Phosphorus Trichloride Market

Phosphorus Trichloride Market Outlook (2022-2032)

The global phosphorus trichloride market was valued at US$ 1.63 billion In 2021, registering Y-o-Y growth of 3% over the past 5 years.

Worldwide consumption of phosphorus trichloride is predicted to reach a market value of US$ 2.48 billion by 2032, increasing a CAGR of 4% from 2022 to 2032.

Report Attributes	Details
Phosphorus Trichloride Market Size (2021A)	US$ 1.63 Billion
Estimated Market Value (2022E)	US$ 1.68 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (2032F)	US$ 2.48 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2022-2032)	4% CAGR
North America Market Share (2021)	~29.5%
North America Growth Rate (2022-2032)	~3% CAGR
United States Growth Rate (2022-2032)	~3% CAGR
Market Share of Top 5 Companies	~31%
Key Companies Profiled	Syngenta Crop Protection AG Mosaic Company Solvay S.A. Akzo Nobel N.V. Excel Industries Shanghai Fopol Chem-Tech Industry Co. Ltd. Nutrien Ltd. Guangzhou Zoron Chemical Technology Co. Ltd. Lanxess LianYunGang Dongjin Chemical Co. Ltd. Italmatch Chemicals

The global market for phosphorus trichloride is estimated to generate an absolute dollar opportunity worth US$ 798.6 million during the assessment period because of the augmented application of phosphorus trichloride as an intermediate to produce chemicals and other related products.

Phosphorus Trichloride Consumption Analysis (2017-2021) Vs Market Outlook (2022-2032)

Phosphorus trichloride is a colorless, or slightly yellow fuming liquid, used as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals. It is used for the manufacturing of agrochemicals and flame retardants and as a plasticizer in plastic manufacturing.

Phosphorus trichloride usage in the production of chemicals such as triphenylphosphine and phosphites and rapid expansion of the global chemicals industry are driving demand for the product, providing a gain of 97 BPS to the global phosphorus trichloride market by 2032.

Phosphorus trichloride has a trigonal pyramidal shape, is considered to have a +3 oxidation state, and is a precursor to other phosphorus compounds. It is also toxic and reacts rapidly with water to release hydrogen chloride.

Most companies in the market do not sell phosphorus trichloride directly to consumers but sell it as an intermediate for further production. Also, they follow the proper handling and storage of phosphorus trichloride along with its proper disposal to reduce exposure risks.

• Short-run (2022 Q2 to 2025): Augmented application of phosphorus trichloride as an intermediate to produce chemicals and products.
• Medium-run (2025-2028): South Asia & Oceania and East Asia are set to witness growth as they are home to leading producers of phosphorus trichloride.
• Long-run (2028-2032): With the market attaining maturity in some regions, coupled with the negative aspects of the chemical, the growth of the phosphorus trichloride market will slow down.

According to Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, the global phosphorus trichloride market witnessed a CAGR of 3% from 2017-to 2021 and is estimated to expand at 4% CAGR during the assessment period of 2022-2032.

This image provides the analysis of market shares of segments such as grade, end use, and region, in a nutshell. Under the grade segment, pure grade phosphorus trichloride leads the market with 81.3% share in 2021.

Why is Phosphorus Trichloride Demand Set to Increase Steadily?

“Numerous Applications of Phosphorus Trichloride Driving Market Growth”

Phosphorus trichloride is used as an intermediate to produce other chemicals and a variety of products to be used in several applications such as surfactants, metal extractants, agricultural products, additives for lubricants, flame retardants, stabilizers for plastics, etc.

This chemical is also consumed in manufacturing processes and can make its way into the environment and does not bioaccumulate; however, it is not biodegradable.

All these factors are likely to support phosphorus trichloride market growth by 1.2X during the forecast years.

In addition, phosphorus trichloride is used in the production of glyphosate, pesticides, organophosphate insecticides, volume herbicides, phosphorus oxychloride, etc. With the help of multistage chemical synthesis, it is also used to produce nerve gas chemical weapons. However, the International Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty controls its production, use, and export.

Which Factors Can Restrain Application Demand?

“Toxic Nature of Phosphorus Trichloride Denting Market Expansion Prospects”

Phosphorus trichloride, when exposed to humans, can lead to severe harmful impacts. For instance, its exposure can be dangerous to human health as it is highly toxic if swallowed and can be fatal if inhaled. It can also cause severe burns resulting in scarring if it is absorbed through the skin. However, consumer exposure does not occur easily as it is not used in commercially-available products.

In addition, phosphorus trichloride is also harmful to aquatic life due to ecotoxicological testing performed on fish and fresh-water invertebrates, because of the formation of acids from hydrolysis of phosphorus trichloride.

The various harmful effects of phosphorus trichloride is predicted to restrain its demand by 0.3X over the assessment period of 2022-2032.

Region-wise Insights

Which Regional Phosphorus Trichloride Markets Account for High Sales?

The North America phosphorus trichloride market accounts for the largest market share of 29.5%. This regional market is poised to expand at a moderate growth rate of 3% during the assessment period owing to the market reaching maturity in the region.

The European phosphorus trichloride market holds 26.2% market share and is slated to expand at 4.5% CAGR over the decade. The market is likely to grow at a higher CAGR as compared to North America owing to rising demand for phosphorus trichloride from several end-use sectors over the coming years.

Why is the Asia Pacific Phosphorus Trichloride Market Growing Rapidly?

The East Asia phosphorus trichloride market and South Asia & Oceania phosphorus trichloride market hold 15.1% and 13.4% of the overall market share, respectively. Both these regional markets are projected to expand at high CAGRs of 4.6% and 4.9%, respectively.

High demand growth of phosphorus trichloride in the Asia Pacific region is attributed to the fact that it is the leading producer of phosphorus trichloride with most of them concentrated in China.

Category-wise Insights

Why is the Market Share of Pure Phosphorus Trichloride So High?

The phosphorus trichloride market, under grade, is segmented into pure phosphorus trichloride and analytical phosphorus trichloride.

The pure grade phosphorus trichloride segment leads the market handsomely with 81.3% of the overall market share and is projected to rise at 3.9% CAGR during the forecast years. On the other hand, analytical grade phosphorus trichloride holds 18.7% market share and will register 4% CAGR over the same period.

Pure phosphorus trichloride is of lower purity and is cheaper than analytical phosphorus trichloride; it is a commonly-used grade of phosphorus trichloride. Analytical grade phosphorus trichloride is more expensive than pure grade, but its demand is likely to expand at a higher CAGR than pure grade.

Which End Use Drives Most Demand for Phosphorus Trichloride?

Under end use, the market for phosphorus trichloride is segmented into organophosphorus pesticides, organophosphorus chelating agents, flame retardants, and other end uses.

Amongst these, organophosphorus pesticides dominate the market by holding 41.8% market share, and are poised to register a CAGR of 4% over the assessment period. This is because of the augmented use of phosphorus trichloride as a chemical intermediate in the production of organophosphorus pesticides, which is anticipated to remain the same over coming years.

The next leading segment under end use is organophosphorus chelating agents holding 26.3% market share; however, this segment is set to register a higher CAGR of 4.4% through 2032.

Competitive Landscape

Top companies manufacturing phosphorus trichloride are focusing on marketing strategies such as acquisitions and innovation to gain an edge over others and serve a wider consumer base. With high demand from the agrochemicals industry, key players in the market are acquiring agricultural companies to incorporate innovation and streamline their product offerings.

1. Mosaic Company acquired Plant Response in 2022. The acquired company provides biological-based solutions, crop input technologies, and recovered waste fertilizers.
2. Syngenta acquired UniSpore and NemaTrident, next-generation bioinsecticides, in 2022, from Bionema Limited.

Phosphorus Trichloride Industry Survey by Category

• By Grade :

  • Pure Grade
  • Analytical Grade

• By End Use :

  • Organophosphorus Pesticide
  • Organophosphorus Chelating Agent
  • Flame Retardants
  • Other End-Uses

• By Region :

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • East Asia
  • South Asia & Oceania
  • MEA