Global Cresol Market Report, Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Source (Natural, Synthetic), By Product Type (o-Cresol, m-Cresol, p-Cresol), By Application (Herbicides, Antiseptics and Disinfectants, Cleaning Compounds, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2025 To 2030

Comprehensive analysis of demand drivers, supply-side constraints, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities across applications and regions.

Report CodeKSI061614790
PublishedSep, 2022

Description

Cresol Market Size:

The Global Cresol Market is expected to grow from USD 448.636 million in 2025 to USD 527.997 million in 2030, at a CAGR of 3.31%.

Cresol Market Key Highlights:

  • The global cresol market is growing steadily with increasing agrochemical applications.
  • Eco-friendly product adoption is driving demand for biodegradable cresol compounds.
  • Pharmaceutical formulations are boosting cresol use in insulin and vaccine production.
  • The chemical industry is expanding, increasing cresol demand for disinfectants and solvents.
  • Asia Pacific is witnessing rapid growth due to high agricultural product consumption.
  • North America and Europe are leading with early technology adoption in cresol production.
  • Manufacturers are investing in R&D to enhance cresol-based chemical innovations.

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In Cresol, hydroxytoluene is extracted either naturally from coal tar or synthetically. The chemical is available in the form of ortho, meta, and para cresols to be utilized in many end-user industry verticals. Many are utilized as intermediates to other compounds such as plastics, pesticides, and disinfectants. Using agrochemicals such as herbicides for sustainable farm management is expected to fuel the market growth in the forecast period.

Using cresols as preservatives in pharmaceutical formulations such as insulin and vaccines is significantly impacting the market growth in the forecast period and the growing pharma industry. The growing trend of adopting eco-friendly products is a further impetus to fuel the market growth in the forecast period, owing to the high aerobic biodegradation rate and low bioaccumulation potential of cresols.

Based on Geography, North America and Europe are estimated to hold a significant market share in the global cresol market owing to the early adoption of technology and innovations. In addition, major market players are based in this region. Additionally, Europe, particularly Western Europe, is the major consumer of o-cresol in the form of a chemical intermediate.

These are mostly used to formulate products, including adhesives, disinfectants, and cleaning products. On the other hand, the Asia Pacific region will witness a high market growth rate during the forecast period due to the presence of a large population base for the consumption of agricultural food products, especially in China and India. Hence, using cresols in pesticides and other agrochemicals is burgeoning the market demand in the forecast period. Additionally, with a large population suffering from non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, the use of cresols in pharmaceutical formulations is expected to increase during the forecast period.

Cresol Market Growth Drivers:

  • The growing adoption of eco-friendly products is expected to increase the global cresol market growth over the next five years.

It has been significantly assessed that cresols pose no risk in terms of exposure; hence, the chemical has reduced toxicity in the general population. According to the screening assessment of cresols by the Government of Canada, cresols are released into the air and into surface waters and soil. With high water solubility, moderate vapour pressure, and low to moderate sorption potential, cresols are readily biodegradable and have a low bioaccumulation potential. Hence, the exposure potential of these compounds to the organisms is highly reduced. The phenolic compounds are known to demonstrate low to moderate toxicity. At the same time, in the laboratory, many aquatic and terrestrial organisms can metabolize and excrete cresols, reducing the chances of adverse effects. The quantitative analysis predicted that the industries' highest concentrations of cresols in the environment occurred. However, these are expected to be much lower than the experimentally determined no-effect levels. The quantitative analysis predicted that industries would have the highest concentrations of cresols in the environment; however, these are expected to be much lower than the experimentally determined no-effect levels.

  • The growing chemical industry worldwide is projected to propel the market demand in the forecast period.

Cresol is used as a raw material for many chemical products, including electronic chemicals, solvents, and disinfectants. The global chemical industry, excluding pharmaceuticals, is predicted to surge by over 2% in 2019 from the previous year. China from the APAC region is anticipated to be the world's largest chemical market and thus strongly impacts the global growth rate. It comprises the largest share of approximately 40% of the global total, accounting for over 50% of the chemical growth worldwide. The growing supply chain spending in the chemical industry further contributes to global GDP growth, propelling the market growth in the forecast period. Around two-thirds of the amount spent by the chemical companies was from the APAC region. Furthermore, manufacturers investing heavily in R&D on a global level are providing an impetus for the growth of the market for chemicals during the forecast period.

Global Cresol Market Scope:

Report Metric Details
Cresol Market Size in 2025 US$448.636 million
Cresol Market Size in 2030 US$527.997 million
Growth Rate CAGR of 3.31%
Study Period 2020 to 2030
Historical Data 2020 to 2023
Base Year 2024
Forecast Period 2025 – 2030
Forecast Unit (Value) USD Billion
Segmentation
  • Source
  • Product Type
  • Application
  • Geography
Geographical Segmentation North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific
List of Major Companies in the Cresol Market
  • Honshu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
  • LANXESS
  • Deepak Novochem Technologies Limited
  • Sasol LTD
  • Atul Ltd
Customization Scope Free report customization with purchase

 

Cresol Market Segmentation:

  • By Source
    • Natural
    • Synthetic
  • By Product Type
    • o-Cresol
    • m-Cresol
    • p-Cresol
  • By End-user
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Chemical Industry
    • Paints & Coatings
    • Agrochemicals 
    • Others
  • By Geography
    • North America
      • USA
      • Canada
      • Mexico
    • South America
      • Brazil
      • Argentina
      • Others
    • Europe
      • UK
      • Germany
      • France
      • Others
    • Middle East and Africa
      • UAE
      • Israel
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Others
    • Asia Pacific
      • Japan
      • China
      • India
      • South Korea
      • Thailand
      • Indonesia
      • Taiwan
      • Others

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The global cresol market is projected to grow from USD 448.636 million in 2025 to USD 527.997 million by 2030, at a CAGR of 3.31%.

Key drivers include rising agrochemical demand, use in pharmaceutical formulations, eco-friendly adoption due to biodegradability, and expansion of the global chemical industry.

The cresol market is segmented into o-cresol, m-cresol, and p-cresol, with o-cresol being a key intermediate in chemical applications, particularly in Europe.

Asia Pacific is experiencing rapid growth due to agricultural demand in China and India, while North America and Europe lead in technology adoption and consumption.

With high biodegradability, low toxicity, and minimal bioaccumulation, cresol aligns with eco-friendly product trends, driving demand across industries.

Table Of Contents

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

2. MARKET SNAPSHOT

2.1. Market Overview

2.2. Market Definition

2.3. Scope of the Study

2.4. Market Segmentation

3. BUSINESS LANDSCAPE 

3.1. Market Drivers

3.2. Market Restraints

3.3. Market Opportunities 

3.4. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

3.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.6. Policies and Regulations 

3.7. Strategic Recommendations 

4. TECHNOLOGICAL OUTLOOK 

5. GLOBAL CRESOL MARKET BY SOURCE 

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Natural

5.3. Synthetic

6. GLOBAL CRESOL MARKET BY PRODUCT TYPE 

6.1. Introduction

6.2. o-Cresol

6.3. m-Cresol

6.4. p-Cresol

7. GLOBAL CRESOL MARKET BY END-USER 

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Pharmaceuticals

7.3. Chemical Industry

7.4. Paints & Coatings

7.5. Agrochemicals 

7.6. Others

8. GLOBAL CRESOL MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY

8.1. Introduction

8.2. North America

8.2.1. USA

8.2.2. Canada

8.2.3. Mexico

8.3. South America

8.3.1. Brazil 

8.3.2. Argentina

8.3.3. Others

8.4. Europe

8.4.1. UK

8.4.2. Germany

8.4.3. France

8.4.4. Others

8.5. Middle East & Africa

8.5.1. Israel

8.5.2. UAE

8.5.3. Saudi Arabia

8.5.4. Others

8.6. Asia Pacific

8.6.1. China

8.6.2. Japan

8.6.3. South Korea

8.6.4. India

8.6.5. Thailand

8.6.6. Taiwan

8.6.7. Indonesia

8.6.8. Others

9. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS

9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

9.2. Market Share Analysis

9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

9.4. Competitive Dashboard

10. COMPANY PROFILES

10.1. Honshu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

10.2. LANXESS

10.3. Deepak Novochem Technologies Limited

10.4. Sasol LTD

10.5. Atul Ltd

10.6. SABIC

10.7. Konan Chemical Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

10.8. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

10.9. Anhui Haihua Chemical Technology

11. APPENDIX

11.1. Currency 

11.2. Assumptions

11.3. Base and Forecast Years Timeline

11.4. Key benefits for the stakeholders

11.5. Research Methodology 

11.6. Abbreviations 

Companies Profiled

Honshu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

LANXESS

Deepak Novochem Technologies Limited

Sasol LTD

Atul Ltd

SABIC

Konan Chemical Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

Anhui Haihua Chemical Technology

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