ALKYL KETENE DIMER MARKET ANALYSIS

Alkyl Ketene Dimer Market Size and Trends

The alkyl ketene dimer market is estimated to be valued at USD 357.6 Mn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 499.8 Mn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% from 2024 to 2031.

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The market is primarily driven by the increasing demand from the paper industry as alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) is used as a sizing agent in the production of coated paper and paperboards. Rapid industrialization and increasing manufacturing activities have resulted in a rise in demand for packaged goods which require coated and laminated paper for packaging applications. This is positively impacting the growth of the alkyl ketene dimer market. The increasing penetration of e-commerce is another factor augmenting the market growth.

Increased Demand for AKD in Paper Production

One of the major drivers for the alkyl ketene dimer market growth has been the increased demand for AKD in paper production applications. AKD is considered an important chemical additive that is commonly used in the paper and paperboard industry for improving the strength, stability, and quality of the final product. As AKD can effectively enhance the sizing effect of paper, it helps manufacturers produce paper with good printing surface and reduced strike-through. With rising paper consumption globally, driven by increasing packaging as well as printing and writing needs, the demand for high quality paper grades sized with AKD is observing a noticeable surge. The paper industry has been reporting strong growth numbers in regions such as Asia Pacific with China and India witnessing a boom in paper packaging. Expanding e-commerce is propelling the need for corrugated boxes, cartons, paper bags, and shipping materials. Rapid urbanization along with improving economic conditions in developing nations has augmented the demand for branded packaging from consumer goods and food and beverage industries. AKD as a highly effective paper strengthening and quality enhancer agent, plays a pivotal role in enabling paper mills to carter to the packaging sector requirements.

Increasing Usage of AKD in Textile Sizing

Another key factor attributed to driving the alkyl ketene dimer market is the increasing application of AKD in textile sizing. AKD acts as a premium textile-sizing agent that helps improve various properties of the yarn including stiffness, abrasion resistance, and minimum damage during weaving or knitting. It is recognized to have more efficiency in delivering sizing properties compared to conventional products such as rosin, gelatin, and starch. With today’s textile manufactures striving for higher productivity and consistent quality, the use of AKD for warp sizing prior to weaving has noticed momentum. Developed as well developing economies witnessing expansion of their textile industries augments the demand from this application segment. Countries such as India and Bangladesh exporting large volumes of textile products have emerged as major consumers of AKD. In addition, growing apparel demands from regions including North America and European countries boosts textile production and thereby AKD consumption.