Monochloroacetic Acid Market Size, Share & Segmentation By Form (Crystalline, Liquid, and Flakes), Application (Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), Agrochemicals, Surfactants, Thioglycolic Acid (TGA), and Others) and Region | Global Forecast for 2025–2032

Monochloroacetic Acid Market Report Scope & Overview

The Monochloroacetic Acid Market size was USD 841.19 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 1230.13 million by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.87% over the forecast period of 2025-2032.

Monochloroacetic acid market analysis reveals that increasing demand for personal care products is a significant factor driving market growth. It is due to growth of the monochloroacetic acid (MCA) market in the pharmaceutical industry. MCA is an important intermediate in the production of various pharmaceuticals, especially analgesics, and anti-inflammatory drugs, and other specialty pharmaceuticals. The increased production of medical products further drives the demand for MCA, as it is an important component used to produce effective and high-quality medicines. Moreover, the cost-effective application of MCA-based compounds as an antimicrobial preservative in pharmaceuticals and monochloroacetic acid powder is expected to support the market growth in pharmaceuticals with continuous research and development activities.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of California has set Public Health Goals (PHGs) for five haloacetic acids, including MCA, in drinking water. These aims stem from public health and the need to protect consumers from any potential health risks posed by these substances.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is involved in emergency response planning and risk assessment for MCA. These guidelines assist in setting thresholds of MCA inhalation exposure levels considered to be safe for brief durations.

Market Dynamics:

Drivers:

• Increasing Use of Agrochemicals and Herbicides Drives the Market Growth

Agrochemicals and herbicides are two of the major factors propelling the growth of the Monochloroacetic Acid (MCA) market. MCA is an important input for manufacturing numerous agrochemical products such as herbicides, pesticides, and plant growth regulators. With an increasing global need for higher agricultural production spurred by population growth and food insecurity, farmers and agribusinesses use many high-performance agrochemicals to manage pests, weeds, and diseases that threaten crops. This increasing application of agrochemicals will be directly proportional to the consumption of MCA. Moreover, sustainable and efficient farming practices are driving the innovation of herbicides, which often use MCA derivatives that motivate the market growth. As a result, the overall development of the agriculture industry and its chemical counterparts greatly impacts the increase in monochloroacetic acid market growth.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported that on winter wheat acres, 107 different pesticide active ingredients were used, 83 on spring (other than Durum) wheat acres, and 64 pesticide active ingredients were used on Durum wheat acres. The broadest use of pesticides occurred with herbicides, which were applied to 60% of winter wheat planted acres. Such figures highlight the fact that agrochemical use is a pivotal part of the U.S. agriculture and effectively drives the demand for MCA.

Restraints:

•   High Manufacturing Costs May Hamper the Market Growth

Monochloroacetic Acid (MCA) market growth may be held up by high manufacturing cost owing to its production process that is complex and resource-intensive production process. MCA is synthesized by the chlorination of acetic acid or the hydrolysis of trichloroethylene, both of which are operationally demanding processes containing high energy demands. Moreover, these raw materials, such as chlorine, acetic acid, and others. themselves have volatile prices, leading to even more unpredictable prices. But in all of that, MCA is hazardous and highly corrosive, forcing manufacturers to invest heavily in special equipment, safety systems, environmental controls, and people know-how to be able to operate safely and in compliance. Such factors result in excessive capital and operating costs, making it less feasible for SMEs to penetrate and sustain in the marketplace. As a result, these increased costs are capable of suppressing profit margins and restricting the scalability of production and overall growth of the market.

Opportunities:

• Rising Demand for Bio-based Chemicals Create Opportunities in the Market

Bio-based chemicals are gaining huge market potential globally, thus providing significant opportunities for the monochloroacetic acid market growth as the industries are redirecting their focus toward sustainable and environment-friendly alternatives from conventional petrochemical-based products. The increased global concern for climate change and environmental degradation has led to a rising focus among governments, consumers, and industries toward minimizing carbon footprints and green chemistry. MCA has historically been produced from petrochemical feedstocks, yet bio-based production routes using renewable raw materials are being innovated. Not only do these bio-based processes comply with increasingly strict environmental regulations, but they are also attracting the interest of end-users from agricultural, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries who want to make their supply chains sustainable and drive the monochloroacetic acid market trends.

In September 2024, French biotech startup Abolis Biotechnologies raised USD 38.6 million in a funding round involving L'Oréal and Evonik. Based on the use of microorganisms, Abolis develops new bio-based ingredients for beauty products with the hope of creating innovation and sustainability within the cosmetics community.

Additionally, in 2023,  Dow partnered with New Energy Blue to turn feedstocks made from renewable agricultural residues, like corn stover, into bio-based ethylene. Dow will use this bio-based ethylene at its U. S. Gulf Coast assets to create renewable plastics for uses such as packaging, transportation, and footwear.

Segmentation Analysis:

By Derivatives

Crystalline held the largest Monochloroacetic Acid market share, around 48%, in 2024 due to its higher mechanical strength, better thermal stability, and excellent biodegradability, providing suitability for several high-performance applications. This type of PGA has an orderly molecular structure that gives it better mechanical properties and is less prone to degradation under load, making it well-suited for more extreme conditions, such as medical implants and sutures, and for industrial packaging. The increasing demand for bioresorbable medical devices, in which precision and reliability are crucial, has added fuel to the expansion of crystalline PGA.

Liquid held a significant monochloroacetic acid market share because it can be stored and used in industrial processes easily. Liquid MCA can also be mixed into or pumped into a formulation directly without dissolving, diluting it, and processing it, making it more efficient in bigger-scale operations as compared to the solid form of MCA. This is extensively utilized in the production of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), surfactants, agrochemicals, and pharmaceutical intermediates, where precise and reliable dosing takes on critical importance. The liquid state is also advantageous as transportation can be easier and dust can be limited, improving both safety and environmental performance.

By Application

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) held the largest market share, approximately 32%, in 2024. It is due to the usage in several industries. Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is a cellulose derivative and is used as a water-soluble thickener, stabilizer, and binder in food, beverages, pharma, cosmetic, textile, and detergent industries. MCA is one of the most important raw materials for the production of CMC in the etherification process. It holds various functional properties, such as texturizing, viscosity, and shelf-life improvement, which makes it a valuable ingredient in formulation and is popular among processed food and personal care products.

Agrochemicals hold a significant market share in the monochloroacetic acid market owing to the fact that MCA is one of the key raw materials used for the production of various herbicides, pesticides, monochloric acid, and plant growth regulators. These chemicals are widely used in modern agriculture and are vital for increasing crops, protecting plants from pests and diseases, and boosting farm productivity. The ongoing food crisis caused by population growth and the development of sustainable agriculture has propelled the agrochemical industry to new heights in recent years. Its versatility and great performance as a high-quality agrochemical ingredient make MCA unique in this sector. In addition, regulatory favour for safe and sound agrochemical solutions has further accelerated the demand, making agrochemicals an important growth engine of growth for MCA.

Regional Analysis:

Asia Pacific held the largest market share, around 43%, in 2024. The region has witnessed rapid industrialization, an expanding agricultural sector, and rising demand for MCA from end-use industries including pharmaceuticals, personal care, and textiles. China and India stand out as leading producers and consumers of MCA, fueled by extensive manufacturing hubs and a robust export market. The burgeoning agrochemical industry, owing to the proliferating agricultural processes for feeding the growing population in the region, is expected to immensely contribute to driving the demand for MCA. Moreover, their large number of small & medium enterprises complemented by government programs encouraging chemical manufacturing and manufacturing development also drive the market growth.

In January 2024, Daicel announced a USD 18 million Investment to increase MCA production capacity in Japan by 20% to serve new textile and agrochemical orders.

North America Monochloroacetic Acid market held a significant market share and is the fastest-growing segment in the forecast period. It can be attributed to the presence of major end-use industries, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and personal care. With the presence of developed chemical manufacturers and several key players who regularly spend on research and development for quality improvements and application development of MCA, the region is expected to witness high growth for MCA over the coming years. The market growth is also aided by the increasing demand for specialty chemicals in the manufacturing of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), herbicides, and surfactants. The regional dominance is boosted by regulatory support for sustainable chemical processing, coupled with an increasing awareness regarding high purity chemicals for health and agriculture.

The U.S Monochloroacetic Acid market size was USD 153.43 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 247.71 million by 2032 and grow at a CAGR of 4.87% over the forecast period of 2025-2032. It is due to its mature chemical industry, strong innovation and huge downstream end user sectors. The U.S. is especially quite the hotbed for MCA in high-scale work, and with major applications founting in pharmaceuticals, personal care, and agrochemicals. Owing to the outlay in R&D, the country has a good hold of technology advancements, and there are many global chemical manufacturing giants in the country, which leads to a continuous upgrade in products. Lastly, the U.S. has strong regulations, which also encourage sustainable and efficient production of chemicals. Such an environment promotes a lucrative market with growing usage of MCA for the production of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), thioglycolic acid, and other derivatives essential to many high-growth industries

Europe held a significant market share in the forecast period. It is owing to established chemical manufacturing infrastructure coupled with a regulatory framework in support of sustainable chemicals found in critical applications, namely pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and personal care. Major monochloroacetic acid companies located in European countries, such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands are actively focusing on green chemistry and innovation with funds from various sources, supporting a high-purity MCA. Moreover, the stringency of environmental regulations implemented by the European Union and other regulations around the world has expedited the transformation to more efficient and sustainable production methods, further promoting the demand for MCA being utilized in biodegradable and specialty chemicals.

Key Players:

The leading players operating in the market are Akzo Nobel N.V., CABB Group GmbH, Daicel Corporation, PCC SE, Denak Co. Ltd., Niacet Corporation, Meridian Chem-Bond Ltd., Shandong Minji Chemical Co. Ltd., IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Archit Organosys Ltd.

Recent Developments:

• in February 2024, CABB Group invested USD 16.35 million in February 2024 to upgrade its MCA production facilities in Germany to improve efficiency and capacity for increasing demand from agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.

• In September 2022, BASF entered into a partnership with RiKarbon to accelerate business and product offerings for personal care formulations and new green emollients based on bio-waste for expanded applications of RiKarbon's technology in the personal care sector.