Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis, 2033

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Overview

Global Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) market size is estimated at USD 105.57 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 143.58 million by 2033 at a 3.5% CAGR.

The Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) market plays a crucial role in water treatment, deodorant manufacturing, and industrial applications. ACH is widely valued for its high aluminum content of up to 23%, with performance effectiveness shown to be 1.4 to 1.6 times better than traditional aluminum sulfate in coagulation processes. Across municipal water treatment plants, more than 70% use polyaluminum coagulants, including ACH, due to its superior turbidity and organic matter removal. Additionally, ACH is a preferred choice in deodorant products, where over 60% of antiperspirants formulated globally utilize ACH as a key active ingredient. The market shows significant demand from textile, pulp and paper, and petrochemical industries, particularly in effluent treatment facilities, where ACH doses between 10–60 mg/L are standard for effective performance. In wastewater treatment, ACH is used to reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD) by up to 85% and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by up to 75%. Global consumption of ACH surpasses 500,000 metric tons annually, highlighting its widespread industrial relevance. Liquid ACH accounts for nearly 80% of market supply due to its ease of application and fast dissolution. Industrial buyers increasingly seek high basicity ACH variants (≥83%) to enhance floc formation while reducing sludge production.

Key Findings

Top Driver reason: Increasing demand for high-performance coagulants in municipal and industrial water treatment.

Top Country/Region: China dominates the global ACH production with over 30% of total output volume.

Top Segment: Liquid ACH accounts for nearly 80% of all aluminum chlorohydrate consumption due to dosing efficiency and storage ease.

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Trends

The ACH market is witnessing a consistent shift toward high-basicity formulations. Products with basicity levels above 83% are now preferred in water treatment as they result in lower residual aluminum levels in treated water, contributing to safer potable water. Over 60% of municipalities in developed countries have transitioned from traditional aluminum sulfate to ACH for better coagulation efficiency.

In the personal care segment, ACH remains the leading active ingredient in over 70% of global antiperspirant products. This trend is reinforced by increasing consumer preference for high-efficacy personal hygiene products, with per capita usage of deodorants growing by 5% annually in urban regions. The cosmetic industry has seen a 15% increase in product launches featuring ACH-based formulations in the past two years, indicating an expansion of ACH's role beyond conventional water treatment.

Environmental regulations in North America and Europe have mandated the use of more efficient coagulants. As a result, aluminum-based coagulants like ACH are preferred due to lower residual sludge volumes, nearly 30% less than alum and PAC in side-by-side trials. ACH’s ability to remove phosphorus by up to 95% in secondary wastewater treatment systems has led to its increased adoption by food and beverage manufacturing facilities.

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Dynamics

DRIVER

Rising demand for high-efficiency coagulants in water and wastewater treatment.

Municipal water infrastructure has seen extensive upgrades globally, with over 15,000 facilities retrofitted with advanced coagulation systems since 2020. ACH, with its high charge density and rapid floc formation, has emerged as the preferred choice for new water treatment projects. Its application allows up to 40% reduction in dosage compared to conventional aluminum sulfate, improving operational costs and environmental compliance. The increasing need for phosphate removal, especially in Europe, has led to higher adoption of ACH, which offers removal rates exceeding 90%. These factors significantly bolster the ACH market's demand base in both public and private water management initiatives.

RESTRAINT

Stringent handling and transportation regulations for aluminum-based compounds.

Despite its efficiency, ACH is classified as a hazardous material under transportation laws in various regions. It must be handled in containers resistant to corrosion and stored under specific temperature and pressure conditions. In the U.S., over 60% of regional water authorities cite regulatory burdens as a barrier to expanding ACH use. Additionally, operators must undergo specialized training for safe application, adding compliance costs. Small-scale facilities often revert to less efficient alternatives like PAC or alum due to these restrictions. This regulatory complexity slows ACH penetration in emerging water treatment setups.

OPPORTUNITY

Expansion in emerging economies’ sanitation infrastructure.

Over 3.5 billion people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America rely on outdated or non-existent water treatment systems. Initiatives such as India’s Jal Jeevan Mission and Indonesia’s Clean Water for All aim to establish over 100,000 new water purification units by 2027. These programs create significant demand for coagulants like ACH. In India alone, demand for ACH rose by 22% between 2021 and 2024 in state-funded sanitation projects. Local manufacturers are scaling capacity, with four new ACH plants established in Southeast Asia in the past two years, creating new avenues for regional supply chains and partnerships.

CHALLENGE

Rising raw material costs for aluminum and hydrochloric acid.

Bauxite ore, the primary source of aluminum, saw price increases of 18% between 2022 and 2024, driven by mining restrictions in Guinea and Australia. Additionally, the cost of hydrochloric acid rose by 12% due to supply chain disruptions in Europe. These trends directly impact ACH production, as both materials are core inputs. Manufacturers report up to 25% hike in production costs in the last 24 months. Without alternative sourcing strategies or supply contracts, companies face margin pressure, particularly in regions with competitive pricing from PAC and alum providers.

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Segmentation

The Aluminum Chlorohydrate market is segmented by type and application. Liquid and solid forms of ACH are used across a range of industries, and applications vary from organic matter removal to advanced tertiary wastewater treatment. Segmentation helps assess target-specific demand patterns and end-user preferences.

By Type

Liquid ACH: Liquid ACH dominates the market with over 80% share due to ease of dosing, storage, and faster reaction time in water treatment processes. It is typically available in concentrations ranging from 46% to 50% and is used extensively in large-scale municipal water treatment plants. In the U.S., over 8,000 water utilities use liquid ACH for coagulation. The liquid form also requires less mixing energy, improving operational efficiency. It offers faster solubility, with average dissolution time under 5 minutes in batch treatment systems.
Solid ACH: Solid ACH accounts for less than 20% of market usage and is preferred in regions with limited infrastructure for liquid handling. It is generally used in remote industrial sites or in emergency water treatment kits. Solid ACH typically contains 95% active content by weight and is effective in areas lacking temperature-controlled storage. However, its application requires pre-dissolution, increasing treatment setup time by approximately 15–20 minutes per batch. Demand for solid ACH is strong in military and disaster relief scenarios.

By Application

BOD and COD Removal: ACH reduces BOD levels by up to 85% and COD by approximately 75% in wastewater streams. This segment represents over 35% of total ACH consumption globally. Industries such as food processing and leather tanning use ACH at average dosing rates between 30–60 mg/L for high-load effluent streams.
Nutrient Removal: ACH is used to remove phosphorus and nitrogen in tertiary wastewater treatment systems. Over 60% of European wastewater plants report phosphorus removal exceeding 90% with ACH, making this segment a key area for environmental compliance. In the U.S., phosphorus thresholds of below 0.5 mg/L are mandated in over 25 states, driving ACH usage.
Suspended Solids Removal: ACH achieves turbidity reductions of up to 95% and suspended solids removal of over 90% in primary clarification units. Its high charge density ensures rapid floc formation. Textile and pulp industries represent a large portion of demand in this segment, accounting for 40,000+ metric tons annually.
Others: Other uses include dye removal, deinking in paper recycling, and water polishing in aquarium and recreational water systems. ACH is also deployed in cooling tower blowdown water treatment and oil refinery effluent systems, accounting for over 25,000 metric tons annually.

Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Regional Outlook

The Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) market shows distinct trends across global regions, influenced by infrastructure development, regulatory standards, and industrial demand. Each region contributes uniquely to overall market volumes and consumption patterns.

North America

In North America, ACH is extensively used in municipal water treatment and personal care products. Over 6,000 water treatment facilities in the U.S. utilize ACH for enhanced coagulation, particularly in the eastern and midwestern states. ACH accounts for nearly 35% of total coagulant usage in U.S. municipal water systems. The region's stringent EPA regulations promote the use of ACH due to its low residual aluminum and phosphorus binding capabilities. Canada has also witnessed an 18% increase in ACH-based coagulant purchases for environmental restoration projects in Alberta and British Columbia. ACH is additionally used in nearly 75% of premium antiperspirants manufactured in the U.S., with demand continuing to rise due to clean-label trends.

Europe

Europe is one of the most mature markets for ACH, driven by strict water discharge norms and sustainability goals. Germany, France, and the U.K. are key countries with over 4,500 facilities using ACH for municipal and industrial effluent treatment. The EU mandates phosphorus concentrations below 0.3 mg/L, which ACH efficiently helps achieve. The region also accounts for nearly 25% of global ACH consumption in deodorant and cosmetic formulations. Eastern Europe, particularly Poland and Hungary, is experiencing rising demand due to industrial expansion, with regional ACH consumption increasing by 14% between 2022 and 2024.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific leads the global market in volume due to rapid urbanization and water infrastructure expansion. China alone contributes over 30% of global ACH output, with more than 10 major ACH manufacturing plants operating in provinces like Jiangsu and Shandong. India, Indonesia, and Vietnam have emerged as strong consumption markets due to water treatment projects tied to national sanitation missions. India's annual ACH imports have risen by 22% since 2021, while Vietnam initiated three new state-run ACH-based treatment plants between 2022 and 2024. The region also sees increased adoption in industrial segments such as textiles, with more than 3,000 units using ACH in dyeing effluent processes.

Middle East & Africa

Demand for ACH in the Middle East is growing due to water scarcity challenges and desalination infrastructure. Saudi Arabia and the UAE lead in adoption, with over 200 desalination plants incorporating ACH in pre-treatment. The region utilizes approximately 20,000 metric tons of ACH annually in municipal and industrial applications. In Africa, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya have started adopting ACH in wastewater treatment and environmental restoration programs, particularly for mining and textile effluents. ACH usage in Africa has expanded by 17% from 2022 to 2024, especially through government-funded water safety initiatives.

List of Top Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market Companies

Kemira
Chemtrade
GEO
USALCO
Summit Chemical
Holland Company
Omega Chemicals
Chemkimia
Thatcher Group
Gulbrandsen Chemicals
ALTIVIA
Jiangyin Youhao Chemical
Wuxi Bisheng Water Treatment
FIRST

Top Two Companies with the Highest Share

Kemira: Based in Finland, Kemira controls over 18% of the global ACH market by volume. It operates four major production facilities in Europe and North America and supplies ACH to over 60 countries. The company processed more than 90,000 metric tons of ACH in 2023.

USALCO: Headquartered in the United States, USALCO holds nearly 15% of the market. The company operates ten production sites and distributed over 75,000 metric tons of ACH across North America in 2023, catering to municipal water systems and industrial clients.

Investment Analysis and Opportunities

The ACH market presents robust investment potential, particularly in emerging economies undergoing sanitation upgrades and industrial infrastructure expansion. Government investments in municipal wastewater treatment have surged, with over $9 billion allocated globally toward smart water treatment facilities between 2022 and 2024. ACH manufacturers have capitalized on this by expanding production capacity. For example, in 2023, a Southeast Asian joint venture initiated a new plant in Vietnam with an annual capacity of 25,000 metric tons.

The demand for ACH in personal care is also drawing investments. Over 30 global cosmetics manufacturers signed forward procurement agreements in 2023 to secure ACH supply, pushing suppliers to invest in purity enhancement technologies. This shift is visible in the U.S., where facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania received over $40 million in combined upgrades to produce high-purity ACH for cosmetic use.

Additionally, localized production in India and Africa is receiving foreign direct investment, with three new facilities under construction. These plants are projected to reduce dependence on imports by up to 40%, enhancing regional resilience and creating market entry points for new investors.

New Product Development

Innovation in ACH formulations is reshaping its use across industries. Key areas of development include enhanced basicity formulations, lower residual aluminum variants, and integration with other treatment agents like polyamines and PAC blends. High-basicity ACH (≥85%) is now being developed for specialized industrial processes where traditional flocculants underperform. These versions show improved turbidity reduction efficiency by up to 20% and reduce sludge volume by 30%, resulting in lower operational costs for end-users.

In 2023, a major U.S.-based ACH producer launched a new pharmaceutical-grade ACH suitable for over-the-counter deodorants and skin-safe applications. The product boasts over 99.5% purity and is already adopted by four major cosmetic brands across North America and Europe.

Five Recent Developments

Kemira: launched a new high-basicity ACH product in Q1 2024, designed for advanced nutrient removal in tertiary wastewater systems. Lab tests show phosphorus removal up to 98%, the highest among commercial ACH formulations.
USALCO: completed a $25 million expansion of its Baltimore facility in 2023, increasing its annual ACH capacity by 20,000 metric tons to meet rising demand from municipal contracts in the U.S. Midwest.
Omega Chemicals: signed a 10-year supply agreement with Australia's largest desalination plant in 2023, which will use over 15,000 metric tons of ACH annually for pre-treatment operations.
Jiangyin Youhao: Chemical introduced powdered ACH for decentralized water treatment systems in Q2 2024, targeting rural sanitation programs in China and Southeast Asia with a projected demand of 12,000 metric tons per year.
GEO: Specialty Chemicals partnered with a leading deodorant manufacturer in Europe in 2024, to co-develop skin-safe ACH variants, launching a new product line by Q3 2025 aimed at sensitive skin users.

Report Coverage of Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) Market

This report on the Aluminum Chlorohydrate (ACH) market provides a complete analytical overview of product types, applications, regions, and competitive dynamics. It includes in-depth coverage of market size by volume in metric tons, demand patterns across industrial and municipal sectors, and end-user behavior. Detailed segmentation insights highlight usage distribution between liquid and solid forms, with liquid ACH representing over 80% of global consumption. Application-level data outlines ACH's role in BOD/COD removal, nutrient binding, and suspended solids removal, detailing dosage ranges and performance efficiency.

The report encompasses regional dynamics, covering North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. It outlines each region’s specific drivers, regulations, and infrastructure influencing ACH demand. For instance, the North American section details the role of EPA standards, while Asia-Pacific focuses on sanitation expansion.

Company-level insights are included for 14 major players, with detailed breakdowns of production capacity, strategic expansions, and product innovation pipelines. Special focus is given to the top two companies—Kemira and USALCO—with quantitative metrics on production volumes and supply contracts.