Construction chemicals
Admixtures, waterproofing, tile adhesives, sealants and repair mortars that make concrete stronger and buildings drier; a $46 billion market led by Sika.
Specialty chemicals · Industrial & consumer specialties · No. 88
- Product family
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- not published as a world tonnage; admixture dosage is 0.2-2.0% of cement mass (EFCA model EPD 2024) against about 3.8 billion t of cement (USGS 2025e)
- 0.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 382440
A dash of superplasticiser, under 2% of the cement, lets builders make stronger concrete with less water and less cement.
Chart: Illustration: Construction chemicals
Where it comes from
Chart: Map of where it comes from
PCE superplasticisers are made by joining a polyethylene glycol chain, built from ethylene oxide, to acrylic acid; a 40% solution needs about 0.25-0.4 t of macromonomer per tonne.
Three things to know
- Sika, the leader, sold CHF 11.2 billion in 2025 at an 18.4% EBITDA margin, despite double-digit falls in China.
- A superplasticiser adds about 0.5 kg CO2e per kg, a small price for cutting the water and cement in a mix.
- In India, waterproofing is a branded consumer product, and Pidilite's revenue grew 11.8% to Rs 14,553 crore in FY26.
The journey
- 1 PetrochemicalsEthylene oxide, acrylic acid, VAE, bitumen
- 2 Polymer synthesisPEG macromonomer copolymerised with acrylic acid
- 3 Local formulationTuned to each region's cement and sand
- 4 On siteDosed into ready-mix, precast and mortars
- 5 BuildingsStronger concrete, dry roofs, tiled floors