Flow Chemistry Industry

The global flow chemistry market size was estimated at USD 1.76 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2024 to 2030. Increasing awareness surrounding sustainable development and the growing pharmaceutical and chemical industries are some of the key driving factors for industry growth. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an oil price collapse, leading to a narrowing of feedstock cost advantages for chemical companies. This resulted in decreased demand for reactors in the chemical industry, which generates a major part of the industry's revenue. Moreover, these effects were felt by the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries, thus negatively impacting the market growth.

The pandemic exposed the pharmaceutical supply chain in the U.S., leading to many companies setting up manufacturing facilities. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advocating the use of flow chemistry for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) production. This is expected to boost the country's industrial growth.

Gather more insights about the market drivers, restrains and growth of the Global Flow Chemistry market

Flow Chemistry Market Segments:

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The market growth stage is medium and the pace of growth is accelerating. The global flow chemistry market is highly competitive owing to the presence of both multinational and local manufacturers. The competitive environment in the market is driven by innovation in technology for the use of flow chemistry. Companies are investing heavily in R&D as well as developing instruments to optimize the production method and improve the yield of the product that is to be synthesized. 

Reactor Type Insights

The continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) segment led the market and accounted for over 36.4% share of the global revenue in 2023. Factors responsible for this are high adoption, simple construction, good temperature control, low cost, and adaptability to two-phase runs. Moreover, the increasing use of CSTR in water and wastewater applications is likely to boost industry growth. A plug flow reactor, also known as a tubular reactor, is one of the most commonly used reactors for gas phase reactions. The absence of moving parts, high conversion rate per reactor volume, simple mechanism, and low maintenance lead to a low overall cost of production from these reactors, which is likely to propel their demand.

Application Insights

The chemicals segment led the market in terms of revenue share in 2023 on account of the increased use of environmentally friendly technologies such as flow chemistry in order to reduce greenhouse emissions. Moreover, an increase in demand for specialty chemicals from the automotive industry is expected to positively impact the industry's growth. Numerous companies in the pharmaceutical industry have been trying to maintain collaboration between the industry and academic sectors. Academia & research are likely to introduce new methodologies for manufacturing chemicals and APIs, which is expected to augment the demand for reactors in this segment over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

The strong presence of key players in North America and well-established companies in the end-user landscape is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the market. The increase in chemical and pharmaceutical production and a rise in investments in research and development in flow chemistry, especially in continuous processes, are some of the key factors fueling the industry growth in the region.

Browse through Grand View Research's Organic Chemicals Industry Research Reports.

  • The global petrochemicals market size was valued at USD 619.28 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3% from 2024 to 2030.
  • The global methanol market size was estimated at USD 36.0 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.9% from 2024 to 2030.

Key Flow Chemistry Company Insights

The global market includes large-scale reactors and microreactor flow chemistry manufacturers. Key players focus on inorganic growth strategies, such as joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, to sustain the competition and capture a larger market share. Moreover, they maintain their competitive position in this market by offering superior distribution channels and enhanced services.

Key Flow Chemistry Companies:

The following are the leading companies in the flow chemistry market. These companies collectively hold the largest market share and dictate industry trends.

  • Am Technology
  • Asahi Glassplant Inc.
  • METTLER TOLEDO
  • Vapourtec Ltd.
  • ThalesNano Inc.
  • E.L. Group
  • Uniqsis Ltd.
  • Ehrfeld Mikrotechnik BTS
  • Future Chemistry Holding BV
  • Corning Incorporated
  • Parr Instrument Company
  • Amar Equipment Pvt. Ltd.
  • FABEX ENGINEERING PVT. LTD.
  • Dalton Pharma Services

Segments Covered in the Report

Grand View Research has segmented the global flow chemistry market report based on reactor type, application, and region

Flow Chemistry Reactor Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • CSTR
  • Plug Flow Reactor
  • Microreactor
  • Packed-Bed Reactor
  • Others

Flow Chemistry Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Chemicals
  • Academia & Research
  • Petrochemicals
  • Others

Flow Chemistry Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • North America
    • US
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • UK
    • Germany
    • France
    • Russia
    • Italy
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Australia
  • Central & South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
  • Middle East & Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • UAE

Recent Developments

  • In December 2023, AGI Group acquired Chemtrix B.V. This acquisition of Chemtrix B.V. is anticipated to scale up AGI Group's capabilities in the flow chemistry market for application in the pilot as well as the manufacturing field.   
  • In July 2023, H.E.L Group announced a collaboration with IIT Kanpur to leverage sustainable energy driven by the institute. The objective of this initiative was to create new testing labs for conducting research in new chemistry development, battery storage, and thermal characteristics study.

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