Stringent environmental regulations boost industrial water treatment chemicals market

PALO ALTO, CA, Oct. 8, 2007 -- With issues such as environmental pollution and depletion of water resources coming under intense scrutiny in recent years, governments have begun to implement numerous stringent regulations to protect and recycle water. This has had a telling effect on the North American industrial water treatment chemicals market, as chemicals are still the favorite method of waster treatment in industrial processes.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, North American Industrial Water Treatment Chemicals Market, reveals that the market earned revenues of $2.3 billion in 2006 and estimates this to reach $2.8 billion in 2013.

"The Clean Water Act gave the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the authority to implement pollution control programs by setting strict standards for wastewater discharged from industries," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst K. Deepan Kannan. "This is expected to minimize the effect of effluent discharge on the environment, while increasing the need for industrial water treatment chemicals."

Despite the availability of more advanced treatment technologies, water treatment chemicals stand out for their cost efficiency. Sophisticated technologies such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, ultra filtration and UV systems require huge capital for purchase and installation, while chemicals are a lot more economical.

"There is also a vast difference between the operation costs involved in technologies and chemicals," states Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Krithika Tyagarajan. "As usage of chemicals for treatment of water incurs lesser financial burden, it seems to be the most preferred method."

To maintain their price advantage, chemicals manufacturers will have to stave off stiff competition from foreign participants from low-cost countries such as China. Some of the main Chinese imports to the United States include materials such as activated carbons, coagulants, flocculants, and ion exchange resins. The availability of these low-priced products places immense pressure on domestic manufacturers to slash their prices, thereby narrowing their margins.

"Strategic investments of local companies in high growth geographies such as Asia and Latin America will help them fend off foreign competition," observes Tyagarajan. "This is likely to help them to have a global presence in the market, which will in turn, provide them with competitive strength through benefits such as superior brand image, continuous raw materials supply, access to global clients, and use of cheap and skilled labor."

As these regions are also fast developing markets, they provide significant opportunities for the growth of North American companies.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the North American Industrial Water Treatment Chemicals Market, then send an e-mail to Vanessa Quezada, Corporate Communications, at [email protected], with your full name, company name, title, telephone number and e-mail address. An overview will be sent to you via e-mail upon receipt of the above information.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years.

---

Also see:
-- "South African Industrial water and wastewater treatment equipment market growing"

###