Coatings World - December 2015

Catherine Diamond, Associate Editor

Biocides – which play an integral role in the paint and coatings, water treatment, wood preservation, and food and beverage industries – has sustained healthy growth over the last few years, and is expected to continue to do so through at least 2020.

According to a report by research firm Markets and Markets, the aforementioned industrial markets are expected to significantly boost the demand for biocides. The newer breed of biocides, the report states, have lesser environmental impact and better performance features – key drivers of the biocide market. Growth in water treatment is driving the global biocide market, given that the water treatment industry is dependent upon total global water consumption. Markets and Markets found that the water treatment segment held approximately 25. 6 percent the global market share in 2014 in terms of volume.

“The increasing demand for treated municipal and industrial water from end-use industries is driving the market for biocides. The increased emphasis on clean water by the governments of both the developed and developing nations paves the way for the growth of biocides,” the report states.

Following water treatment, food and beverage applications are another major segment for biocides. Food safety regulations, which are frequently updated in both North America and Europe, are market drivers.

In developed countries, the paints and coatings industries are a significant market. In fact, market research and consulting firm Grand View Research found that North America accounts for 40% of the global revenue share for the biocides market. That number is largely propelled by an increased demand for paints and coatings in both residential and commercial applications.

Markets and Markets said in its report: “Biocides are used as
additives in the paint industry to protect the paint from spoilage
during storage and to prevent fungi and algae from growing on
the applied paint. The damage to surfaces coated with paint and
coating materials is due to microbial attack has always been an
area of concern to the industry. They are also used in polymers
for preventing the growth of bacteria or fungi and also to pre-
vent degradation of polymer physical and sensorial properties,
both within the material and at its surface.”
In 2010, Markets and Markets predicted that the global bio-
cides market would grow to $9.4 billion by 2016. In a more
recent report, the firm predicts that the global market will reach
$10.6 billion by 2020. North America is currently the dominant
market for biocides, while Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing.
“The reviving construction industry in North America
drives the market for biocides in paints and coatings and
wood preservation segments,” the report states. “The paints
and coatings segment is expected to witness growth during the
projected period.”
For its part, the Asia-Pacific region’s increased focus on safe
food packaging is expected to propel the biocides market there.
Construction activities, new manufacturing, and continued con-
struction investments in the region are also expected to contrib-
ute to the increased utilization of biocides.
Biocides are available in a variety of formulations, depend-
ing on need, and halogen compounds held the largest market
share through 2014. They are expected to continue to domi-
nate the market through 2020, Markets and Markets predicts.
Halogen compounds are popular because they offer “very ef-
fective microbial growth control agents, less costly, efficient,
have wide spectrum of applications, and relatively low occur-
rence of resistance.”
Another type of biocide using metallic compounds is widely
used in wood preservation, food and beverage, and paint and
coatings applications.

“Silver-based biocides are widely used as an antibacterial agent in consumer products because of their properties such as high thermal stability and health and environmental safety,” the report states.