Detergents
Considering the suitable market for detergents in the region and the production capacity that is multiple times the need, this is expected. So that the detergent industry can play a role as one of the important industries in the field of non-oil exports. In the best case, in one year, about 500 million dollars’ worth of detergent, cosmetics and hygiene products, including raw materials and finished products, were exported, and the main export items of these products were detergent powders. At present, more than 200 factories are working in this industry, among the units that produce these products, 15 factories produce detergent powder, which are actually considered the main units of this industry.
Since Iran’s neighboring countries are consumers whose production of detergents in those countries has not reached maturity, they have created a potential capacity for Iran’s exports. Currently, Iraq and Afghanistan are the two countries that buy the most detergents from Iran, and exports are also made to Armenia, Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries.
The consumers of the countries of the African continent in this regard are also the countries of Chad and Somalia, which have a total of 44 thousand dollars of imports from Iran.
South Africa and Nigeria have the largest imports of detergents among African countries.
In 2021, South Africa has imported the most detergents from Germany, America, China, Italy, and England respectively.
In 2021, Nigeria also imported the highest amount of detergents from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Germany in order of dollar value.
Iranian detergents are exported to countries such as Iraq, India, Turkey, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, UAE, etc. In the past years, our country has made good progress in the field of production and export of these products. The country’s annual export of detergents is more than 160 million dollars, and the export of detergents along with related industries is around 180-220 million dollars. Iran’s share of the amount of detergents in the world market is estimated at 0.54. The exported detergent products of the country include soaps, powder detergents, gel tablets, alkyl benzene sulfone cleaners, etc.
What is the status of detergent production?
Many large and small companies are active in the detergent production industry in the country, but the main production of these products is in the hands of 15 large companies. These companies produce more than 80% of Iran’s detergents. Currently, there are about 220 companies operating in the field of detergent production in the country. The domestic capacity of these companies is 4 million tons, but only 1.5 million tons are produced. The per capita consumption of detergents in 1400 was about 21 kilograms per person. By comparing the amount of consumption per person with the amount of production in the country, we can conclude that producers should increase their production.
How is the domestic detergent market?
Domestic detergent market is a competitive market where Iranian and foreign brands are competing with each other. Also, the target market of detergents is the domestic market, so that manufacturers sell about 85% of their products domestically. Iranian big companies that are competing with each other.
Import of detergents
Today, the import of detergents is limited and it is even said that the import of these materials has been stopped since 2017. However, the shortages of the domestic market of detergents are imported from other countries. According to studies, the production of polyethylene glycol and glycerin cocarate has been two important achievements in Iran’s detergent industry. These productions have significantly reduced the import of detergents from foreign countries. Before this, raw materials were imported from an Italian company in the amount of 1,500-1,000 tons worth 3 million dollars. Now more than 50% of the country’s needs are produced domestically.
All types of detergent raw materials
Some of the raw materials of exported detergent are as follows:
Normal Texapon, Texapon N70, Loramide, Sod Perak, Liquid Sod, Texapon Sefi
Sodium lauryl ether sulfate, essential oil, colors, light sodium carbonate, sulfosuccinate
Industrial and pharmaceutical urea, baking soda, sodium sulfate, baking soda, heavy sodium carbonate
Vaseline, paraffin, glycerin, EDTA, sodium hydroxide, aqueous citric acid
Dry citric acid, calcium chloride, etc.