Europe Molecular Sieves Market Forecasts Growth from $0.98B (2026) to $1.16B by 2031, Profiling BASF, Honeywell, Clariant, Solvay & 17 Other Key Players

Europe Molecular Sieves Market Forecasts Growth from $0.98B (2026) to $1.16B by 2031, Profiling BASF, Honeywell, Clariant, Solvay & 17 Other Key Players Dublin, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Europe Molecular Sieves - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Europe Molecular Sieves Market Forecast to Reach USD 1.16 Billion by 2031

The Europe molecular sieves market is projected to expand from USD 0.95 billion in 2025 to USD 0.98 billion in 2026. By 2031, the market is forecast to reach USD 1.16 billion, registering a compound annual growth rate of 3.42% from 2026 to 2031. Growth is being supported by tighter European environmental regulations, rising demand for high-purity industrial gases, hospital oxygen system upgrades, green hydrogen projects, and continued investment in petrochemical processing.

Environmental Regulations Accelerate Adoption of High-Performance Molecular Sieves

Updates to REACH requirements and the phased implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism are tightening moisture and volatile organic compound specifications across industrial gas, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical facilities. These regulatory changes are encouraging operators to install high-performance zeolite adsorption systems that offer documented efficiency, reliability, and compliance.

The European industrial gases sector generated an estimated EUR 21.2 billion in revenue during 2025, while exposure to energy and carbon costs increased the importance of efficient adsorption systems. Major capacity investments also demonstrate the need for advanced molecular sieve technology. Air Liquide allocated more than EUR 250 million to new air-separation capacity in Dresden, Germany, and partnered with Aurubis on a EUR 100 million unit in Bulgaria. Both projects specified molecular sieve packages designed to support regulatory and operating-efficiency requirements.

Suppliers that can demonstrate ISO 9001-certified manufacturing processes and deliver moisture breakthrough performance below 2 parts per million are well positioned to secure replacement and retrofit contracts across Europe.

Hospital Oxygen Upgrades Support Zeolite Demand

Post-pandemic hospital retrofits, an aging European population, and increased investment in decentralized healthcare infrastructure are driving demand for pressure swing adsorption oxygen systems. Regional zeolite consumption linked to these applications is expanding particularly quickly in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, where growth rates are estimated at between 5.8% and 7.8%.

Demand is also increasing among rural clinics and nursing homes seeking compact oxygen-generation systems. Beaded molecular sieve beds are frequently selected for these installations because they can support service intervals exceeding 18 months while limiting dust-related maintenance. Honeywell UOP's OXYSIV products supplied emergency volumes to Italian hospitals during the 2021 demand surge, highlighting the strategic value of regional product availability and responsive supply chains.

Energy Costs Present a Near-Term Market Challenge

Despite favorable long-term demand, energy-intensive regeneration processes remain a constraint for the Europe molecular sieves market. Vacuum-temperature swing and thermal swing cycles can consume up to 90 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 2.9 gigajoules of heat per tonne of carbon dioxide desorbed. Rising European Union Emissions Trading System allowance prices are therefore increasing operating expenses.

Smaller biogas facilities and medical oxygen operators may find these costs difficult to absorb, particularly when capital budgets are limited. Some operators could delay molecular sieve bed replacements or system upgrades, moderating near-term sales. Competition from hybrid membrane and adsorber systems in biogas upgrading may also affect demand in selected applications.

Other important market drivers include the expansion of green hydrogen electrolyzer projects requiring ultra-dry hydrogen streams and refinery modernization programs designed to support Euro 7 fuel standards.

Pelleted and Microporous Molecular Sieves Maintain Leading Positions

Pelleted products accounted for 39.71% of the Europe molecular sieves market in 2025. Their mechanical strength makes them suitable for repeated pressure cycles in air-separation plants and refinery adsorption towers. Although switching formats can require significant capital expenditure, operators are increasingly evaluating low-pressure-drop extrudates that can reduce blower energy consumption during retrofit projects.

Powdered molecular sieves are forecast to record a 3.90% compound annual growth rate between 2026 and 2031. Demand is increasing in detergents and rapid-cycle adsorption applications, where high surface area is a priority. Phosphate-free detergent requirements are also reinforcing the market position of Zeolite A. Beaded products retain an important role in compact medical oxygen concentrators, where dust control can improve filter performance and operating life.

Microporous materials represented 64.57% of the European market in 2025 and are expected to grow at a 3.99% compound annual rate through 2031. Their leadership reflects sustained demand from air separation, drying, gas purification, and carbon capture applications. Large industrial investments, including Air Liquide's Dresden air-separation project, are expected to support continued adoption of 13X molecular sieve beds.

Mesoporous and macroporous materials serve more specialized catalyst and chromatography applications. Zeopore's mesoporized product launch in May 2025 indicates growing interest in hydrocracking and biofuel production. However, these categories are expected to remain smaller than microporous molecular sieves, which continue to dominate Europe's high-volume purification and separation applications.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition

1.2 Scope of the Study

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.2.1 Regulatory tail-winds from REACH and CBAM tightening moisture/VOC specs

4.2.2 Explosive PSA oxygen demand from ageing European Union hospitals and mini-plants (post-COVID)

4.2.3 Surge in green-hydrogen electrolyser build-outs requiring ultra-dry H? streams

4.2.4 Petro-refinery revamps to meet Euro 7 fuel standards

4.2.5 Detergent phosphate bans boosting 4A zeolite uptake

4.3 Market Restraints

4.3.1 Energy-intensive regeneration costs amid European Union carbon price escalation

4.3.2 Competition from hybrid membrane-adsorber skids in biogas upgrading

4.3.3 Raw-material (soda-ash, sodium-silicate) price volatility

4.4 Value Chain Analysis

4.5 Porter's Five Forces

4.5.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.5.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers

4.5.3 Threat of New Entrants

4.5.4 Threat of Substitutes

4.5.5 Degree of Competition

5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value)

5.1 By Shape

5.1.1 Pelleted

5.1.2 Beaded

5.1.3 Powdered

5.2 By Size

5.2.1 Microporous (< 2 nm)

5.2.2 Mesoporous (2-50 nm)

5.2.3 Macroporous (> 50 nm)

5.3 By Product Type

5.3.1 Carbon

5.3.2 Clay

5.3.3 Porous Glass

5.3.4 Silica Gel

5.3.5 Zeolite

5.3.6 Others

5.4 By End-user Industry

5.4.1 Agricultural Products

5.4.2 Air Purification

5.4.3 Automotive Industry

5.4.4 Detergents Industry

5.4.5 Cosmetics

5.4.6 Heating and Refrigeration Industry

5.4.7 Industrial Gas Production

5.4.8 Nuclear Industry

5.4.9 Petroleum Refining and Petrochemicals

5.4.10 Pharmaceutical Industry

5.4.11 Plastics and Polymers Industry

5.4.12 Waste and Water Treatment

5.4.13 Others

5.5 By Geography

5.5.1 Germany

5.5.2 United Kingdom

5.5.3 France

5.5.4 Italy

5.5.5 Spain

5.5.6 Russia

5.5.7 Rest of Europe

6 Competitive Landscape

6.1 Market Concentration

6.2 Strategic Moves

6.3 Market Share(%)/Ranking Analysis

6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global Overview, Market Overview, Core Segments, Financials, Strategic Information, Products and Services, Recent Developments)

6.4.1 Arkema Group

6.4.2 Axens

6.4.3 BASF SE

6.4.4 Bear River Zeolite Co.

6.4.5 Bete Ceramics Co. Ltd.

6.4.6 Cabot Corporation

6.4.7 CARBOTECH AC GMBH

6.4.8 Clariant

6.4.9 Dalian absorbent Co., Ltd

6.4.10 Desicca Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.

6.4.11 Graver Technologies

6.4.12 Honeywell International Inc.

6.4.13 KNT Group

6.4.14 Merck KGaA

6.4.15 Shanghai Hengye Molecular Sieve Co. Ltd

6.4.16 SHOWA DENKO K.K.

6.4.17 Solvay

6.4.18 Tosoh Corporation

6.4.19 W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn.

6.4.20 Zeolyst International

6.4.21 Zeochem

7 Market Opportunities and Future Outlook

7.1 White-space and Unmet-need Assessment

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6gx6b4

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