Soap & Other Detergent Manufacturing Industry Profile

Companies in this industry manufacture soap and detergent products. Major companies include Church & Dwight, Colgate-Palmolive, Ecolab, and Procter & Gamble (all based in the US), along with Henkel (Germany), Nice Group (China), and Unilever (UK).

In 2022, the world's leading soap importers and exporters include Germany, UK, Belgium, Italy, and Spain, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC). The Asia/Pacific region, particularly China and India, holds the greatest potential for growth.

The US soap and detergent manufacturing industry includes about 670 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $25 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Population growth, particularly among households with children, drives demand in the consumer sector, and economic growth drives demand in the commercial sector. The profitability of individual companies depends on efficient operations and effective sales and marketing. Large companies have scale advantages in purchasing, manufacturing, distribution, and marketing. Small companies can compete effectively by offering specialized products, providing superior customer service, or serving a local market. The US industry is highly concentrated: the top 50 companies generate about 90% of revenue.

Both the consumer and the commercial segments of the soap and detergent manufacturing industry are highly competitive, and large companies spend millions to maintain market share.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Bath, facial, and hand soaps account for about 10% of US industry revenue, while dishwashing detergents account for about 20%. Dentifrices were about 5%.

Detergent production starts by combining ...