Fatty amine oxides 

• Quaternary ammonium compounds 

• Betaines 

• Tallow fatty acids 

• Tall oil fatty acids 

• Lignosulfonates 

The use of oleochemical feedstocks has historically been significant - usually based on 

tallow, tall oil and lignin, a paper process by-product. To a lesser degree, vegetable oil 

feedstocks have also been used in drilling fluids and corrosion inhibitors. 

Some soy-based feedstocks used for oilfield surfactant products include: 

• Soybean oil 

• Degummed soy oil fatty acids 

• Acidulated soy soapstock 

• Fatty acid distillates 

The high cost of petroleum feedstocks, demanding environmental pressures and a 

growing demand pull for renewable-based feedstocks to reduce oil imports have all 

become drivers for the surfactant producers to develop more natural products. Despite 

the rapid price escalation of vegetable oil prices in 2007 and early 2008, the long-term 

cost competitiveness of seed oil-based feedstocks should continue to stimulate the 

development and use of oleochemical surfactants in oilfield applications. 
19

MAJOR OILFIELD SURFACTANT SUPPLIERS 

• Akzo Nobel 

• Baker Hughes 

• Clariant 

• Cognis 

• Croda 

• Dow Chemical 

• Rhodia 

• Lonza 

• Stepan* 

*Stepan Company and Nalco launched a new EOR joint venture “Tiorco” to 

provide oilfield product sales and process technology service 

AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS 

OVERVIEW 

In the U.S., about 60 manufacturers produce surfactants for agrochemical (Ag) markets. 

These products are sold to more than 100 pesticide manufacturers that formulate their 

own end-use products and to about 2,000 pesticide formulators that purchase 

pesticides, solvents and other ingredients from chemical producers. The formulated 

products then move through a market network of about 250-300 distributors and 8000 

dealers. There are then over 1,000,000 custom applicators and growers that actually 

apply the end product pesticides. 

AG SURFACTANT USE AND APPLICATIONS 

Ag surfactants are used as additives primarily in pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, 

fungicides) and to a lesser degree in fertilizers, animal feeds and soil treatments. When 

used as a pesticide adjuvant, surfactants provide the following functions: 

• Emulsifier for the active ingredient in liquid formulations to create stable 

emulsions and extend shelf life 

• Spreader or dispersing agent to aid application of the active ingredient 

• Sticking agent to improve contact of the active ingredient on the crop or weed 

plant leave surface 

• Foaming aid to control spray drift during pesticide application 
20

Surfactant use as a pesticide adjuvant is estimated to be 60% for use in herbicides and 

40% for use in insecticides and fungicides. 

AG SURFACTANT MARKET 

Conventional Ag surfactants typically used have been commodity products due to low 

cost – nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE) and ethoxylated fatty amines. Market demand 

growth has been relatively flat in total with NPEs declining and some specialty 

surfactant use growing. 

Two major new influences have impacted the Ag surfactant market in recent years. The 

growth in use of glyphosate herbicides (Monsanto’s Roundup®) and new generics 

following its patent expiration has seen an increase in the use of more specialty 

surfactants – ethoxylated amines and phosphate esters in these glyphosate products to 

improve their performance. The other major influence is the growth of public 

environmental concern and regulatory pressure on pesticides. In addition, market 

demand will slow due to improving agricultural productivity (less planted acreage), 

increasing global Ag competition (reduced exports) and the rise of organic farming (no 

pesticides). 

Market demand for Ag surfactants will remain relatively flat with modest growth of some 

specialty cationics and anionics and declining use of commodity nonionics such as 

APEs due to environmental pressure. 

AG SURFACTANTS PRODUCTS & DEMAND 2007 

MILLION POUNDS 

Primary Surfactants Demand 

Nonionics: 100 

 Alkylphenol ethoxylates 

 Alcohol ethoxylates 

 EO/PO block polymers 

 

Cationics: 95 

 Ethoxylated amines 

 Fatty amine oxides 

 

Anionics: 75 

 Alcohol ether phosphates 

 Aromatic sulfonates 

 270 

 Market Growth: 1% per year 
21

MAJOR AG SURFACTANT MANUFACTURERS 

• Akzo Nobel 

• Cognis Corp. 

• Dow Chemical 

• Harcros Chemical 

• Huntsman 

• Lambent Technologies 

• McIntyre Group 

• Rhodia 

• Stepan 

TEXTILES 

OVERVIEW 

The overall global fiber demand is 165 billion pounds. The percentages of fibers in this 

category are: 

• Synthetic - 57% 

• Cotton - 36% 

• Cellulose - 5% 

• Wool - 2% 

• Silk -<0.5% 

The amount of synthetic and cellulose fiber manufactured in the United States is 

estimated at 15 billion pounds. The amount of cotton processed is estimated at 3 

billion pounds. 

The textile industry uses surfactants in many of the steps between producing the raw 

fiber and selling the finished article. Natural fibers are treated or scoured with 

surfactants in solution to remove oils and dirt in preparation for spinning, Synthetic 

fibers have oils applied for lubrication needed for spinning. These oils are removed by 

scouring before dyeing or printing. Sizes are applied for weaving that must be scoured 

out later. 

Surfactants are also used as lubricants and antistats in all manufacturing for processing 

and in fabric softening. The dyeing processes also require surfactants. 

MARKET TRENDS 

The United States had 23% of the worldwide share of manufactured fiber in 1987, and 

this had decreased to 9% in 2007. During that time the market share of Asia increased 

from 34% to 75%. 
22

Whereas textile production is in decline in the United States, the production of fibers in 

the United States for other applications, mainly nonwovens, has remained far more 

stable and is projected to grow at 2%. 

Consumer awareness of greenhouse gas emissions, global warming and the carbon 

footprint may lead to opportunities for the US textile producers. If US producers are 

more energy or carbon efficient in producing products locally, and if energy costs in long 

distance shipping from Asia are considered, one may see the possibility of textile 

manufacturing returning to the United States. 

SURFACTANT INNOVATIONS 

The textile industry is energy and water intensive. There is a great deal of potential for 

savings. The dyeing and finishing sector is the largest energy and water consumer in 

the whole textile chain. 

As fiber producers seek to improve productivity, increased line speeds demand 

increased thermal stability. New surfactant types are being examined to meet these 

demands. 

Producers try to lower their energy costs by using lower temperatures and lowering the 

amount of water used. To comply with environmental regulations, the surfactants have 

changed or are changing to meet these requirements. 

TEXTILE SURFACTANT MARKET 

Natural fibers are treated or scoured with surfactants in solution to remove oils and dirt 

in preparation for spinning, Synthetic fibers have oils applied for lubrication needed for 

extrusion and spinning. These oils are removed by scouring before dyeing or printing. 

Sizes are applied for weaving that must be scoured out later. 

Surfactants are also used to as processing lubricants and antistats and in fabric 

softening. The dyeing processes also require surfactants. 

The estimated textile market size for surfactants is 200 million pounds. The growth in 

this area is projected to be less than 2%. The types of surfactants used are: 

• Anionic- 18% 

• Cationic – 22% 

• Nonionic-60%
23

EMULSION POLYMERIZATION 

 OVERVIEW 

The amount of emulsion polymers produced in the United States is around 5.5 billion 

pounds. The growth rate of this market is 3-4% per year. 

The major polymers produced are styrene-butadiene latex, acrylics, polyvinyl acetate 

and vinyl-acrylics. 

This type of polymerization starts with an emulsion incorporating water, monomer and a 

surfactant. Emulsion polymerization is used to manufacture several important 

polymers. Many of these polymers are used as solid materials and must be isolated 

from the aqueous dispersion after polymerization. In other cases the dispersion is the 

end product. This dispersion is often called latex. These products are typically found in 

adhesives, paints, paper coatings and textile coatings. 

Surfactants play a significant role in the production and application of emulsion 

polymers. They control the particle size and distribution which in turn dictates the 

rheology and viscosity of the final latex. 

MARKET TRENDS 

The polymers and latexes from emulsion polymerization are finding increasing 

acceptance and are preferred over solvent-based products in suitable applications as a 

result of their eco-friendly characteristics due to the absence of VOCs (Volatile Organic 

Compounds) or petroleum solvents. Although the coatings are water-based, they still 

typically contain 5-10% organic solvent to function properly. Solvents are required for 

durable film formation (“coalescents”), to provide package stability in cold weather 

(“freeze/thaw stabilizers”) and to dilute coatings additives. Industry has been challenged 

to reduce or eliminate these solvents while still providing economical and durable 

coatings. To meet the lower VOC regulations, industry has taken several approaches: 

• Use of additives that contain little or no VOCs 

• Modify film forming polymers so that they need little or no coalescing 

solvent and/or freeze/thaw stabilizer 

• Use of vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers that form good coating films with 

little or no organic solvent 

SURFACTANT INNOVATIONS 

New emulsifiers have been developed in response to increasing global environmental 

protection regulations and recommendations to phase out the use of alkyl phenol 

ethoxylates (APEs). These new products have been designed to meet environmental 

requirements while providing effective performance in emulsion polymerization. 
24

EMULSION POLYMERIZATION SURFACTANT MARKET 

The use of surfactants in the emulsion polymerization market is estimated at 200 million 

pounds. The usage is split almost equally between nonionic and anionic surfactants. 

PAINTS and COATINGS 

OVERVIEW 

The total amount of coatings shipped in the United States is around 1.32 billion gallons 

or about 11.6 billion pounds. The industry declined in volume 2% from 2006 to 2007. 

The coatings market is segmented as Architectural Coatings (57%), Product OEM 

Coatings (28%) and Special Purpose Coatings (15%). 

The Architectural Coatings market consists of exterior (33%) and interior coatings 

(67%). 

The Product OEM Coatings market consists of many segments. The coatings in this 

segment are used in automotive, heavy duty trucks, machinery and equipment, wood 

furniture, appliances, etc. 

The five largest markets for Special Purpose Coatings are high performance 

maintenance, automotive refinish, highway and traffic marking, aerosols and marine. 

The major producers of paints and coatings in the United States are: 

• PPG Industries, Inc. 

• DuPont Coatings & Color Technologies Group 

• Sherwin-Williams Co. 

• Valspar Corp. 

• RPM International, Inc. 

• Behr Process Corp. 

MARKET TRENDS 

The trend in Architectural Coatings is towards the use of more waterborne coatings 

(82%) than solvent based coatings. As the quality of waterborne coatings has 

improved, do it yourself (DIY) users and contractors prefer to use these coatings. 

Restrictions on the amount of solvents through federal legislation and state laws favor 

the use of waterborne coatings. 
25

Powder coatings, as an alternative to liquids, are used in many coating applications. 

Growth is slowing as the market for these products matures and companies try to avoid 

the cost of capital to invest in powder applications. Powder coating represent about 75 

million gallons (375 million pounds) or about 6% of the total coatings market. 

SURFACTANT INNOVATIONS 

Most of the efforts in coating formulation development have been to reduce volatile 

organic compound (VOC) emissions by decreasing the amount of solvent. This has 

resulted in new polymer developments i.e. one company bringing out a soybean-oilbased latex alkyd emulsion which meets strict VOC standards for interior coatings. 

Surfactant developments are also being focused on the reduction of the VOCs from 

surfactants or to enable the use of less solvent in a coating. 

The trend in the paints and coatings market is to develop products with higher 

performance at the equivalent or even lower price than competitive products. The 

higher performance tends to decrease the chance of the paint or coating being 

considered a commodity product. 

PAINT AND COATINGS SURFACTANT MARKET 

Surfactants act as wetting agents, dispersants and foam control agents. The estimated 

market size is 200 million pounds. The growth rate for surfactants in this market ranges 

from 1-3% per year. The usage within these three areas is estimated to be: 

• Wetting agents - 25% 

• Dispersants - 40% 

• Defoamers and anti-foaming - 35% 

Nonionic surfactants are neutral and have wider applications in this market for wetting 

and dispersing. Alky phenol ethoxylates are the largest class of nonionics used, but 

their use is decreasing as their usage is being regulated. Defoamers are typically 

polysiloxanes or mineral and paraffin oils. Polysiloxanes offer better compatibility and 

lower surface tension, while mineral and paraffin oils have a lower price. Anionic 

surfactants improve wetting and dispersion of pigments. 

Major providers of surfactants for this market are: 

• Air Products 

• Byk Chemie 

• BASF Corp. 

• Cognis 

• Rhodia 

• DuPont 
26

CONSTRUCTION 

The primary applications for surfactants in the construction industry are in asphalt, 

cement and wallboard. 

 SURFACTANTS USED IN CONSTRUCTION – 2007 

Million Pounds 

Product Surfactants Million Pounds 

Asphalt Tallow fatty amines 45 

 (Cationics) Tall oil fatty amines 

 Imidazolines 

 Lignosulfonates 

 

Cement Naphthalene sulfonates 40 

 (Anionics) Lignosulfonates 

 Polycarboxylates 

 

Wallboard Naphthalene sulfonates 15 

 AES 

 LAS 

 TOTAL 100 

 Market growth: 1.0% per year 

Asphalt 

Surfactants are used as emulsifiers in asphalt cement which is the binder that adheres 

the asphalt to the aggregate. They are typically cationic tall oil and tallow-based fatty 

amines and imidazolines as well as lignosulfonates. 

The asphalt industry is changing rapidly due to severely escalating and highly volatile 

feedstock costs. Rising crude oil prices have forced refinery product mix upgrading and 

significantly decreased the availability of bitumen (petroleum-based asphalt). Prices of 

asphalt cement have, consequently, tripled since 2004. Concurrently, tall oil and its 

derivatives have also become scarce and expensive. These conditions have created 

new opportunities for renewable-based products such as BioSpan Technologies’ soybased asphalt cement containing new soy solvent chemistry and recycled plastics such 

as styrene-butadiene polymers from Styrofoam® and tire rubber scrap. 
27

Cement 

Surfactants used in the production of cement are primarily anionics such as 

naphthalene sulfates, lignosulfonates and polycarboxylates as plasticizers and air 

entraining agents to control the rate of reaction with water. 

Wallboard 

Wallboard or gypsum board production primarily utilizes anionics such as naphthalene 

sulfonates and alcohol ether sulfates. LAS (linear alcohol sulfates) are also used as 

foam stabilizers in lightweight wallboard products. 

LUBRICANT and FUEL ADDITIVES 

Motor Oil 

The by-products of the combustion process will form sludge and varnish deposits in the 

engine. Detergents are used in motor oil to aid in removing the deposits. Other 

surfactants known as dispersants are used to keep the by-products in the oil until the 

filtration system can remove them. 

Surfactants are used in lubricants as detergents and as dispersants. The estimated 

usage of all lubricants in the automotive sector is estimated at 1.4 billion gallons. The 

US passenger car motor oil yearly consumption is estimated at 615 million gallons (4.5 

billion pounds). The surfactant usage in this category is estimated at 315 million 

pounds. 

Detergents used are magnesium sulphonate, calcium sulphonate, and sodium 

sulphonate. Dispersants used are typically alkenyl succinimides. 

Gasoline 

Detergents in gasoline keep the engine clean and can affect emissions. For that 

reason the United States Environmental Protection Agency has required all gasoline 

marketed in the United State to contain detergents since 1995. 

The US yearly consumption of gasoline is estimated at 142 billion gallons (880 billion 

pounds). The corresponding surfactant usage is estimated at 300 million pounds. 

Detergents include polyether amines, polybutene amines, Mannichs and alkenyl 

succinimides. 
28

SURFACTANT INDUSTRY MANUFACTURERS 

The structure of the surfactant industry is stratified and complex. It consists of large 

surfactant manufacturers that produce surfactant raw materials, surfactant producers 

without a raw material position that typically modify basic surfactants by sulfonation or 

ethoxylation, smaller specialty surfactant producers and/or formulators and end users 

that are often focused on specific industries. 

FIGURE 1 

U.S. SURFACTANT INDUSTRY STRUCTURE 

The large surfactant producers using petro-chemical feedstocks typically produce 

ethoxylated commodity surfactants for large volume household detergent customers. 

Intermediate-Size 

Producers (mainly 

sulfonators and 

ethoxylators) 

(approximately 10) 

Smaller Producers 

and/or Formulators 

(10-15) 

Large Producers 

that also 

manufacture 

surfactant raw 

materials 

(approximately 11)

End Users 
29

Companies producing surfactants based on oleochemical feedstocks usually have 

much broader product lines and make more processed downstream specialty 

surfactants based on sulfonation/sulfation, esterification and amination with nitriles. 

Due to difficult industry economic challenges caused by escalating feedstock costs and 

large manufacturer pricing pressure, the surfactant industry has undergone significant 

consolidation by acquisitions, divestitures, mergers and joint ventures especially among 

the smaller specialty producers. This segment is led by large producers with broad 

product lines and extensive marketing, research and manufacturing capabilities. These 

companies have grown by acquisition of smaller specialty, niche product producers. 

The 12 largest producers of specialty surfactants currently supply two-thirds of U.S. 

demand. This consolidation trend continues with more recent acquisitions, mergers and 

joint ventures happening on a global scale involving many major companies: Dow 

bought Union Carbide, Akzo Nobel acquired surfactant businesses from Witco and 

Crompton. Sasol acquired CONDEA and Cognis Corporation, the world’s largest 

oleochemical manufacturer and part of Henkel, has recently been acquired by PTT 

Chemicals, Thailand. Elsewhere, Nalco and Stepan recently formed a joint venture 

“Tiorco” to sell oilfield chemicals and services. 

SURFACTANT PRODUCT ABBREVIATIONS 

• AE Alcohol ethoxylates 

• AES Alcohol ether sulfates 

• APE Alkylphenol ethoxylates 

• APG Alkyl polyglycosides 

• AS Alcohol sulfonates/sulfates 

• DFX Diphenylether sulfonates 

• EO/PO Ethylene oxide/propylene oxide block copolymers 

• LAB Linear alkylbenzene 

• LAS Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates 

• MES Methyl ester sulfonates 

• NPE Nonylphenol ethoxylate
30

TABLE 1 

MAJOR BASIC SURFACTANT PRODUCERS 

COMPANY BASIC FEEDSTOCKS 

Petrochemical-Based: Detergent Alcohols Ethylene Oxide Linear Alkylbenzene Nonylphenol  BASF Corp. X  Dow Chemical X X  Huntsman Corp. X X X  Sasol N. America X X  Shell Chemical X X Oleochemical-Based: Detergent Alcohols Fatty Acids Nitrile-Based 

Amines 

 

 Akzo Nobel X X  Cognis Corp. X X  Crompton Corp. X X  Degussa Corp. X X  Uniqema X  Procter & Gamble X X  Lonza X 

 
31

TABLE 2 

MAJOR U.S. SURFACTANT PRODUCERS 

COMPANY SURFACTANT TYPES PRIMARY PRODU

 Anionic Catonic Nonionic Amphoteric Akzo Nobel X X X X Fatty amines, fatty acid BASF Corp. X X X EO/PO polymers, specClariant Corp. X X X AE, specialties, personCognis Corp. X X X X Cosmetics, Textiles, APCroda Inc. X X Personal care Degussa Corp. X X X X Specialties, surfactant Dow Chemical X X APE, DFX, specialties Harcros Chemical X X X Specialties, AE, NPE Huntsman Corp. X APE, commodities Kao Corp. X X X Specialties – textiles, pLambent Tech. X X Specialties, AE, NPE Lonza Inc. X X X Specialties, biocidal ca

textiles, personal care, 

McIntyre Group X X Anionics ONDEO Nalco X X Oilfield surfactants, formPilot Chem. X X Toll producer of commoProcter & Gamble X X Captive use, consumer Rhodia Inc. X X X X Specialty products, amSasol N. America X AE supplier to detergenShell Chem. X Detergent feedstock suStepan Co. X X X X Largest specialty supplTomah Prods. X X Fatty amines Unilever X X Captive use, consumer Uniquema X X X X Specialties, broad line 
32

SURFACTANT PRICING 

Surfactants are produced from basic petrochemical - “synthetic” and oleochemical – 

“natural” feedstocks. The basic petrochemical feedstocks are ethylene and benzene 

which are derived from crude oil and converted to surfactant intermediates, ethylene 

oxide (EO), linear alkylbenzene (LAB) and detergent alcohols. The basic oleochemical 

feedstocks are typically seed oils -palm and coconut and tallow. Raw material costs for 

these feedstocks are a prime determinant of surfactant pricing. In large, commodity 

surfactant markets such as detergent alcohols, feedstock costs for ethylene vs. plant 

oils will often determine product composition. 

Synthetic vs. Natural Feedstocks 

Through the 1990’s, surfactant production was dominated by the use of “synthetic” 

feedstocks due to low and stable crude oil prices. With the rapid escalation of crude oil 

pricing beginning in 2003, however, oleochemical-based surfactant production has 

expanded to support major surfactant feedstock substitution. More recently, strong 

demand for plant oils in oleochemicals and biodiesel has caused similar price escalation 

which has reduced the cost advantage for natural feedstocks. 

At the time of this writing, raw material costs for both synthetic and natural feedstocks 

have declined significantly. 

This raw material cost competition and resultant feedstock substitution is common to 

commodity surfactants especially in the detergent industry. Specialty surfactant 

products are less vulnerable to the impact of rising raw material and energy costs 

because they are more performance/value driven, command higher prices and create 

higher producer profit margins. 

Recent Pricing Trends 

The following pricing summaries demonstrate a major surfactant industry trend toward 

the increasing utilization of natural, renewable feedstocks which are primarily plant oils - 

palm, coconut and, most recently, soybean. The rapid price escalation of crude oil, 

natural gas and derivatives ethylene and benzene beginning in 2003 triggered a major 

reformulation of many basic commodity surfactants. Alcohol ethoxylates, for example, 

can be made from natural fatty alcohols rather than synthetic alcohols. Rising raw 

material costs only reinforced a growing trend toward consumer preference for natural, 

renewable-based green products. 

This feedstock substitution trend was temporarily interrupted during the first half of 2008 

when plant oil prices suddenly escalated with gasoline prices and rising biodiesel 

demand. Later in 2008, however, plant oil prices subsided with crude oil prices due to 

growing recessionary pressures and declining market demand. 
33

Feedstock Pricing 

Feedstock 2003 2005 4Q07 4Q08 

Petrochemical 

 Crude oil $/barrel 22 50 72 43 

 Natural gas $/MM BTU 5.00 6.50 7.90 5.80 

 Ethylene ¢/lb. .23 .57 .59 .51 

 Benzene ¢/lb. .25 .41 .50 .30 

Oleochemical 

 Coconut oil ¢/lb. .30 .27 .52 .345 

 Palm oil ¢/lb. .32 .185 .50 .255 

 Soybean oil ¢/lb. .25 .23 .38 .295 

Surfactant Pricing 

Recent pricing for major surfactants and their primary intermediates shown in the 

summary below documents the strong impact of feedstock costs on commodity 

surfactants and lesser influence on specialty surfactants. 

Intermediate Pricing 

Intermediate 2003 2005 4Q07 4Q08 

EO, Ethylene oxide ¢/lb. .50 .75 .75 .70 

LAB, Linear alkylbenzene ¢/lb. .70 .90 1.05 

Detergent alcohols ¢/lb. .55 .60 .80 

Surfactant Pricing 

¢/lb. 

 2005 4Q07 4Q08 

Commodity Surfactants 

 LAS, Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates .51 .71 .93 

 AE, Alcohol ethoxylates .60 .70 .90 

 AES, Alcohol ethoxysulfates 1.00 1.20 1.47 

 AS, Alcohol sulfates 1.35 1.50 1.70 

 NPE, Nonylphenol ethoxylates .80 1.02 1.40 

 

Specialty Surfactants 

 Betaines 2.56 2.72 

 Fatty alkamolamides 2.50 2.62 

 Alpha olefin sulfonates 1.49 1.56 

 Sarcosinates 1.46 1.51 

 Quaternary ammonium salts 1.24 1.30 

 Sulfosuccinates 1.24 1.27 

 Fatty amine oxides 1.17 1.22 
34

Oleochemical Surfactant Pricing Outlook (Including Soy) 

Despite wide fluctuations in both petrochemical (synthetic) and oleochemical (natural) 

feedstock pricing in recent years, the escalation of crude oil prices was most dramatic 

and had the biggest impact on surfactant pricing. Supply/demand changes, along with 

other factors such as currency exchange rates and commodity speculation, will continue 

to influence pricing of surfactants but not to the extent of the stronger influence exerted 

by 1) the growing U.S. dependence on crude oil imports (now 70% of supply) and 2) 

growing environmental and regulatory pressure on surfactant manufacturers to use 

natural, renewable raw materials. As a result, demand for oleochemical-based 

feedstocks will grow at the expense of petrochemical-based surfactants. 

Historically, the oleochemical feedstocks of choice have been palm, palm kernel and 

coconut oils as well as tallow. Soybean oil, with much greater supply volume and 

typically lower pricing, has not been used much in surfactant formulations. This has, 

most likely, been because of the higher level of polyunsaturates. Soy oil contains 

multiple unsaturates (double bonds) that preclude its use in most conventional 

surfactant products. The longer carbon chain fatty acids are not as water soluble and, 

consequently, do not “foam” as well; they can create dark colors when sulfonated and 

the greater reaction sites reduce the biodegradability of soy-based surfactants. 

Methyl ester sulfonates (MES) are anionic surfactants derived from any of these 

oleochemical feedstocks that have been around for many years but were not produced 

commercially because they could not compete with low cost petrochemical commodity 

surfactants. MES is making a comeback with some major manufacturing plants on 

stream using both palm and coconut oil mainly because of the higher prices of LAB 

surfactant intermediate. MES is being used as a replacement for LAS in laundry 

detergents because of 1) higher petrochemical costs, 2) the growing trend to cold 

washing temperatures and 3) a need for more neutral pH laundry detergent 

formulations. Growing production capacity in Asia and the U.S. is based mainly on 

palm oil but Stepan Company operates a coconut oil-based plant in Joliet, IN. Price 

competition between these seed oils will probably continue but they both produce cost 

performance competitive surfactants that can replace LAS detergents. 

Product Performance 

MES surfactants provide better overall detergency in hard and cold water, lower toxicity 

(mildness), more biodegradability and good compatibility with other detergent additives. 

The product performance advantages of MES are best optimized by the utilization of 

C16 and C18 fatty acids from palm, coconut and soybean oil. Unfortunately, soybean 

oil contains mostly C18 fatty acids and only 11% C16s which are preferred for MES. 

C18 fatty acids have some aquatic toxicity issues that preclude its use in MES. 

However, if traditional seed oil pricing returns and soy oil is the low cost seed oil vs. 

coconut and palm, C16 fractions at 11% content could be isolated and used as a costeffective MES feedstock. 
35

SOY-BASED SURFACTANTS and EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES 

The use of oleo chemicals, which consist mainly of plant based chemicals, is estimated 

at 60% of the total amount of petroleum chemicals and oleo chemicals used in 

surfactants. 

The primary plant based materials are coconut, palm, castor, rapeseed and soybean 

oils, with the majority being coconut and palm oil. 

The list below represents a sample of typical uses of soybean based surfactants in 

selected markets. 

1. Household Detergent. A biobased dishwasher detergent containing a 

biobased surfactant from the fermentation of soybean oil and sugars which 

produces sophorolipids. Name of the detergent is SophoronTM. Manufacturer is 

Saraya Co., Ltd. located in Osaka, Japan. Website is www.saraya.com. 

2. Agricultural Chemicals. Use of lecithin in soybean herbicide adjuvants. 

Adjuvants are substances added to the spray tank, separate from the herbicide 

formulation that will improve the performance of the herbicide. Examples are 

trade names of CompareTM, LI700® and Liberate®. Manufacturer is Loveland 

Products, Inc. in Greeley, Colorado. Website is www.lovelandproducts.com. 

3. Personal Care. Non nonionic surfactants derived from soy oil which are used in 

mild cleaning agents for skin and hair care and a solubilizer for fragrances and 

oils. Products are ChemonicTMSI-63 and ChemonicTMSI-7. Products are 

supplied by Noveon® Consumer Specialties owned by the Lubrizol Corporation 

of Wickliffe, Ohio. Website is www.personalcare.noveon.com. 

4. Personal Care. Condensation product of undecylenic acid and hydrolyzed soy 

protein. Product is used in hair care and skin care as a cleanser. The product is 

undecylenoyl soy polypeptide. It is sold by Sinerga Cosmetic Company of 

Milano, Italy. Website is www.sinerga.it, 

5. Household Detergent. A liquid laundry detergent that contains a soy-based 

fabric softener. Product name is Ecos. Manufacturer is Earth Friendly Products 

of Winnetka, Illinois. Website is www.ecos.com. 

6. Agricultural Chemicals/Construction. Use of ethoxylated soybean oil for 

surfactants in herbicides and pesticides. An example is AgniqueTM SBO-10. 

This same surfactant is used to treat fly ash for use in concrete. Manufacturer is 

Cognis GmbH headquartered in Monheim, Germany. Website is 

www.cognis.com. 

7. Oilfield Chemicals. Use of soy alkyltrimethyl ammonium chloride as a 

surfactant to recover crude oil in crude oil and water emulsions. Typical trade 
36

names are Arquad® SV-60 PG and Arquad® S-50. The manufacturer is Akzo 

Nobel headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Website is 

www.akzonobel.com. 

8. Textiles. Use of sulfated soybean oil as a textile lubricant. Product is ActrasolTM 

OY-67. Manufacturer is Georgia Pacific Corp. headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia 

and owned by Koch Industries. Website is www.gp.com. 

9. Paints & Coatings. Use of sulfated soybean oil in paints and coatings. Product 

is ActrasolTM OY-75. Manufacturer is Georgia Pacific Corp. headquartered in 

Atlanta and owned by Koch Industries. Website is www.gp.com. 

10. Food Processing. Use of lecithin to provide emulsification properties in foods 

with high-viscosity, reduced –fat, high moisture and/or flavor-sensitive 

applications. Typical products from Archer Daniels Midland, headquartered in 

Decatur, Illinois, are Yelkin® lecithin, Ultralec® lecithin and BeakinTMlecithin. 

Website is www.admworld.com. Other uses for lecithin can be found at 

www.soynewuses.org. 

The above uses of soybean-based products are examples of both the soybean oil and 

the soy protein as the starting materials for surfactants. Soybean oil has been the 

principal feedstock used in the manufacture of surfactants from soybeans. 

EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FAVORING SOY-BASED SURFACTANTS 

The emerging technologies that may affect the increased usage of soy-based 

surfactants in the future are: 

1. Increased knowledge in enzymatic processes which are related to fermentation 

to produce surfactants. 

2. Increased knowledge in the area of protein-based surfactants to provide 

functionality is not currently available today. Soy oleosin surfactants were 

studied by the University of Southern Mississippi. Three soy oleosin emulsifiers 

were identified, two lipoproteins and one vacuole protein, that were “100 times 

more efficient wetting agents than conventional surfactants” and highly 

biodegradable. These soy proteins also emulsify best in highly alkaline systems 

such as detergents, household and industrial cleaners. This feasibility study was 

completed but no further application development work was done. Further 

application work holds good potential. 

3. Increased knowledge of the oil content to produce fatty acid components with 

less unsaturation. 
37

4. Process improvements in processing technology of producing surfactants by 

using micro fluidizer technology to prepare more stable nanoemulsions. 

5. Separation technologies to produce products with fewer impurities to increase 

potential product applications, especially in food and personal care. Cargill has 

developed a new fluid membrane separation process that can produce clear 

lecithin for these applications. 

The United States Patent database was analyzed to evaluate the number of patents 

filed from 1975 to present. The word “surfactant” and the words “surfactant and 

soybean” were searched in the patent claims. Notably the peak year for these patent 

applications with the word “surfactant” in the claims peaked in 2001 at 1,931 patents 

and has decreased drastically since then. A similar pattern is seen with claims having 

the words “surfactant and soybeans” with a peak of 38 patents for each year in 2000 

and 2001. 

These trends and emerging technologies suggest that there is room for innovation using 

soy-based surfactants. 

Number of US Patents Filed in Specified Year

(with word "surfactant" or words "surfactant and soybean" in the claims)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

1975

1980

1985

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Year of Patent Filing

Number of Patents Filed

Claims with Word "Surfactant"

Claims With Words "Surfactant and

Soybean"
38

ISSUE ANALYSIS

ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY ISSUES 

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION 

The surfactant industry is facing challenging environmental, regulatory and consumer 

pressure on the production, exposure, packaging, handling, transporting, use and 

disposal of its products. Surfactant product protection and safety is regulated by the 

U.S. EPA and other federal, state and local agencies regarding product toxicity, 

flammability and volatility. In addition, surfactants used in food processing applications 

are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and surfactants with biocidal 

claims must be registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act 

(FIFRA). 

Other environmental regulations impacting surfactant suppliers and end users include 

the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration (OSHA) standards. More recently, a number of consumer 

product certification organizations have influenced product environmental acceptability – 

Clean Gredients, Green Seal, EPA’s Design for the Environment Program, EcoLogo, 

Eco-Label, GreenGuard, Nordic Swan and EcoCert. Also, the impact of the European 

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) program 

is growing. 

THE “GREEN” PRODUCT MOVEMENT 

Throughout the surfactant industry, there is significant new consumer market driven 

demand for natural, renewable-based products that are more environmentally friendly. 

Consumers and major retailers of surfactant-containing products want “wellness” and 

“sustainability” in addition to product performance. This new influence has come on 

strongly in the last two years, on top of concern for rising raw material and energy costs 

and the growing requirement to have cleaning products “certified” as safe. 

This new market driven influence has resulted in some major purchasers of surfactantcontaining products banning specific surfactants. In 2006, Wal-Mart North America 

began phasing out a list of suspect chemicals including APE (alkyl-phenol ethoxylates). 

Cintas Corporation, a major industrial launderer, banned NPE (nonyl-phenol 

ethoxylates) detergents in 2008 and Levi Strauss began a ban on NPE use. Many 

producers of formulated cleaning products have responded to these initiatives by 

eliminating APEs from their products, replacing the surfactants with natural, renewable 

oleo-based products such as methyl ester sulfonates (MES) from soy or palm oil or 

seed oil-based alcohol ethoxylates. Major cleaning product manufacturers - 

JohnsonDiversey, Ecolab and Reckitt Benckiser - have phased APEs out of their 

formulations. 
39

SURFACTANT PRODUCTS OF CONCERN 

• LAS – Linear alkybenzene sulfonates. There is a general health concern about 

surfactants containing sulfates that has increased demand for renewable-based 

substitutes especially in large commodity detergent products. 

• NPE, APE – Nonylphenol ethoxylates, alkylphenol ethoxylates. These compounds 

have long been suspected “endocrine disrupters” that cause reproductive disorders 

in aquatic life forms and potentially in humans. They are major commodity industrial 

surfactants that have been thoroughly studied and banned in much of Europe 

although not in the U.S. 

• Diethanolamides (DEA) – These commodity nonionic surfactants are typically based 

on oleochemical fatty acids and have been shown to cause skin cancer in mice. 

• Tallow fatty acid-based surfactants – There is some concern over possible health 

risks from “mad cow disease” that has caused some reformulating of surfactants to 

vegetable-based raw materials. 

The environmental and health issues described above, coupled with severe price 

volatility of feedstocks, especially crude oil and natural gas, have resulted in a 

significant response by the surfactant industry. The emerging trends include corporate 

consolidation as smaller specialty producers are acquired by larger firms, a growing 

demand for renewable-based products that are safer and less environmentally 

damaging, a renewed emphasis on R&D to produce value-added differentiated 

products, an increased use of surfactant blends to create better cost-performance and 

the introduction of concentrate cleaners to reduce costs, boost cleaning performance 

and reduce the environmental imprint of products in terms of energy consumed and 

packaging disposal. 

UNMET SURFACTANT MARKET NEEDS 

While the ten markets that are explored in detail along with five other market segments 

that are mentioned in this summary are very diverse; they do hold one thing in common, 

and that is the concern for the environment. 

This concern ranges all the way from the impact of crude oil supply and demand, 

environmental impact of chemicals, energy usage, conservation of resources, etc. The 

end result is some form of consumer awareness in these issues. The consumer in this 

case is all through the value chain from the manufacture of chemicals, formulators of 

products, retail outlets, and to the final consumer. 

In addition to this value chain to the consumer, an interest in the “cradle to grave” use of 

products by both governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations has 
40

heightened environmental interests and created a growing trend in more stringent 

environmental regulations impacting surfactants. 

Nowhere is this more evident than in the household detergent market. This market has 

progressed through many changes. 

• Emergence of synthetic detergents (surfactants) to replace soaps and 

reformulation for biodegradability (1950-1970). 

• Liquid home laundry products replace powders (1990-current). 

• Concentration of liquids to save on shipping, container costs, and shelf space 

(2007-2008). 

• Front loading washing machines that use less water and operate at lower 

temperatures to save energy (current). 

The current changes in washing technology will require surfactants that operate at lower 

temperatures and use less water for rinsing among other requirements. 

These trends that concern the environment also impact industrial and institutional 

cleaners. 

Consumers of personal care products want products that are mild on their skin and hair 

along with being good for the environment. Knowledge of the chemistry of skin and 

hair will create more scientific approaches to formulating products in this area. 

Renewable-based surfactants offer good potential here. 

As users of petrochemicals seek alternatives to crude oil-based feedstocks through 

other alternatives such as coal, etc., opportunities exist for surfactant use in extracting 

crude oil from oil reservoirs that have been difficult to remove. 

This same concern for the environment can also be seen in the trend to lower solvent 

usage and lower VOCs in paints and coatings, industrial and institutional cleaners, 

adhesives, paint strippers and many other formulated products. Surfactants must also 

meet these environmental standards and regulations. 
41

BARRIERS TO MARKET ENTRY 

Oleochemical-based surfactants have historically utilized coconut oil, palm oil and tallow 

more than soybean oil. The basic chemistry of soybean oil has not been a deterrent for 

surfactant use, although the higher levels of unsaturated fatty acids in soy (C18) can 

affect water solubility and oxidative stability versus the other oleo feedstocks. Pricing 

and availability of these raw materials are still the primary drivers of raw material choice. 

Soybean oil has not been widely available in Europe; this may have influenced 

surfactant products that excluded soy. 

Environmental and regulatory standards are becoming more stringent. Based on 

specific end use markets, surfactant products and formulations in which they are used 

must meet aquatic and human toxicity testing requirements as well as biodegradability 

standards. 

Product registration of surfactants and their formulated products is now required by the 

EPA in the U.S. and REACH in Europe. This can be a time consuming and costly 

process. 

Another potential marketing issue involves the use of GMO soybeans and the consumer 

perception of product safety concerns. Although this is not a problem at this time, future 

development efforts involving soy-based surfactant products planned for use in the food 

or personal care markets should consider the use of GMO soybeans and their potential 

impact on demand for the end product.