Rheology Modifiers Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Organic, Inorganic), By Application (Paints & Coatings, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Adhesives & Sealants, Pharmaceuticals, Home Care, Oil & Gas, Construction, Inks, Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 8.83 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	4.23%
Fastest Growing Segment	Organic
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 11.32 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Rheology Modifiers Market will grow from USD 8.83 Billion in 2025 to USD 11.32 Billion by 2031 at a 4.23% CAGR. Rheology modifiers are specialized chemical additives formulated to alter the viscosity and flow characteristics of fluids, providing essential stability and application control. The market is fundamentally driven by escalating demand from the construction and automotive industries, where these agents optimize the performance of paints, coatings, and adhesives. Additionally, the expanding personal care sector supports growth as manufacturers utilize these ingredients to achieve desired product textures. To illustrate the scale of this demand, according to the American Coatings Association, in 2025, the global paint and coatings industry was valued at $202 billion, underscoring the significance of this primary end-use sector.

However, the market faces a significant challenge concerning the volatility of raw material costs. Fluctuating prices for crude oil and feedstock chemicals create instability in production expenses, potentially compressing profit margins and complicating supply chain management. This economic unpredictability necessitates frequent price adjustments, which can deter cost-sensitive end-users and impede broader market expansion.

Key Market Drivers

The escalating demand for high-performance paints and coatings serves as a dominant force propelling the Global Rheology Modifiers Market. These additives are indispensable for ensuring adequate leveling, preventing sagging, and maintaining pigment suspension in architectural and industrial formulations. As construction activities persist and industrial output stabilizes, leading coatings manufacturers rely heavily on rheology modifiers to meet precise application standards. This reliance is evident in the financial performance of major industry players who continue to generate massive revenues despite economic fluctuations. According to AkzoNobel, October 2025, in the 'Q3 2025 Report', the company achieved organic sales growth of 1% and maintained robust quarterly revenue of 2.55 billion euros, underscoring the sustained scale of coating consumption that directly drives the need for viscosity control agents.

Simultaneously, the proliferation of the personal care and cosmetics industry is expanding the application scope of rheology modifiers beyond industrial uses. Formulators increasingly utilize these ingredients to engineer specific textures, stabilize emulsions, and enhance the sensory attributes of skin and hair care products. This sector continues to demonstrate resilience and steady expansion, necessitating a consistent supply of specialized thickeners. According to the American Chemistry Council, June 2025, in the '2025 Mid-Year Situation & Outlook', production of consumer chemicals, a category encompassing personal care products, was projected to shift to a stable 0.8% gain for the year. Supporting this demand is a broader recovery in the upstream supply chain. According to the American Chemistry Council, June 2025, in the same report, global chemical production was expected to expand by 1.9% in 2025, ensuring the availability of essential feedstock for additive manufacturing.

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Key Market Challenges

The volatility of raw material costs presents a formidable obstacle to the stability and expansion of the Global Rheology Modifiers Market. Because the production of these chemical additives relies heavily on crude oil and petrochemical feedstocks, manufacturers are highly susceptible to fluctuating global energy prices. Sudden spikes in feedstock expenses directly disrupt production budgets, leading to unpredictable operating costs that are difficult to absorb without significantly compressing profit margins. This instability hampers the ability of suppliers to offer consistent pricing contracts, creating friction in supply chain management.

This economic unpredictability necessitates frequent price adjustments, which can deter cost-sensitive end-users in the construction and automotive industries from committing to long-term procurement. To demonstrate the severity of this upstream pressure, according to the American Chemistry Council, in 2024, input and raw material costs for chemical manufacturers continued to rise for three consecutive quarters, signaling a sustained environment of elevated production expenses. Such persistent volatility complicates financial planning and investment, ultimately impeding the broader growth trajectory of the market by forcing manufacturers to prioritize short-term cost recovery over market expansion.

Key Market Trends

The transition toward bio-based and renewable rheology modifiers is fundamentally restructuring the market as manufacturers strive to decouple from fossil-based feedstocks. Driven by stringent environmental regulations and consumer demand for clean-label ingredients, suppliers are aggressively increasing the bio-carbon content of their additive portfolios to offer sustainable alternatives to synthetic thickeners. This structural pivot is evident in the raw material sourcing strategies of leading specialty chemical producers, who are scaling up the integration of plant-derived inputs. For instance, according to Croda International Plc, March 2025, in the 'Sustainability Impact Report 2024', the company reported that 56% of its organic raw materials were bio-based, highlighting the substantial scale at which renewable feedstocks are replacing petrochemical derivatives in the production of performance ingredients.

Simultaneously, the accelerated shift to water-borne and low-VOC compatible formulations is acting as a primary catalyst for innovation in viscosity control technologies. As industrial and architectural sectors abandon solvent-based systems to meet emission standards, there is a surging requirement for advanced associative thickeners capable of stabilizing water-rich matrices while maintaining precise flow and leveling properties. This migration is reshaping commercial strategies, with major formulators increasingly relying on eco-efficient product lines to drive revenue growth. To illustrate this momentum, according to PPG, May 2025, in the '2024 Sustainability Report', the company revealed that 41% of its total sales were generated from sustainably advantaged products, underscoring the critical market reliance on next-generation chemistries that support environmentally responsible coating applications.

Segmental Insights

The Organic segment represents the most rapidly expanding category in the Global Rheology Modifiers Market, fueled by a widespread industry shift toward water-borne systems and sustainable product formulations. This trajectory is heavily supported by rigorous guidelines from regulatory entities like the European Chemicals Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which encourage lower volatile organic compound emissions. Manufacturers in sectors such as construction and personal care are prioritizing organic thickeners over inorganic alternatives to achieve superior performance characteristics and meet the rising commercial requirement for environmentally safe and biodegradable ingredients.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific maintains a leading position in the global rheology modifiers market due to robust demand from the construction and automotive sectors. The substantial growth of the paints and coatings industry in China and India drives the consumption of these additives for essential viscosity control. Additionally, the region functions as a central manufacturing hub for personal care and pharmaceutical products, further sustaining market expansion. This dominance is reinforced by the availability of raw materials and strong industrial activities that necessitate consistent additive supply for diverse manufacturing applications.

Recent Developments

• In June 2025, BASF completed the transition of its Rheovis® range of rheology modifiers to bio-based ethyl acrylate for products manufactured at its primary European facilities. The company announced that these upgraded additives now feature up to 35% traceable biogenic content, resulting in a reduction of the product carbon footprint by approximately 30% compared to fossil-based equivalents. Importantly, BASF ensured that this sustainability improvement did not alter the technical performance or chemical composition of the products. This development allowed customers in the coatings and construction industries to adopt lower-carbon solutions without requiring reformulation.
• In April 2025, Clariant expanded its personal care portfolio with the release of Aristoflex® SUN, a rheology modifier specifically optimized for sun protection formulations. This new polymer was designed to stabilize UV filters effectively while enabling the creation of lightweight and non-sticky textures, addressing the consumer demand for daily sun care products with a premium skin feel. The company highlighted that the ingredient simplifies the manufacturing process as a pre-neutralized polymer, offering efficient thickening and texturizing performance. This launch targeted the "skinification" trend, where functional sun protection is increasingly integrated into daily skincare routines.
• In April 2024, Lubrizol Life Science Beauty introduced Carbopol® Fusion S-20 polymer, an innovative rheology modifier characterized by its inherent biodegradability and sustainable manufacturing process. This new polymer was engineered to deliver thickening, suspension, and clarity comparable to synthetic acrylates copolymers, making it highly suitable for skin cleansing and hair care formulations. The company noted that the product aligns with all 12 Principles of Green Chemistry, supporting the personal care industry’s transition toward eco-friendly ingredients. Its compatibility with various surfactant systems allows formulators to create products with desirable sensory properties while reducing environmental impact.
• In March 2024, Elementis launched two new synthetic rheological additives, RHEOLATE® 125 P and RHEOLATE® 185 P, specifically developed for the paper and cardboard coating industry. These products were designed to serve as efficient alternatives to traditional cellulosic thickeners, offering manufacturers enhanced control over viscosity and water retention. The company emphasized that these additives streamline the coating process by improving operational efficiency and ensuring consistent application. Furthermore, the new thickeners were formulated to meet safety standards for food contact applications, addressing the growing market demand for high-performance and compliant materials in the packaging sector.

Key Market Players

• BASF SE
• The Dow Chemical Company
• The Lubrizol Corporation
• Clariant International Ltd.
• Arkema SA
• Croda International Plc
• Ashland Inc.
• Akzo Nobel N.V.
• ELEMENTIS PLC
• RheoSense, Inc.

By Type	By Application	By Region
Organic Inorganic	Paints & Coatings Cosmetics & Personal Care Adhesives & Sealants Pharmaceuticals Home Care Oil & Gas Construction Inks Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Rheology Modifiers Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Rheology Modifiers Market, By Type:

• Organic
• Inorganic

• Rheology Modifiers Market, By Application:

• Paints & Coatings
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Adhesives & Sealants
• Pharmaceuticals
• Home Care
• Oil & Gas
• Construction
• Inks
• Others

• Rheology Modifiers Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE