Catalyst Market

Catalyst Market Overview

The global Catalyst Market size was valued at USD 37.70 billion in 2024 and is predicted to reach USD 49.04 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 4.5% from 2025-2030.

Some of the factors that drives the catalyst market is increasing demand for petrochemicals, boosting chemical industry and increasing healthcare expenditure. Additionally, key player such as Exxon Mobil Corporation, Johnson Matthey Catalysts Limited and Clariant AG are adopting various business strategies such as collaboration and expansion to maintain their dominance in the market. However, complex regulations and compliance by the regulatory bodies hinders the market growth. In coming years, the shift to hydrogen economy and its increased rely on such additives is anticipated to create significant future opportunities for the market.

Increasing Demand for Petrochemicals Drives Market Growth

The catalyst industry is propelled by growth in the petrochemical industry since it is a key intermediate that fuels up the chemical reaction. Such additives play a vital role in petrochemical processing activities such as hydrocracking, hydrotreating, aromatics manufacture, and ethylene-to-ethylene oxide conversion through an alternative pathway to the reaction with lower activation energy. The high dependence of petrochemical processes in such additives for economic viability boost the industry. The BCG report from 2024 predicts a 3% annual rise in global petrochemical demand until 2035. This increasing demand requires such additives in production, leading to higher demand.

Boosting Chemical Industry Fuels Market Growth

The growth in catalyst industry is further fuelled by the boost in the chemical industry due to the increasing reliance of such additives in chemical processes such as fertilisers production, gold refining, and industrial processes. Such additives facilitate different pathway by lowering activation energy leading to economic viability that in turn increases its adoption among companies. 

According to the report published by the European Chemical Industry Council in 2024, global chemical production rose by 6.1% in 2024 in comparison to 2.7% growth rate in 2023. Such global increase in chemical production necessitates the usage of such stimulant for optimizing process efficiency that fuels the catalyst market demand.

Increasing Healthcare Expenditure Fuels Market Growth

The growth in the market is further fueled by growing health care expenditure that drives research and development in the different applications of health care, such as vaccines, chemical therapies, drug delivery systems, and pharmaceutical syntheses. Such application demands catalyst usage in order to improve reaction mechanism and efficiency, thus boosting the catalyst market expansion.  

UK healthcare spending totalled USD 371 billion in 2023, an increase of 5.6% from 2022, reported by the UK Office for National Statistics. In America, this ranked at 7.5%, reaching a value of USD 4.9 trillion or 14,570 per person in 2023 by CMS. Such increased spendings boost the usage boosting market growth.

Complex Regulation Hinders Market Growth

The catalyst market growth is hindered due to the presence of complex stringent regulations and guidelines associated with the industry. In the U.S., there exists the presence of regulatory bodies such as Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while in the European Union, the regulatory body is the European Commission (EC), possessing complex compliance standards that create barriers for catalyst manufacturers, thereby increasing the production cost and operational complexities.

Shift to Hydrogen Economy Creates Future Opportunities

In near future, research and development towards hydrogen economy is anticipated to create significant future opportunities in the industry. Such development is anticipated to create increased usage of such additives driving research and development in the industry. For instance, in April 2024, Japan’s Riken Centre created a catalyst for green hydrogen. The custom-made additive enables green and sustainable extraction of hydrogen from water. Based on its potential the shift to hydrogen economy is anticipated to create significant future scope.

Market Segmentations and Scope of the Study 

The catalyst market report can be classified on the basis of type, raw material, process, application, and region. On the basis of type, the market can be classified into heterogeneous catalyst and homogeneous catalyst. On the basis of raw materials, the market can be grouped into chemical compounds, metals, zeolites, and others. Based on chemical compounds, the market is further classified into peroxides, acids, amines, and others. Based on metals, the market is further divided into precious metals and base metals. On the basis of process, the market is grouped into recycling, regeneration, and rejuvenation. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into chemical synthesis, petroleum refining, polymers and petrochemicals, and environmental. Based on chemical synthesis, the market is further divided into chemical catalysts, adsorbents, syngas production, and others. Based on petroleum refining, the market is further grouped into fluid catalytic alkylation (FCC), alkylation, hydrotreating, catalytic reforming, purification, bed grading, and others. Based on polymers and petrochemicals, the market is further classified into Zeigler-Natta, reaction initiator, chromium, urethane, solid phosphorus acid catalyst, and others. Based on environmental, the market is further segregated into light-duty vehicles, motorcycles, heavy-duty vehicles, and others. Regional breakdown and analysis of each of the aforesaid segments includes regions comprising of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW.

Geographical Analysis

North America region dominates the catalyst market share and is expected to maintain its dominance in the industry during the forecast period due to the increasing focus to boost petrochemical production including ethylene and polyethylene capacity. The expansion of such industry requires the usage of such additives to facilitate economic viability that result in its increased usage. 

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis report published in January 2024 stated Chevron Phillips Chemical announced the investment of USD 14.5 billion to expand ethylene and polyethylene capacity in the U.S. Such investment necessitates the usage of catalyst that drives the growth in the market. 

In addition, the healthcare spendings in the region stimulate a number of applications such as vaccine developments, chemical therapies, drug delivery systems, and pharmaceutical synthesis that require the use of catalyst. In Canada as per CIHI, healthcare spending is expected to reach USD 372 billion or USD 9,054 per Canadian showing a 5.7% increase. Such increased spendings promotes usage of such additives that promotes the market growth.

Asia-Pacific continues to be the fast-growing region and is expected to maintain its dominance in the market due to the emerging petrochemical industry in the region. As per the report by International Energy Agency 2023, petrochemical capacity in China increased from 8.9 Mt/year in 2023 to 9.3 Mt/year in 2024. Such emerging petrochemical sector requires catalyst for economic viability and smoother reaction mechanism that boosts the market.

Besides, the boosting pharmaceutical industry in the region requires the usage of catalyst to extensively synthesize active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) by enabling complex chemical reactions to occur under milder conditions, with higher selectivity, and improved yields. 

According to the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Indian pharmaceutical market summed USD 49.78 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 130 billion reflecting a change of 161.14% within time span of 7 years. The usage of such additives leads to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly drug production processes that thereby, boost the market growth.

Competitive Landscape

Various key market players operating in the catalyst industry are Johnson Matthey Catalysts Limited, BASF SE, Clariant AG, Evonik Industries AG, Axens, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Albemarle Corporation, W.R. Garce and Company, Haldor Topsoe, Honeywell Internation Inc, DuPont de Nemours, Inc, Dow Inc, Umicore, Aladdin Scientific Corp, Anton Paar GmbH, CarboTech AC GmbH, and others. These market players are adopting various strategies such as collaboration and expansion to maintain their dominance in immunization industry.

For example, In January 2025, Exxon Mobil Corporation signed a MoU to grow its operations in Indonesia. This collaboration bolsters company’s downstream programs, stimulate job creation, and reinforce Indonesia’s commitment to sustainability.

Additionally, in November 2024, Johnson Matthey Catalysts Limited signed an MoU with Honeywell UOP for a partnership and agreed to provide the former with an end-to-end solution for businesses that develop alternative fuels. This partnership aims to drive down operating costs and accelerate the deployment of viable projects producing fuels. 

Besides, in July 2024, Clariant AG collaborated with OMV for the supply of ethylene with a lower carbon print in response to greater consumer demand. This partnership complements the companies target to meet their sustainability target. 

Key Benefits

• The report provides quantitative analysis and estimations of the catalyst industry from 2025 to 2030, which assists in identifying the prevailing market opportunities.

• The study comprises a deep-dive analysis of the current and future catalyst market trends to depict prevalent investment pockets in the industry.

• Information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities and their impact on the catalyst industry is provided in the report. 

• Competitive analysis of the key players, along with their market share is provided in the report.

• SWOT analysis and Porters Five Forces model is elaborated on the study.

• Value chain analysis in the market study provides a clear picture of roles of stakeholders.

Catalyst Market Key Segments

By Type

• Heterogeneous Catalyst

• Homogeneous Catalyst

By Raw Materials

• Chemical Compounds

  • Peroxides

  • Acids

  • Amines

  • Others

• Metals

  • Precious Metals

  • Base Metals

• Zeolites

• Others

By Process

• Recycling

• Regeneration

• Rejuvenation

By Application

• Chemical Synthesis

  • Chemical Catalysts

  • Adsorbents

  • Syngas Production

  • Others

• Petroleum Refining

  • Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC)

  • Alkylation

  • Hydrotreating

  • Catalytic Reforming

  • Purification

  • Bed Grading

  • Others

• Polymers and Petrochemicals

  • Ziegler Natta

  • Reaction Initiator

  • Chromium

  • Urethane

  • Solid Phosphorus Acid Catalyst

  • Others

• Environmental

  • Light-duty Vehicles

  • Motorcycles

  • Heavy-duty Vehicles

  • Others

By Region

• North America

  • The U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico

• Europe

  • The U.K.

  • Germany

  • France        

  • Italy        

  • Spain        

  • Denmark        

  • Netherlands        

  • Finland        

  • Sweden        

  • Norway        

  • Russia

  • Rest of Europe

• Asia-Pacific

  • China

  • Japan

  • India

  • South Korea

  • Australia

  • Indonesia

  • Singapore

  • Taiwan

  • Thailand

  • Rest of Asia-Pacific 

• RoW

  • Latin America

  • Middle East

  • Africa

Key Players

• Johnson Matthey Catalysts Limited

• BASF SE

• Clariant AG

• Evonik Industries AG

• Axens

• Exxon Mobil Corporation

• Albemarle Corporation

• W.R. Garce and Company

• Haldor Topsoe

• Honeywell Internation Inc

• DuPont de Nemours, Inc

• Dow Inc

• Umicore

• Aladdin Scientific Corp

• Anton Paar GmbH

REPORT SCOPE AND SEGMENTATION:

Parameters	Details
Market Size in 2024	USD 37.70 billion
Revenue Forecast in 2030	USD 49.04 billion
Growth Rate	CAGR of 4.5% from 2025 to 2030
Analysis Period	2024–2030
Base Year Considered	2024
Forecast Period	2025–2030
Market Size Estimation	Billion (USD)
Growth Factors	Rising petrochemical sector drives the catalyst industry. Growing chemical industry boosts the market. The increase in healthcare expenditures drives the growth of the market.
Countries Covered	28
Companies Profiled	15
Market Share	Available for 10 companies
Customization Scope	Free customization (equivalent to up to 80 working hours of analysts) after purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional, and segment scope.
Pricing and Purchase Options	Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs.