Global Construction Chemicals Report

Report Overview

Growth Is Shifting From Volume to Performance

The next phase of the global construction chemicals market will be shaped less by how much the world builds than by what each project must achieve. Stricter durability, sustainability, energy efficiency, and lifecycle requirements are increasing demand for advanced admixtures, protective coatings, adhesives, mortars, and insulation systems that improve performance without adding structural complexity. Suppliers that can help contractors build faster, extend asset life, and reduce environmental impact will capture a growing share of market value.

Key Themes Covered in this Report:

• China’s construction rebound and its outsized impact on global demand recovery.
• Regional differences in new construction, infrastructure investment, and repair activity across Asia/Pacific, North America, Western Europe, and emerging markets.
• Rising use of advanced admixtures, protective coatings, sealers, mortars, adhesives, and flooring systems to improve durability and construction efficiency.
• Growing demand for lower carbon concrete, energy efficient buildings, and materials that extend service life and reduce maintenance needs.
• Expansion of repair, rehabilitation, and waterproofing applications as aging infrastructure and building stocks require more intensive protection.
• Shifts in product mix as higher performance formulations gain share over conventional construction materials.
• Supplier strategies centered on broader product platforms, technical support, regional manufacturing, and contractor relationships.
• The influence of cement, polymers, resins, energy, and transportation costs on construction chemical pricing and profitability.
• Competitive positioning across coatings and sealers, dry-mix mortar, adhesives and sealants, cement and concrete additives, grout, polymer flooring, asphalt additives, and SPF insulation.

Featuring 92 Tables & 43 Figures!

Global demand for construction chemicals is forecast to rise 4.7% per year to $156 billion in 2030, driven by global increases in building and infrastructure construction activity.

Performance Requirements Drive Market Demand

New building construction, infrastructure investment, and the need to repair and modernize existing assets are affected by regional or local building codes, energy standards, environmental policies, and harsh operating conditions. Construction chemicals are seeing greater use in order to meet these expectations or allow structures to perform at optimal levels. Products that improve durability, moisture control, and thermal performance; make installation more reliable; and are more sustainable will become increasingly popular globally. For example:

• Coatings and sealers can protect building envelopes from UV exposure, moisture, and other structural threats, while adhesives and sealants can minimize air leakage and stave off water intrusion.
• Cement and concrete additives can aid in the reduction of carbon emissions, support the incorporation of recycled materials, and improve the environmental footprint of concrete.

Asia/Pacific Recovery Strengthens the Global Outlook

The return of volume growth in the global construction chemicals market depends heavily on the Asia/Pacific region, particularly China. Representing roughly 25% of worldwide demand, China has an outsized influence on market performance. A recovery in residential building construction and repair spending will therefore lift both regional demand and the global forecast following a comparatively weak historical period.

Growth elsewhere in the Asia/Pacific region will be supported by urban expansion, housing needs, transportation and water infrastructure, and investment in advanced manufacturing. Rising construction standards, labor constraints, and greater emphasis on durability and energy efficiency will also increase the use of factory blended mortars, concrete additives, protective coatings, sealants, polymer flooring, and other higher performance systems.

Global Construction Chemicals Report Details

Leading Companies Driving Trends in the Global Construction Chemicals Industry

Historical Market Size & Growth Drivers

Global construction chemical demand changes from year-to-year based on the level and mix of construction activity, the pace of repair and renovation, and shifts in material performance requirements. Demand is also influenced by infrastructure funding, construction costs, building regulations, and regional conditions that affect product selection and usage intensity:

• New residential and nonresidential construction drives demand for concrete admixtures, dry-mix mortar, grout, adhesives, sealants, flooring, waterproofing, and insulation products.
• Infrastructure investment supports cement and concrete additives, repair mortars, protective coatings, waterproofing systems, and asphalt additives used in roads, bridges, rail, water systems, and energy projects.
• Repair, renovation, and maintenance activity creates recurring demand for restoration mortars, sealants, coatings, flooring, grout, and waterproofing products across aging buildings and infrastructure.
• Cement, resin, polymer, energy, and transportation costs influence product pricing, contractor purchasing, inventory levels, and substitution between premium and lower cost formulations.
• Building codes, energy efficiency standards, and environmental regulations increase demand for higher performance, lower emission, moisture-resistant, fire-resistant, and energy-efficient construction systems.
• Labor availability and installation costs support greater use of factory blended, rapid setting, self-leveling, spray applied, and other products that reduce onsite labor and shorten project schedules.
• Weather patterns and climate exposure affect annual demand for waterproofing, concrete protection, roofing systems, sealants, insulation, and cold-weather or high-temperature formulations.
• Regional construction cycles, government funding, interest rates, and developer confidence determine where projects move forward, slow down, or shift toward renovation and infrastructure work.

Global Construction Chemicals Report Scope

For purposes of this report, construction chemicals are defined as chemicals and chemical compounds that are used in construction applications to provide several functions and benefits, including primarily:

• bonding or joining materials or products
• cleaning or stripping surfaces
• improving construction material installation or performance
• sealing surfaces and filling gaps
• surface protection

Products that are used primarily for decorative purposes or as raw materials in construction product manufacturing are excluded.

Products covered in detail in this report include:

• coatings and sealers; non-pigmented products used as a base coat, over which additional coating layers are applied, or applied as a protective finish/topcoat; and topical liquid preservatives
• adhesives and sealants, including polyurethane, bituminous, elastomeric, silicone, acrylic, and epoxy types
• cement and concrete additives used in:
  • concrete that is poured and cured at the job site, regardless of where the chemicals are added, including inorganic materials, surfactants, dispersants, corrosion inhibitors, grinding aids, and viscosity modifiers
  • manufacturing plants to produce concrete products (e.g., block)
• polymer flooring (also known as monolithic or seamless flooring)
• grout
• dry-mix mortars
• asphalt additives, including:
  • elastomeric polymer modifiers – styrene-butadiene block copolymers (styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butadiene-styrene), and rubber latex
  • plastomeric polymer modifiers – ethylene copolymers and polyethylenes
  • chemical modifiers
  • solvents
  • surfactants
• sprayed polyurethane foam (SPF)

Excluded from the scope of this study are:

• house paints, decorative stains, and other products that are primarily decorative, as are factory applied coatings such as those used on metal building or bridge components, prefabricated housing materials, woodwork, or furniture
• adhesives that are used in the manufacturing of construction materials
• chemicals such as limestone (calcium carbonate) used in the production of cement

Historical data (2015, 2019, and 2025) are reported in metric tons and current US dollars, with forecasts provided for 2030 and 2035. The term “demand” actually refers to “apparent consumption”, and is defined as production (also referred to variously as “shipments”, “output”, or “supply”) from a country’s domestic manufacturing facilities plus imports minus exports. It is used interchangeably with the terms “market”, “sales”, and “consumption”. In many cases, coatings production data were converted from gallons or liters based on estimates of the average weight.