Coatings World - March 2016

Demand for surfactants in the U.S. is expected to rise 3.2 percent per year to 10. 9 billion pounds in 2018, valued at $14.4 billion. Growth will be supported by rising construction expenditures and oil and gas production, as well as by rebounds in consumer spending on personal care products. A shift toward higher value specialty surfactants for performance advantages will also promote growth in dollar terms. These and other trends are presented in Surfactants, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Industrial markets are expected to
post the most significant gains in sur-
factant demand in both volume and
value terms through 2018. Demand for
surfactants used as cement and asphalt
additives, particularly lignosulfonates
and other anionics, will benefit from a
rebound in nonresidential building con-
struction. Favorable growth opportuni-
ties for specialty surfactants in paint and
coatings and plastics will benefit from a
combination of expanding residential
construction and increased manufactur-
ing activity. Despite a decline in oil prices
in late 2014 and early 2015, demand for
surfactants used in oil and natural gas
production is expected to rise at an above
average pace, though growth will moder-
ate from the double digit annual gains ex-
perienced between 2008 and 2013.
Specialty surfactants will account for
a greater share of sales in industrial ap-
plications, as users favor their improved
efficiency, multifunctionality, and greater
safety and sustainability. Amphoterics,
silicone, fluorosurfactants, quaternary
ammonium compounds, and fatty amine
oxides are among the surfactants that
will show healthy growth going forward.
Demand for surfactants in cleaning
products -- the most established end use
for surfactants -- is expected to show
moderate growth in volume terms, as
production of cleaning products is pro-
jected to rise at a modest pace. In the
personal care product market, surfactants
that are gentle on skin and hair and are
also environmentally sustainable will see
the best growth prospects in dollar terms.
Surfactants such as amphoterics, silicone,
and certain types of nonionics will ben-
efit the most from this trend. Naturally
derived biosurfactants, which tend to
see limited use in industrial and clean-
ing product markets, will expand their
share of the personal care product mar-
ket in dollar terms as many consumers
increasingly favor products that are mar-
keted as “natural.”

USGBC’s New Report Reveals Hospitality Industry Poised for Tremendous Growth in Green Building The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its LEED in Motion: Hospitality report, which showcases tremendous industry growth in green building and defines the scale up opportunities for the hospitality sector. More than 109 million square feet of hotel space is currently LEED certified, and the report highlights some of the most impressive LEED-certified hotels throughout the world.

“Across industries we are seeing an increase in consumer demand toward sustainability practices, and no industry is better poised to meet these demands than hospitality. This growing sector is rapidly adopting green buildings because owners and developers want to enhance their triple bottom line – people, planet and profit,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “LEED is a transformative tool that positively impacts the quality of our built space by creating a healthier, more sustainable environment that saves