Industrial-Grade Defoamer: Recent Market Dynamics and Analytical Forecast

I. Market Price Dynamics
- Recent Price Trend: In April 2026, the average market price of industrial-grade defoamers exhibited volatility, oscillating between RMB 4,000–4,400 per metric ton during the first half of the month, with some regional quotations declining below RMB 3,800 per metric ton in late April. As of May 24, 2026, Henan Shunzhibang Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. quoted its industrial-grade defoamer (10% active content, milky-white viscous liquid, pH 6.0–8.0, packaged in 25 kg drums) at RMB 3,800 per metric ton.
- Shift in Price Center: Compared to the same period in 2025, the price center has declined—average price in April 2025 was approximately RMB 4,500 per metric ton, representing a year-on-year decline of roughly 7%–15% in April 2026.

II. Demand Structure Analysis
- Traditional Sector Demand: Sectors including coatings, metalworking fluids, and papermaking collectively account for over 60% of total demand. Specifically:
- The coatings industry is experiencing strong growth in demand for low-VOC and silicone-free defoamers, driven by environmental regulations promoting waterborne coating adoption.
- The papermaking industry’s increasing utilization of recycled fiber pulp has heightened demand for high-temperature-resistant and low-residue defoamers. In 2025, the market size for this segment reached USD 1.26 billion, growing 5.2% year-on-year.
- Emerging Sector Demand: Demand from new application areas—including new-energy battery slurries, electronic chemicals, and semiconductor cleaning—has surged at over 30% annually. Procurement value in new-energy-related subsectors reached RMB 210 million in 2025 and is projected to rise to RMB 250 million in 2026.

III. Supply Landscape Evolution
- Domestic Substitution Progress: In 2025, domestic manufacturers captured 58.3% of the high-end industrial concentrated defoamer market share—a 16.7 percentage-point increase from 2020. Companies such as Shandong Yousuo Chemical and Jiangsu Meiside have achieved breakthroughs in silicone-ether composite technology and polyether-modified silicone oil synthesis processes, accelerating domestic substitution.
- Capacity Expansion Status: Newly commissioned intelligent production lines for concentrated defoamers (capacity: 10,000 metric tons/year) feature a static payback period of ~4.3 years—superior to the chemical new-materials industry average of 5.8 years. However, upstream raw material price fluctuations warrant close attention: in 2025, average prices of propylene oxide and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane rose 12.7% and 9.4% year-on-year respectively, compressing gross profit margins.

IV. Policy and Environmental Impacts
- Stricter Environmental Regulations: The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) “Industrial Green Development Plan” mandates a further 10% reduction in industrial VOC emissions by 2026, compelling enterprises to phase out high-VOC and high-silicone defoamers and shift toward bio-based and silicone-free alternatives.
- Pricing of Eco-Friendly Products: Prices of bio-based and silicone-free products have gradually declined due to improved technological maturity; however, ultra-high-purity (≥99.5%) and electronics-grade products remain premium-priced owing to stringent performance requirements. Their average selling price in 2025 reached RMB 48,000 per metric ton—1.66 times that of general-purpose defoamers.

V. Future Trend Outlook
- Market Size Forecast: China’s industrial-grade defoamer market is expected to exceed RMB 7 billion in 2026 and reach RMB 11 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5%. Within this, the industrial concentrated defoamer submarket is projected to reach RMB 4.56 billion in 2026—a 7.3% increase from 2025—with over 40% of incremental growth attributable to new-energy and electronics sectors.
- Product Structure Upgrade: Silicone-based formulations are projected to fall below 40% market share; polyether-based and non-silicone composite types will collectively surpass 50%; and bio-based products will exceed 10% market share. Demand for specialty specifications—including high-purity, low-residue, and high-temperature-resistant variants—will continue to expand.
- Investment Opportunities and Risks:
- Investment Opportunities: Enterprises possessing end-to-end R&D capabilities (silicone oil synthesis, emulsification process, formulation expertise), operating ISO 14001/45001 dual-certified production facilities, and maintaining proprietary warehousing and logistics networks across East and South China industrial clusters stand to benefit significantly from domestic substitution and robust demand growth in emerging sectors.
- Risk Factors: Volatility in upstream raw material prices and rising environmental compliance costs (e.g., effective 2026, all newly constructed projects must install VOC online monitoring systems and catalytic oxidation treatment units for waste liquids—adding ~RMB 6.2 million per project in compliance retrofitting costs) may squeeze midstream manufacturers’ profit margins.