US demand for industrial and institutional cleaning chemicals to reach US$11.5bn by 2018
Infection-related health concerns will drive some of the fastest advances
Demand for industrial and institutional (I&I) cleaning chemicals in the US is expected to increase more than 3% each year to 2018 to US$11.5bn, according to a study by the market research company the Freedonia Group.
Accelerating growth will reflect a strengthening economy, with nearly every market expanding at a pace exceeding that of the 2008–2013 period, says the Industrial & Institutional Cleaning Chemicals report.
But while economic growth will provide the foundation for rising demand, explained Freedonia's analyst Nick Cunningham, infection-related health concerns will drive some of the fastest advances, particularly for disinfectants and sanitisers in healthcare and the food and beverage processing industry.
'More broadly, concerns about worker health and safety, along with an ongoing rise in public preference for environmentally friendly solutions, will lead to businesses increasing their use of greener, ecofriendly alternatives,' he said.
The fastest advances will be in institutional markets, rising 3.9% annually to 2018, although tight government budgets could rein in some of the spending. More modest growth in commercial applications will reflect general market maturity.
Healthy growth in cleaning chemical demand in the manufacturing market will principally reflect rising consumption in the food and beverage industry, where ongoing concerns about food borne illness outbreaks, coupled with a healthy industry recovery, will continue to support increased product usage rates.
In the institutional market, gains in cleaning chemical demand will reflect efforts by the healthcare industry to reduce the incidence rate of healthcare-associated infections, especially from multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The commercial market is the biggest outlet for I&I cleaning chemicals and commercial applications will register the largest net value gains during this period due to the sheer size of the market.