Benzalkonium Chloride Market Share

Benzalkonium Chloride Market Overview

The benzalkonium chloride market size was USD 521 million in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 650 Million by 2027, is expected to register a CAGR of 8.1%. The rising demand for the product as a biocide among the food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and oil & gas industries is projected to drive the global market growth during the estimated period. Moreover, the rising awareness about hygiene among consumers is projected to bring lucrative opportunities for the worldwide market.

The worldwide benzalkonium chloride market has been segmented based on the application, purity, end-users, and function. Further, the purity segment is classified into 80%, 50%, and others. The function segment is categorized into cationic surfactant, biocide, phase transfer agent, and preservative. The end-user segment has been segmented based on oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, personal care & cosmetics, food & beverage, pulp & paper, plastics & polymer, chemicals, and textile. Based on the application segment, the global market has been segregated into pharmaceutical formulations, corrosion inhibition, formulation of cleaner sanitizers, enhanced oil extraction, timber protection, and water treatment.

The key regions involved in the benzalkonium chloride market are the Middle East & Africa, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the rest of the world. Of these, the North American market is estimated to lead the global market throughout the review period.

A distribution deal for pharmaceutical grade Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC) to the pharmaceutical and medical device markets in Germany, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and Ireland was signed in 2024 by Actylis and Novo Nordisk Pharmatech A/S. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) OTC Drug Review is purportedly eligible to evaluate benzalkonium chloride as one of the few ingredients for use in consumer antiseptic rub products. BioArmor has developed a hand sanitizer that contains this ingredient by combining Novo Nordisk Pharmatech's leading position as a manufacturer of the highest standards of pharmaceutical grade quaternary ammonium compounds (Quats) with Actylis' expertise and infrastructure in critical raw material distribution in 2020.

Benzalkonium Chloride Market Segmentation

The benzalkonium chloride market has been segmented on the basis of purity/concentration, function, application, end-use industry, and region.

Based on purity/concentration, the benzalkonium chloride market has been divided into 50%, 80%, and others.

By function, the benzalkonium chloride market has been categorized into biocide, cationic surfactant, preservative, and phase transfer agent.

Based on application, the benzalkonium chloride market has been segmented into corrosion inhibition, pharmaceutical formulations, enhanced oil extraction, formulation of cleaner-sanitizers, water treatment, timber protection, and others.

On the basis of end-use industry, the benzalkonium chloride market has been categorized into pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, personal care & cosmetics, chemicals, pulp & paper, food & beverage, textile, plastics & polymer, and others.

Key Players

Stepan Company (US), Novo Nordisk A/S (Denmark), Kao Corporation (Japan), Iwaki Seiyaku Co.,Ltd (Japan), MP Biomedicals (US), Shanghai Bichain Industrial Chemical Co., Ltd (China), Quat-Chem Ltd (UK), Haihang Group (China), Dishman Group (India), Bramchem Ltd (UK), ALPHA CHEMICALS PVT. LTD (India), TCI Chemicals (India) Pvt. Ltd (India), SAJMIL CHEMICALS (US), and Innova Corporate (India) among others are some of the key players operating in the benzalkonium chloride market.

Market Synopsis

Benzalkonium chloride (BKC) is a clear, colorless or a slightly yellowish liquid belonging to the quaternary ammonium group, mainly used as a biocide and a cationic surfactant in a variety of end-use industries. It is a nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent and is available in mainly two purities/concentrations—50% and 80%. It is majorly used in the formulation of disinfectants and bacterial sanitizers used in the healthcare, food & dairy, home care, and personal hygiene sectors. In addition, it is used as a preservative in the pharmaceutical industry for a variety of ophthalmic, oral, nasal, and topical drugs and in a broad range of ointments and creams.

The prominent factor driving the growth of the market is the growing demand for the product as a biocide in the pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and oil & gas industries. It incorporates both microbicidal & detergency properties, making it ideal for the formulation of hygiene products. It exhibits rapid, safe, and powerful antimicrobial activity at low ppm (concentrations), strong detergency, compatibility with non-ionic, amphoteric, and cationic surface-active agents, and high molecular stability as well as retention of activity at high-temperature ranges, owing to which the product finds application in the formulation of disinfectants and detergent-sanitizers. Moreover, it is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-staining, making it useful in the food & beverage industry for the formulation of cleaner sanitizers for dairies, slaughterhouses, breweries, food storage tanks, and milk storage tanks, among others. With the growing awareness regarding hygiene among the consumers, coupled with the healthy growth of the food & beverage industry is likely to boost demand for benzalkonium chloride in the years to follow.

The product serves diverse applications in the chemical industry as a precipitant, emulsifier & de-emulsifier, and phase transfer catalyst. In the oil & gas industry, biocorrosion is a major operational hazard, wherein the product is used to control the activities of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) which causes pitting of steel equipment and pipelines. Additionally, benzalkonium chloride is used to enhance the oil extraction process through de-emulsification and sludge breaking. The significantly growing popularity of EOR for the efficient and optimum oil production is expected to boost the demand for the product and favor the growth of the market during the assessment period.

However, the health hazards associated with the exposure of benzalkonium chloride are expected to limit the use of the product and act as a barrier to the growth of the market in the coming years.

Global Benzalkonium Chloride Market Share, by End-Use Industry, 2019 (%)  

Source: MRFR Analysis

Regional Analysis

The global benzalkonium chloride market has been studied with respect to five key regions, namely Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The North American market is projected to be the leading regional market on the basis of market value during the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to the widespread use of the product in the pharmaceutical and oil & gas industries. Significantly rising EOR activities in the US is expected to boost demand for benzalkonium chloride in the oil & gas industry and thus favor the growth of the regional market in the years to follow.

The market in Asia-Pacific is projected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period owing to the increasing investments in the pharmaceutical industry and healthy growth of the food & beverage industry. The food & beverage industry in the region is the largest in the world, and rising food consumption as a result of the growing population is further expected to boost the growth of the industry during the forecast period.

The benzalkonium chloride market in Europe is projected to grow at a moderate rate during the forecast period; Germany and Russia being the major contributors. This is attributed to the use of the product in wastewater treatment and pharmaceutical industries as one of the major preservatives in ophthalmic preparations.

Recent Development

In April 2021

The Indian leading pharmaceutical company, Mankind Pharma, has declared about its toilet seat disinfectant spray, which comes under the latest brand Safe kind. This spray is very easy to use in unhygienic toilets or public toilets. It is primarily developed for ladies for hygienic purposes.

Intended Audience

• Benzalkonium chloride manufacturers


• Traders and distributors of benzalkonium chloride


• Research and development institutes


• Potential investors


• Raw material suppliers