Sodium Hexametaphosphate Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Sales Channel (Direct, Indirect), By End Use (Water Treatment, Industrial Application, Food Additives, Dairy Products, Others), By Region and Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 924.81 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	4.62%
Fastest Growing Segment	Food Additives
Largest Market	Asia Pacific
Market Size (2031)	USD 1212.66 Million

Market Overview

The Global Sodium Hexametaphosphate Market is projected to grow from USD 924.81 Million in 2025 to USD 1212.66 Million by 2031 at a 4.62% CAGR. Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP) is a polymeric inorganic salt widely utilized as a sequestrant and dispersing agent, particularly valued for its ability to bind calcium and magnesium ions in water treatment and food processing applications. The market is fundamentally propelled by the essential requirement for scale inhibition in industrial boiler systems and the critical need for texture preservation in the processed food and beverage sector. These core drivers ensure sustained demand as industries prioritize operational efficiency and product stability, distinguishing these functional necessities from transient market trends.

However, the sector encounters a significant challenge arising from stringent environmental regulations aimed at reducing phosphorus discharge to mitigate aquatic eutrophication, which compels manufacturers to navigate complex compliance landscapes. Despite these regulatory pressures, the upstream supply chain remains robust; according to the International Fertilizer Association, in 2024, global phosphoric acid production was estimated to rise by 4% to 88.4 million tonnes, signaling a stable feedstock availability for downstream phosphate derivatives like SHMP.

Key Market Drivers

The expansion of municipal and industrial water treatment infrastructure serves as a critical growth engine for the Sodium Hexametaphosphate market, particularly due to the chemical’s efficacy as a scale inhibitor in reverse osmosis and thermal desalination processes. As water scarcity intensifies, governments are aggressively investing in desalination facilities where SHMP prevents calcium and magnesium precipitation, ensuring membrane longevity and system efficiency. According to the International Desalination and Reuse Association, September 2025, in the 'Road to Reykjavik: Part 2' report, global installed desalination capacity stood at approximately 91.5 million cubic meters per day as of 2024, highlighting the widening addressable market for water treatment chemicals. This infrastructure growth directly correlates with sustained procurement of high-purity SHMP for continuous water conditioning operations.

Concurrently, the rising demand for processed food and beverage additives amplifies market consumption, as SHMP is indispensable for moisture retention and texture stabilization in meat and dairy products. Manufacturers rely on this sequestrant to improve shelf life and maintain quality in high-volume production environments. According to Brownfield Ag News, April 2025, in the 'More red meat produced in 2024 than 2023' report, U.S. red meat production totaled over 55.0 billion pounds in 2024, underscoring the massive scale of processing activities requiring functional additives. To meet such industrial requirements, major producers maintain significant operational footprints; for instance, according to ICL Group, in February 2025, the company reported consolidated annual sales of $6.84 billion for 2024, reflecting the robust commercial environment for specialty phosphate suppliers.

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Key Market Challenges

Stringent environmental regulations designed to mitigate aquatic eutrophication present a formidable obstacle to the Global Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP) Market. Authorities globally are enforcing tighter limits on phosphorus discharge to protect water bodies from nutrient pollution, effectively forcing manufacturers to navigate an increasingly complex and costly compliance landscape. This regulatory pressure directly hampers market growth by necessitating substantial capital investment in wastewater treatment and phosphorus recovery technologies, which diverts financial resources away from production capacity expansion and operational optimization.

The intensity of these mandates is becoming increasingly quantifiable and burdensome for industry stakeholders. According to the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform, in 2025, regulatory criteria in specific stringent jurisdictions were highlighted requiring the recovery of 80% of phosphorus from sewage sludge incineration ash or significant percentages from wastewater inflows to meet environmental standards. Such high compliance thresholds inevitably raise the operational costs for SHMP producers. As a result, the price competitiveness of SHMP is eroded relative to non-phosphate alternatives, compelling end-users in water treatment and food processing to reconsider their dependency on this chemical despite its functional benefits.

Key Market Trends

As the plant-based food market expands, food technologists are leveraging food-grade Sodium Hexametaphosphate to improve the texture, emulsification, and moisture retention of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, addressing consumer demands for better mouthfeel. This application is gaining traction as manufacturers seek to replicate the fibrous structure of animal proteins without compromising on stability, effectively creating a high-value niche for functional additives. The sector's resilience underscores the increasing necessity for such specialized ingredients; according to the Good Food Institute, April 2025, in the '2024 State of the Industry: Plant-based meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, and ingredients' report, global retail sales of plant-based meat and seafood rose by 4% to reach $6.1 billion in 2024. This growth trajectory drives the procurement of SHMP as a critical component for ensuring product quality in this evolving category.

The personal care sector is witnessing rising inclusion of SHMP in advanced dental products, where it is increasingly valued for its dual ability to provide tartar control and teeth whitening by preventing stain adherence without the use of harsh abrasives. Brands are aggressively formulating premium toothpastes that leverage these chemical properties to claim superior hygiene benefits, moving beyond basic cleaning to offer aesthetic improvements. This focus on specialized value-added offerings is a primary revenue generator; according to Unilever, April 2025, in the 'The premium product launches powering Unilever's growth in Oral Care' article, new product launches have accounted for 30% of growth in the global oral care sector over the past three years. Consequently, chemical suppliers are seeing sustained orders from multinational FMCG companies prioritizing these high-margin oral hygiene lines.

Segmental Insights

The Food Additives segment establishes itself as the fastest-growing category in the Global Sodium Hexametaphosphate Market due to the escalating global consumption of processed and convenience foods. Manufacturers increasingly rely on this compound as a reliable sequestering agent and emulsifier to enhance texture and prolong the shelf life of dairy, meat, and beverage products. This sustained demand is reinforced by safety designations from regulatory entities like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which validate its application in consumable goods. Consequently, the industry focus on food stability and quality preservation drives the rapid expansion of this specific market segment.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominates the global sodium hexametaphosphate market due to the robust expansion of its water treatment and food processing industries. Rapid industrialization in major economies such as China and India has necessitated the extensive use of this chemical for boiler water treatment and industrial cleaning applications. Additionally, the rising consumption of processed foods drives significant demand for sodium hexametaphosphate as a critical additive and preservative. This dual requirement from both heavy manufacturing and the growing food and beverage sector sustains the region's leading market position.

Recent Developments

• In November 2025, Prayon inaugurated a new Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP) production unit at its industrial site in Engis, Belgium. The company invested over €30 million in this state-of-the-art facility, which is designed to produce 10,000 tons of SHMP annually. This expansion effectively doubles the company's production capacity for this specific phosphate salt, complementing its existing operations in Les Roches-de-Condrieu, France. The new unit targets both food and technical applications, reinforcing the company's position in the high value-added specialty phosphates market while implementing environmentally friendly processes such as a closed-loop water circuit.
• In January 2025, Innophos Holdings Inc. launched LEVAIR® ESL, a new baking solution designed to extend the shelf life of bread products. This product introduction highlights the company's continued innovation within the food-grade phosphate sector, leveraging its extensive expertise in specialty phosphates to address challenges in the commercial baking industry. By developing advanced formulations that function as texturizers and stabilizers, the company aims to meet the evolving demands of food manufacturers for clean-label and high-performance ingredients, a key segment of the global phosphate additives market.
• In September 2024, ICL Group opened a new food specialty plant in Zhangjiagang, China, located in the Greater Shanghai area. This facility is dedicated to manufacturing specialty food solutions, including texturants and marinades for the meat, poultry, and seafood sectors, which are primary applications for Sodium Hexametaphosphate and other functional phosphates. The establishment of this plant allows the company to provide localized, tailored phosphate-based solutions to the Chinese market, significantly expanding its footprint in the region and enhancing its ability to serve the growing demand for processed food ingredients in Asia.
• In August 2024, Prayon acquired Natural Enrichment Industries (NEI), a United States-based producer of calcium phosphate salts, to strengthen its global presence in the phosphate salts market. This strategic acquisition integrates NEI’s manufacturing sites in Illinois into the acquiring company's network, complementing its existing phosphate salts plant in Augusta, Georgia. While the acquisition focuses on calcium phosphates, it broadens the company's overall portfolio and operational capabilities in the North American market, reinforcing its status as a comprehensive provider of diverse phosphate solutions, including sodium, calcium, and ammonium salts for food and technical uses.

Key Market Players

• Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group Co., Ltd
• Chongqing Chuandong Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd.
• Sichuan Ronghong Technology Development Co., Ltd.
• Guiyang Guizhou Kaiyang Qingli Tianmeng Chemical Co.
• Jinguan Chemical Company
• Guizhou Kaiyang Chuandong Chemical Co., Ltd.
• Blue Sword Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd.
• Henan Zhenglin New Material Co.,Ltd
• Orbia Advance Corporation, S.A.B. de C.V.
• Anhui Fitech Materials Co., Ltd

By Sales Channel	By End Use	By Region
Direct Indirect	Water Treatment Industrial Application Food Additives Dairy Products Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Sodium Hexametaphosphate Market, By Sales Channel:

• Direct
• Indirect

• Sodium Hexametaphosphate Market, By End Use:

• Water Treatment
• Industrial Application
• Food Additives
• Dairy Products
• Others

• Sodium Hexametaphosphate 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