Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Solvents & Thinners Market Report Scope & Overview

The aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market size was USD 4.10 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 5.58 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 3.94% % over the forecast period of 2025-2032.

Aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market analysis highlights that the increasing demand for printing inks is a key driver of market growth. The demand is primarily driven by the increasing demand for printing inks. The growth in Asia Pacific is primarily driven by the increasing growth of the packaging industry in the food & beverage, cosmetics, and e-commerce industries, where high-quality printing is in high demand for branding and product details. Aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents can be the most competent carriers in printing inks, owing to their outstanding solvency, fast-drying properties, and compatibility with different ink systems. It has printing solutions are being sought after that provide a more efficient and affordable option. This process and usage may drive the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market growth.

According to the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) 2022–2023 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the manufacturing sector encompassing paints, varnishes, and similar coatings, including printing ink, has shown notable activity.

In October 2022, Nazdar Ink Technologies, a manufacturer of screen and digital inks, announced the launch of Nazdar 2131 Series Solvent Inkjet Inks, offering exceptional quality for Mutoh ValueJet digital printers, ideal for environments requiring low-odor inks.

Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

• Rise in DIY and Household Cleaning Products Drives the Market Growth

As an increasing number of consumers are doing at-home home enhancement, such as painting and upkeep tasks, consumer-appropriate and effective solvent-based products are in high demand. Aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents are staple ingredients in household thinners, industrial paint thinners, adhesives, and cleaning agents due to their low odor, fast evaporation, and relatively benign handling properties against more aggressive counterparts. Moreover, the accelerated trend toward hyper hygiene and cleanliness has bolstered the consumption of degreaser and surface cleaner household products. Moreover, aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners companies are focused on the partnership and new launches to increase their business in the market.

As of July 2024, Calumet Specialty Products Partners transitioned from a master limited partnership to a C-Corporation. This strategic shift will help broaden its investor universe, provide greater access to capital markets, and support the company's growth in specialty products and renewables.

Restraints:

•   Limited Product Innovation in Conventional Solvent Lines May Hamper Market Growth

This is emerging as one of the major restraints in the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market, where limited product innovation in conventional solvent lines is becoming increasingly important. With paints & coatings, adhesives, and cleaning products industries changing rapidly with demanding performance, safety & sustainability requirements, traditional aliphatic solvents find it difficult to catch up. For the longest time, formulations in this category have remained relatively stagnant over the years, and have neither the sophisticated performance nor the environmental benefits now expected by end-users. While the appeal of aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents has continued its decades-long stagnation, newer, environmentally-friendly alternatives, such as bio-based or water-based solvents, with lower toxicity and improved regulatory acceptance, have since come along, making aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents appear less attractive by comparison.

Opportunities:

• Technological Advancements in Application Techniques Create Opportunities in the Market

Increasing technological advancement, in the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market due to the emerging solvent application technologies. It includes high-efficiency spray systems, precision dispensing technologies, and automated coating systems, enabling more effective and reproducible usage of solvents in many areas of industry. Such improvements not only enhance the efficiency of solvent usage but also minimize waste and the number of chemicals needed for solvent-reconcentration applications in industrial settings. In addition, solvent dispersion is improved by the development of new equipment and techniques, ensuring a more uniform coating and finish of internal and external surfaces of parts, particularly in the automotive, aerospace, and electronics industries, which increase the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market trends.

In April 2025, ExxonMobil partnered with Cyclyx and Jefferson County to initiate a county-wide plastic recycling program. Such partnerships is one strategy that ExxonMobil is implementing as a part of a larger strategy to support recycling infrastructure and the circular economy.

Segmentation Analysis:

By Type

Mineral spirits held the largest aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market share, around 31%, in 2024. It is due to the widespread use in paints & coatings, cleaning, and degreasing, which dissolve oils, fats, and resins. They have a low odor and evaporate at a moderate rate, and can be handled relatively safely, making them suitable for industrial and household applications. Mineral spirits are commonly used in the automotive, construction, and home improvement industries for tool cleaning, paint thinning, and grease removal. Moreover, they are the most efficient solvents, and availability at lower prices also strengthens their position as the leading solvent.

Hexane held a significant market share due to its application as a solvent that can be used in various industrial purposes, such as the vegetable oils extraction process to extract vegetable oils and utilization for adhesives & coatings formulation. As such, it is an indispensable component in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and, more generally, the chemical industry due to its versatile solvent action, able to dissolve many kinds of oil, resin, and wax. With the rising demand for edible oils globally, soy and corn oil extraction is identified as one of the biggest application areas of hexane.

By Application

Paints & Coatings held the largest market share of around 28%, in 2024. The segment’s growth is driven by the importance of solvents in paints & coatings formulation and application. Hydrocarbon solvents, either aliphatic (principally mineral spirits, hexane, and others), to dissolve resins, and pigments, among others, are other components that can be utilized to create smooth, even coatings. These solvents are vital for modifying the viscosity of paints and coatings to enhance flow and leveling, enabling optimal application in sectors, such as construction, automotive, and industrial manufacturing.

Cleaning & Degreasing held a significant market share due to the widespread use of aliphatic solvents, such as mineral spirits and hexane in industrial and household cleaning products. These solvents are highly effective at breaking down grease, oil, wax, and other contaminants, making them ideal for degreasing metal parts in manufacturing, automotive maintenance, and machinery servicing.

Regional Analysis:

Asia Pacific held the largest market share, around 41%, in 2024. The growth is driven by its rapidly expanding industrial base, construction activity, and its major end-use sectors, which include paints & coatings, adhesives, automotive, and many more end-user sectors. The rapid economic growth in countries such as China, India, Japan, and South Korea has resulted in significant investments in infrastructure development, urban housing projects, and manufacturing facilities, which are considerable consumers of aliphatic solvents. Furthermore, the regional growing automotive and electronics industries demand high volumes of cleaning agents, degreasers, and coating materials that use these solvents.

The Chinese government included a USD 4.2 trillion investment directed to transport, energy, water, and urbanization projects as part of its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025). Such large-scale infrastructure development has generated demand for construction materials, including paints and coatings based on aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents.

North America held a significant market share and is the fastest-growing segment in the forecast period. It is owing to an industrially developed area with an immense market of end-use industries. The region, especially the U.S., has developed construction and automotive sectors and a dependence on aliphatic solvents for surface preparation, degreasing, and protective coatings. In addition, residential remodeling, commercial real estate developments, and do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement trends continue their gradual rise, increasing product demand in household applications for solvent-based materials.

The U.S aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners market size was valued at USD 830 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 1.244 million by 2032 and grow at a CAGR of 5.20% over the forecast period of 2025-2032. The growth is driven by its wide and varied industrial base, along with the high demand for paints & coatings, cleaning agents, and adhesives in various sectors. Demand is primarily driven by the U.S. construction and automotive industries; both industrial sectors are well-established and seek to sustain their businesses through continuous renovation, infrastructure modernization, and vehicle manufacturing.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders was USD 47,590 in May 2024. There are expected to be about 16,900 openings over the decade across the industry year so it will maintain a steady demand.

Europe held a significant market share in the forecast period. It is due to the highly established industrial infrastructure in the region, along with the stringent environmental regulations and increased consumption of aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents & thinners mainly from the paints & coatings, automotive, and cleaning sectors. Aliphatic solvents are primarily used for applications such as degreasing and surface preparation, and protective coating, and as a result, the leading automotive and construction industries are present in countries such as Germany, France, the U.K., and Italy.

According to the European Chemical Industry Council, the chemical sector is a pillar of EU manufacturing, a sector in which the EU27 has more than 29000 companies. Manufacturing employment in the chemicals sector (including pharmaceuticals, rubber, and plastics) accounted for 12.3% of total EU27 manufacturing employment.

Key Players:

The key players operating in the market are ExxonMobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, TotalEnergies SE, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., Recochem Inc., BASF SE, Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P., Gotham Industries, and W.M. Barr & Company, Inc.

Recent Development:

• In August 2023, PPG Industries launched a Center of Excellence with an investment of USD 2.6 million at its Quattordio site in Italy. It further reflects the company's commitment to being not only the leader in the aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and thinners market.

• In June 2023, Henkel erected a site for a new adhesive technologies business unit manufacturing facility at Yantai Chemical Industry Park, China, at an investment of about EUR 135.33 million. Through this expansion, Henkel strengthens its production and supply capabilities in the country to meet the rising demand for adhesives in the market.