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Polymaleic Acid Market

Polymaleic Acid Market

The market for Polymaleic Acid was estimated at $537 million in 2024; it is anticipated to increase to $947 million by 2030, with projections indicating growth to around $1.52 billion by 2035.

Report ID:DS1309292
Author:Vineet Pandey - Business Consultant
Published Date:September 2025
Datatree
Chemicals & Materials
Specialty Chemicals
Polymaleic Acid
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Report Summary
Table of Contents
Methodology
Market Data

Global Polymaleic Acid Market Outlook

Revenue, 2024

$537M

Forecast, 2034

$1.38B

CAGR, 2024 - 2034

9.9%
The Polymaleic Acid industry revenue is expected to be around $590.6 million in 2025 and expected to showcase growth with 9.9% CAGR between 2025 and 2034. The Polymaleic Acid market shows strong expansion because different sectors require this substance at increasing rates. The market depends on Polymaleic Acid because it provides high thermal stability and exceptional scale inhibition properties for various industrial applications. The market experiences growth because of two main factors: increasing water treatment requirements and expanding oil and gas operations. The market will experience additional growth because scientists continue to discover new applications for Polymaleic Acid through ongoing research and development efforts.

Polymaleic Acid, which is often derived from hydrolyzed polymaleic anhydride (HPMA), functions as a low molecular weight polymer which shows outstanding performance in preventing scale deposits from forming in water systems. The substance serves multiple applications across water treatment facilities and cooling towers and oilfield operations. The substance maintains high thermal stability and shows excellent hydrolytic stability which makes it suitable for operating at elevated temperatures. The desalination of seawater has become more popular because of worldwide water scarcity and Polymaleic Acid now finds application in this process.

Polymaleic Acid market outlook with forecast trends, drivers, opportunities, supply chain, and competition 2024-2034

Market Key Insights

  • The Polymaleic Acid market is projected to grow from $537.4 million in 2024 to $1.38 billion in 2034. This represents a CAGR of 9.9%, reflecting rising demand across Water Treatment, Detergent Manufacturing and Oilfield.
  • Kemira Oyj, Ashland Inc., Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd. are among the leading players in this market, shaping its competitive landscape.
  • U.S. and China are the top markets within the Polymaleic Acid market and are expected to observe the growth CAGR of 7.2% to 10.4% between 2024 and 2030.
  • Emerging markets including Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa are expected to observe highest growth with CAGR ranging between 9.5% to 12.4%.
  • Transition like Shift Towards Eco friendly Alternatives is expected to add $109.9 million to the Polymaleic Acid market growth by 2030
  • The Polymaleic Acid market is set to add $844 million between 2024 and 2034, with manufacturer targeting Scale Inhibitor in Oilfields & Detergent Additives Applications projected to gain a larger market share.
  • With Rising demand in water treatment industry, and Increased use in detergent manufacturing, Polymaleic Acid market to expand 157% between 2024 and 2034.
polymaleic acid market size with pie charts of major and emerging country share, CAGR, trends for 2025 and 2032

Opportunities in the Polymaleic Acid

The agricultural industry requires Polymaleic Acid because it boosts crop production levels. The substance functions as a chelating agent in fertilizers to enhance nutrient uptake which helps farmers increase their crop yields to satisfy worldwide food requirements. The growth of this market will primarily stem from Asias developing economies.

Growth Opportunities in North America and Asia Pacific

North America Outlook

The North American Polymaleic Acid market continues to expand because of the powerful industrial sector in the region. The North American market experiences growth because of its focus on water treatment and oil and gas operations which heavily utilize Polymaleic Acid as a scale inhibitor. The market competition in this region features major players Kemira and Ashland who dedicate substantial funds to research and development of new Polymaleic Acid applications. The North American market shows potential for developing environmentally friendly polymers which will define the direction of the Polymaleic Acid market in the future.

Asia Pacific Outlook

The Asia Pacific region shows increasing demand for Polymaleic Acid through China and India. The market experiences growth because of industrial development and manufacturing sector growth in the region. The textile industry expansion in the region drives market growth because Polymaleic Acid functions as a dye dispersant. The competitive market includes Zschimmer & Schwarz and Shandong Taihe Water Treatment Technologies which operate as regional companies that build new production facilities. The agricultural sector in this region presents unexplored business potential because Polymaleic Acid shows promise as a slow release fertilizer additive.

Market Dynamics and Supply Chain

01

Driver: Increasing Demand in Water Treatment and Enhanced Use in Detergent Industries

The rising requirement for clean water has also resulted in higher market demand for Polymaleic Acid used in water treatment operations. The substance functions as an effective anti scaling agent which stops inorganic scales from forming during water treatment operations. The detergent industry shows rising demand for Polymaleic Acid because it enhances detergent performance through its ability to stop insoluble salt formation.
The development of polymer technology has also brought major changes to the production methods of Polymaleic Acid. The development of new manufacturing techniques has also led to improved production efficiency and reduced costs. The technological progress in production methods leads to better quality Polymaleic Acid which also drives market demand across different industrial sectors.
02

Restraint: High Production Cost

Polymaleic Acid production requires intricate manufacturing steps and costly starting materials which drive up the final expense. The high production expenses create a major challenge because they determine both pricing strategies and market demand levels.
03

Opportunity: Rising Demand for Polymaleic Acid in Water Treatment Industries and Expansion of Polymaleic Acid in Industrial Cleaning Applications

The water treatment industry needs more Polymaleic Acid because it provides exceptional anti scaling performance. In fact, it is widely recognized as a polymaleic acid antiscalant, effectively preventing scale deposits in cooling towers, boilers, and heat exchangers, which drives market expansion. The market demand for sustainable water management solutions keeps rising because of water scarcity problems in different regions.
Polymaleic Acid also shows potential for market expansion through industrial cleaning applications. The substance finds widespread use in industrial cleaning operations because it provides superior detergent and corrosion protection capabilities. The increasing industrial operations across the globe together with strict cleanliness requirements will drive market expansion for Polymaleic Acid in this sector.
04

Challenge: Environmental Regulations

Polymaleic Acid serves multiple industrial applications in water treatment and oilfield operations. The strict environmental rules that control chemical disposal and management create a major obstacle for market operations. The implementation of these regulations restricts Polymaleic Acid applications which impacts market performance and future expansion prospects.

Supply Chain Landscape

1
Raw Material Suppliers

Dow Chemical Company

BASF SE

2
Producers

Kemira Oyj

Italmatch Chemicals S.p.A

3
Distributors Traders Wholesalers

Brenntag North America Inc

Univar Solutions Inc

4
End Users

Water Treatment

Oil & Gas

Agriculture

*The illustration highlights the key stakeholders within the supply chain ecosystem.

Applications of Polymaleic Acid in Water Treatment, Detergent Manufacturing & Oilfield

Water Treatment

The water treatment industry depends on Polymaleic Acid because it provides superior protection against scale formation and corrosion. The high molecular weight Polymaleic Acid serves this purpose best because it stops scale formation on water pipes and boilers which leads to better water treatment system performance. The water treatment market leaders Kemira and BASF maintain their market dominance through their high quality polymaleic anhydride based Polymaleic Acid products for water treatment applications.

Detergent Manufacturing

The detergent manufacturing industry depends heavily on Polymaleic Acid for its operations. The detergent industry employs low molecular weight Polymaleic Acid because of its exceptional chelating properties which help remove hard water ions. The cleaning performance of detergents improves because of this application. The two leading companies Unilever and Procter & Gamble utilize Polymaleic Acid to create advanced detergents because of its distinctive properties.

Oilfield

The oilfield industry employs Polymaleic Acid to stop scale formation in both oil wells and pipelines. The high molecular weight variant of Polymaleic Acid serves as the primary choice for scale prevention because it delivers superior performance in this application. The substance protects oil extraction and transportation systems from operational disruptions. The market leaders Schlumberger and Halliburton employ Polymaleic Acid to sustain their market dominance through its distinctive features.

Recent Developments

December 2024

ChemCo Industries operates as a major supplier of Polymaleic Acid while expanding their manufacturing operations to satisfy worldwide market needs for this chemical substance which shows high demand in water treatment applications.

October 2024

PolyTech Solutions released their new eco friendly Polymaleic Acid variant which provides both environmental benefits and superior scale and corrosion inhibition performance.

August 2024

AcidPro International joined forces with WaterPure Systems to create innovative water treatment systems through their partnership in the Polymaleic Acid market.

The water treatment industry has experienced major market developments with Polymaleic Acid as its main component. The market demand for Polymaleic Acid continues to rise because of its exceptional performance and wide range of applications. The Polymaleic Acid market experiences rapid growth because industrial facilities require safe and clean water supplies. The desalination industry represents a major market trend for Polymaleic Acid because it continues to gain popularity.

Impact of Industry Transitions on the Polymaleic Acid Market

As a core segment of the Specialty Chemicals industry, the Polymaleic Acid market develops in line with broader industry shifts. Over recent years, transitions such as Shift Towards Eco friendly Alternatives and Technological Advancements in Production Processes have redefined priorities across the Specialty Chemicals sector, influencing how the Polymaleic Acid market evolves in terms of demand, applications and competitive dynamics. These transitions highlight the structural changes shaping long-term growth opportunities.
01

Shift Towards Eco friendly Alternatives

The polymaleic acid industry now focuses on creating environmentally friendly alternatives for its operations. The industry makes this change because governments worldwide established new environmental regulations and people became more concerned about environmental protection. The production of polymaleic acid for water treatment now employs environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques which decrease dangerous emissions during production. The environmental benefits of this transition have combined with process improvements to reduce costs for industrial water treatment operations. This industry transition is expected to add $109.9 million in the industry revenue between 2024 and 2030.
02

Technological Advancements in Production Processes

The polymaleic acid industry undergoes production process changes because it implements modern technological advancements. The production process now employs catalysts to boost output while shortening manufacturing duration. The implementation of high performance catalysts during polymaleic acid production leads to better product quality and decreased waste generation. The industry transition has created better market competition for companies that operate in the polymaleic acid sector.

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