Glyoxal Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Sales Channel (Direct, Indirect), By End Use (Textile Industry, Paper Industry, Oil & Gas Industry, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 414.02 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	4.77%
Fastest Growing Segment	Direct
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 547.57 Million

Market Overview

The Global Glyoxal Market will grow from USD 414.02 Million in 2025 to USD 547.57 Million by 2031 at a 4.77% CAGR. Glyoxal is an organic dialdehyde compound primarily utilized as a highly effective crosslinking agent to functionalize polymers and enhance the structural properties of materials. The market is fundamentally supported by the textile industry, where the chemical is critical for manufacturing wrinkle-resistant and dimensionally stable fabrics, and the paper sector, which relies on it to improve the wet strength of packaging and tissue products. Furthermore, the oil and gas industry drives consistent demand by employing glyoxal as a sulfide scavenger in drilling fluids to mitigate equipment corrosion, establishing a robust industrial requirement.

Nevertheless, market expansion faces a significant challenge regarding economic stagnation in key manufacturing regions, which reduces the downstream consumption of intermediate chemicals. According to the Verband der Chemischen Industrie, in 2025, chemical sector output excluding pharmaceuticals declined by 2.5 percent, illustrating a contraction in industrial activity that constrains the procurement volume of essential additives. This reduction in broader manufacturing throughput hampers the growth potential of the global glyoxal trade despite the diverse applications of the product.

Key Market Drivers

Regulatory shifts promoting glyoxal as a low-toxicity substitute for formaldehyde are significantly reshaping the market landscape. As environmental mandates increasingly target carcinogenic precursors, glyoxal is gaining prominence as the preferred dialdehyde for sustainable synthesis in resin and additive manufacturing. Regulatory bodies are aggressively updating risk assessments for traditional aldehydes, compelling manufacturers to adopt safer cross-linking agents to ensure compliance and worker safety. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), December 2025, in the 'Draft Update to Formaldehyde Risk Calculations', the agency reaffirmed that formaldehyde presents unreasonable acute inhalation risks, a determination that necessitates stricter industrial controls. This regulatory pressure accelerates the substitution of formaldehyde-based chemistries with glyoxal in applications ranging from wood adhesives to textile finishing, thereby securing its role as a critical, compliant alternative in global supply chains.

Rising demand for cross-linking and crease-resistant agents in the textile industry further anchors the consumption of this chemical. The sector relies heavily on glyoxal to impart wrinkle resistance and dimensional stability to cellulose fibers without releasing free formaldehyde, a quality essential for maintaining competitiveness in high-volume apparel markets. According to the General Administration of Customs China, January 2025, in its annual trade statistics, the nation's total textile and garment exports reached US$301.1 billion in 2024, highlighting the immense scale of substrate processing that requires effective, eco-friendly finishing agents. This export volume sustains substantial demand for glyoxal despite broader economic challenges. Furthermore, according to BASF, in 2025, global chemical production excluding pharmaceuticals increased by 3.9 percent during the previous year, indicating that the foundational industrial activity supporting additive procurement remained resilient prior to recent sector contractions.

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Key Market Challenges

Economic stagnation in key manufacturing regions represents a substantial barrier to the expansion of the global glyoxal market. As an intermediate chemical, the demand for glyoxal is intrinsically linked to the production volumes of downstream sectors such as textiles, paper, and construction. When industrial output in these regions decelerates due to broader economic headwinds, the procurement of crosslinking agents and functional additives diminishes significantly. This reduction in derived demand forces glyoxal manufacturers to scale back operations, directly hampering revenue growth and volume expansion.

The impact of this industrial slowdown is evident in recent trade statistics which highlight the contraction in chemical movements. According to the European Chemical Industry Council, in 2025, chemical exports to international markets declined by 2.3 percent during the first eight months of the year. This data indicates a weakening global appetite for chemical intermediates, confirming that reduced manufacturing throughput is limiting the trade opportunities for essential additives like glyoxal. Without a resurgence in downstream industrial activity, the market struggles to maintain its historical momentum.

Key Market Trends

Manufacturers are actively commercializing sustainable production routes that synthesize glyoxal from renewable feedstocks, such as bio-ethylene glycol, to reduce carbon footprints. This transition is fundamentally altering upstream supply chains by decreasing reliance on fossil-fuel derivatives while meeting the stringent sustainability criteria of global end-users. According to the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic), November 2025, in the 'Bioeconomy Strategy 2025 Update', the European Union's bio-based production sector is estimated to expand with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.6%, reflecting the intensifying industrial pivot toward renewable chemical synthesis.

The push to replace single-use plastics is accelerating the adoption of glyoxal as a wet-strength agent in biodegradable paper packaging. This trend is driving substantial volume growth in the paper sector, as brands require high-performance, moisture-resistant fiber-based alternatives for food and retail applications. According to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi), March 2025, in the 'Preliminary Statistics 2024' report, the production of packaging grades in Europe increased by 6.5% year-on-year, now accounting for 63% of total paper and board output, underscoring the dominant market shift toward fiber-based packaging solutions that utilize such functional additives.

Segmental Insights

Based on recent market intelligence, the Direct segment is emerging as the fastest-growing category within the Global Glyoxal Market, primarily defined by sales channel dynamics. This expansion is driven by a strategic shift among large-scale industrial consumers, particularly in the textile and paper sectors, who are increasingly bypassing intermediaries to procure chemicals directly from manufacturers. This approach significantly reduces procurement costs and eliminates distributor margins while ensuring greater supply chain transparency. Furthermore, direct engagement allows for closer technical collaboration to tailor cross-linking formulations, thereby reinforcing the segment’s rapid growth amidst a rising demand for cost-efficient industrial solutions.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific commands the Global Glyoxal Market, largely attributed to the extensive industrial production in China and India. The region's dominance is propelled by high demand within the textile and paper sectors, where glyoxal serves as a vital cross-linking agent for enhancing fabric properties and paper strength. Additionally, rapid urbanization has intensified the need for glyoxal in construction admixtures and adhesive formulations. The combination of established manufacturing infrastructure and accessible raw materials secures the region's status as the central hub for global supply and consumption.

Recent Developments

• In December 2025, Silver Fern Chemical, Inc., a wholesale chemical supplier and distributor serving the glyoxal market, engaged in legal proceedings to protect its proprietary business information. Counsel for the company informed a federal jury in Seattle that former employees had misappropriated confidential customer lists and trade secrets to benefit a competitor, resulting in significant revenue losses. This litigation underscored the intense competitive nature of the specialty chemical distribution landscape and the critical importance for market players to safeguard their intellectual property and client relationships to maintain their commercial standing.
• In March 2025, BASF SE released its Annual Report for the 2024 business year, highlighting that the company generated sales of approximately €11 billion from products launched within the past five years. The report detailed the performance of its Intermediates division, a key segment responsible for the production of glyoxal and other essential chemical building blocks. Despite facing a challenging market environment characterized by lower prices due to global overcapacities, the division reported higher sales volumes, particularly in Europe, driven by the company's continuous investment in research and development for sustainable and innovative chemical solutions.
• In March 2024, International Chemical Investors Group (ICIG), the parent organization of the WeylChem Group, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Vasant Chemicals, a Hyderabad-based manufacturer of specialty chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates. This strategic transaction was designed to integrate the Indian company into the WeylChem Group, thereby expanding its global manufacturing footprint and strengthening its capabilities in the specialty chemicals sector. The acquisition aligns with the company's objective to enhance its presence in the market for advanced intermediates, which encompasses the production of glyoxal and its derivatives used in various industrial applications.
• In March 2024, Hubei Hongyuan Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd., a prominent manufacturer in the global glyoxal market, announced the initiation of a share repurchase program to buy back its own A-shares. The company, which maintains a comprehensive industrial chain for glyoxal and related pharmaceutical intermediates such as metronidazole and dimetridazole, disclosed that the repurchase would be conducted through centralized competitive trading. This corporate action reflected the management's confidence in the company's long-term value and its commitment to stabilizing its market position amidst the evolving dynamics of the pharmaceutical and chemical intermediate sectors.

Key Market Players

• BASF SE
• Amzole India Pvt. Ltd.
• Zhonglan Industry Co., Ltd
• Hubei Hongyuan Pharmaceutical
• Taicang Guangze Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Fuyang Fengchi Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Sancai Industry Co., Ltd
• Hubei Shunhui Bio-Technology Co., Ltd.
• Jinan Huashihang Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Anhui Fitech Materials Co., Ltd.

By Sales Channel	By End Use	By Region
Direct Indirect	Textile Industry Paper Industry Oil & Gas Industry Cosmetics & Personal Care Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Glyoxal Market, By Sales Channel:

• Direct
• Indirect

• Glyoxal Market, By End Use:

• Textile Industry
• Paper Industry
• Oil & Gas Industry
• Cosmetics & Personal Care
• Others

• Glyoxal 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