Water Softeners Market

Water Softeners Market Size By Type (Salt-free and Salt-based), By Application (Residential, Commercial and Industrial) and By Process (Ion Exchange, Distillation and Reverse Osmosis), Regions, Global Industry Analysis, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2023 to 2032

Base Year: 2022 Historical Data: 2019-21
  • Report ID: TBI-13786
  • Published Date: Nov, 2023
  • Pages: 239
  • Category: Chemicals & Materials
  • Format: PDF
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The global water softeners market was valued at USD 2.86 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2023 to 2032. Water is considered to be an essential resource which is used for day-to-day activities. But not all water is equal. Hard water, which has a high mineral concentration, can lead to several issues in homes and businesses, such as plumbing system malfunctions, lower application efficiency, and cleaning challenges. Hard water can be made soft with the utilization of water softeners. The water softeners use zеolite and resins as fillers to lower the amounts of calcium and magnesium in the water. Globally, rising water usage is one of the key factors driving up demand for the compound. Further, a rise in industrial activities within the manufacturing sector is anticipated to propel market expansion. Just 3% of the water covering the world is freshwater. The remaining 70% is saltwater. As a result, water softeners are crucial to transforming saltwater into freshwater and supplying drinking water to people worldwide.

Market Introduction:

The concentration of minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium, in water is called water hardness. Water passing through limestone and gypsum-containing geological formations dissolves these minerals. Hard water is defined as having a high mineral content, and soft water is defined as having a low mineral content. Water softeners are devices that remove or replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium or potassium ions to lessen the hardness of the water. This process, known as ion exchange, takes place in the water softener's resin tank. A control valve, a mineral tank, a resin tank, and a brine tank are the main parts of a water-softening system.

Resin beads in the resin tank, the core of the water softener system, help in the ion exchange process. When water travels through these beads, sodium or potassium ions replace calcium and magnesium ions. The brine tank is filled with a salt and water solution, usually sodium or potassium chloride. For the water softener to keep softening water, the brine tank plays a crucial role in clearing the resin beads of any accumulated calcium and magnesium ions throughout the regulation process. The main element that controls how much water enters and exits the reservoir tank is the control valve. It controls the water softener system's numerous parameters and starts the regulation cycles. Ion exchange occurs in the mineral tank when the resin beads swap out calcium and magnesium ions for sodium or potassium ions.

Water Softeners Market Size

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Recent Development
  • In March 2023: A new water softening system called the Canature Aquasana Whole House Water Softener, intended to be less expensive than earlier models, was introduced by Canature Environmental Products.
  • In December 2022: Kemira joined the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) to work with other leading companies and accelerate the industry's switch from fossil fuels to renewable fuels and raw materials. Kemira has demonstrated its commitment to developing state-of-the-art sustainability practices with an emphasis on promoting circularity and a bio-based economy by joining the RCI.

Market Dynamics:

Drivers

Growing Awareness of Water Quality Issues - One of the main factors contributing to the market for water softeners is the growing awareness of the detrimental impacts of hard water on both residential and commercial fronts. Water hardness is a problem that both consumers and companies need to solve if they want to provide durable equipment, pipes, and appliances. This increasing awareness is driving the need for water-softening solutions. There is a growing need for clean, safe water due to the growing global population and urbanization. Water softeners are increasingly important water treatment technologies for maintaining water quality. The market for water softeners is mostly driven by the need for clean water for drinking and domestic use, particularly in areas where hard water problems are prevalent. People are becoming more conscious of the possible health advantages of drinking softened water. Many research analyses and related studies have shown that softened water enhances the taste of the water and minimizes the risk of cardiovascular disease. Water softeners are witnessing significant growth as health-conscious customers are rising globally. This primary factor is boosting the market growth and development.

Restraints:

High Installation & Maintenance Costs - The advanced technology water softeners can be more effective initially compared watеr softeners to conventional systems. The installation process may also be more complicated and call for emergency assistance. Some customers and businesses may be discouraged from purchasing water softeners due to the upfront expenses and complications. Further, potential customers could be less inclined to pay the upfront cost in areas where the advantages of water softening are not as well known. In addition to the upfront installation expenses, water softeners also need continuous maintenance. This expense covers regular maintenance, the replacement of salt or another water treatment medication periodically, and, in certain situations, emergency services. Budget-conscious organizations and customers may be concerned about these upkeep costs, which could limit market expansion.

Opportunities:

Technological Advancements - The water softeners market has expanded significantly due to technological advancements over the years. Integrating digital controls and smart systems is one of the most notable technological developments in the water softener industry. Control panels and digital displays are standard on modern water heaters, enabling users to monitor and adjust their systems. These devices offer up-to-date information on salt levels, regulation schedules, and water hardness. Users can configure their practices to guarantee that the watеr softener runs as efficiently as possible, including regulation timings and watеr hardening criteria. Certain water softeners can be connected to Wi-Fi networks, enabling smartphone apps for remote monitoring and control. This technique improves the user experience and overall system performance. Watеr softening devices that use magnetic or electronic foils to alter the behavior of minerals are known as magnetic and electronic watеr conditioners. These systems are a technological leap in water treatment, although their efficacy is still debatable. Electronic and magnetic conditioners are frequently used because they don't require maintenance and don't release salt. This factor is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities in the upcoming years.

Regional segmentation analysis:

The regions analyzed for the market include North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. North America region emerged as the most prominent global Water softeners market, with a 39.0% market revenue share in 2022. North America has been a pioneering region, boosting the water softeners market because of its early adoption and strong environmental consciousness. Chemicals and pollutants are affecting the water supply in North America due to the country's evolving industrial and manufacturing operations. Further, almost 85% of American homes are situated in hard water regions, placing a strain on the infrastructure for handling and transporting water. Drought has affected more than 75% of the towns in the nation in recent years. The market for water softeners may expand significantly due to the adoption of water treatment technologies like UV disinfection systems, which help save water while purifying. The U.S. is significantly contributing towards the regional market growth and development owing to the rise in demand for water softeners. The regional market players also engage in various market strategies such as product innovation, product differentiation, mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and strategic alliances to maintain their competitive edge.

North America Region Water softeners Market Share in 2022 - 39.0%

 

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  • In February 2023: The Aquasana OptimH2O Whole House Water Softener, a new water softening system that is intended to remove more hardness minerals than prior systems, was introduced by A.O. Smith Corporation.
Type Segment Analysis

The type segment includes salt-based and salt-free. The salt-based segment accounted for the largest market share of around 54% in 2022. Historically, salt-based water softening systems have been the most popular and commonly recognized technology. Through an ion exchange process, these systems use salt, usually sodium chloride, to remove minerals from hard water, including calcium and magnesium. In addition to offering important advantages like minimizing scale accumulation in plumbing systems and prolonging the life of water-using appliances, salt-based systems are well-known for their efficiency in lowering water hardness.

Process Segment Analysis

The process segment is bifurcated into ion exchange, distillation and reverse osmosis. The ion exchange segment dominated, with a market share of around 59% in 2022. For a considerable time, the market for watеr softeners has been based on the ion exchange method. Because it effectively removes calcium and magnesium ions—the main causes of water hardness—it makes up a sizable portion of the mixture. Resin beads containing sodium ions are utilized in ion exchange watеr softeners to replace the calcium and magnesium ions in hard watеr. Water is successfully softened by this technique, making it appropriate for various uses. The effectiveness of ion exchange water softeners in resolving hard water problems is one of their main benefits. They work especially well to stop scale accumulation in plumbing and appliances. Ion exchange systems are also known for being user-friendly and requiring little maintenance.   

Application Segment Analysis

The application segment is divided into residential, industrial and commercial. The industrial segment dominated the market, with a market share of around 42% in 2022. Many industries, including manufacturing, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and poultry, effectively employ industrial water-softening systems. Large amounts of water are needed for the operations of these industries, and water softening systems assist in removing the minerals and infrastructure that can lead to scaling and damage to machinery and equipment. The industrial sector is the market's most popular application category due to its high demand for water-softening systems. This is the primary factor for the segment growth.

Some of the Key Market Players:
  • Marlo Incorporated
  • Kinetico Incorporated
  • EcoWater Systems LLC
  • Culligan International Company
  • General Electric Company
  • Canature Environmental Products Co., Ltd
  • Harvey Water Softeners Ltd
  • Pelican Water Systems
  • BWT AG
  • Evoqua Water Technologies

Report Description: 

Attribute Description
Market Size Revenue (USD Billion)
Market size value in 2022 USD 2.86 Billion
Market size value in 2032 USD 5.73 Billion
CAGR (2023 to 2032) 7.2%
Historical data 2019-2021
Base Year 2022
Forecast 2023-2032
Region The regions analyzed for the market are Asia Pacific, Europe, South America, North America, and Middle East & Africa. Furthermore, the regions are further analyzed at the country level.
Segments Type, Process, Application

Frequesntly Asked Questions

As per The Brainy Insights, the size of the water softeners market was valued at 2.86 billion in 2022 to USD 5.73 billion by 2032.

The global water softeners market is growing at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period 2023-2032.

North America region became the largest market for water softeners.

The technological advancements within the industry is influencing the market's growth.

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This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2019 to 2032. The Brainy Insights has segmented the global water softeners market based on below-mentioned segments:

Global Water Softeners Market by Type:

  • Salt-free
  • Salt-based

Global Water Softeners Market by Process:

  • Ion exchange
  • Distillation
  • Reverse osmosis

Global Water Softeners Market by Application:

  • Residential
  • Commercial
  • Industrial

Global Water Softeners Market by Region:

  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • U.K.
    • Italy
    • Spain
  • Asia-Pacific
    • Japan
    • China
    • India
  • South America
    • Brazil
  • Middle East and Africa  
    • UAE
    • South Africa

Methodology

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Our research reports feature both; quantitative and qualitative aspects for any market. Qualitative information for any market research process are fundamental because they reveal the customer needs and wants, usage and consumption for any product/service related to a specific industry. This in turn aids the marketers/investors in knowing certain perceptions of the customers. Qualitative research can enlighten about the different product concepts and designs along with unique service offering that in turn, helps define marketing problems and generate opportunities. On the other hand, quantitative research engages with the data collection process through interviews, e-mail interactions, surveys and pilot studies. Quantitative aspects for the market research are useful to validate the hypotheses generated during qualitative research method, explore empirical patterns in the data with the help of statistical tools, and finally make the market estimations.

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Our research methodology encompasses an idyllic combination of primary and secondary initiatives. Key phases involved in this process are listed below:

MARKET RESEARCH PROCESS

Data Procurement:

The phase involves the gathering and collecting of market data and its related information with the help of different sources & research procedures.

The data procurement stage involves in data gathering and collecting through various data sources.

This stage involves in extensive research. These data sources includes:

Purchased Database: Purchased databases play a crucial role in estimating the market sizes irrespective of the domain. Our purchased database includes:

  • The organizational databases such as D&B Hoovers, and Bloomberg that helps us to identify the competitive scenario of the key market players/organizations along with the financial information.
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Secondary Research: The secondary data sources includes information published by the on-profit organizations such as World bank, WHO, company fillings, investor presentations, annual reports, national government documents, statistical databases, blogs, articles, white papers and others. From the annual report, we analyse a company’s revenue to understand the key segment and market share of that organization in a particular region. We analyse the company websites and adopt the product mapping technique which is important for deriving the segment revenue. In the product mapping method, we select and categorize the products offered by the companies catering to domain specific market, deduce the product revenue for each of the companies so as to get overall estimation of the market size. We also source data and analyses trends based on information received from supply side and demand side intermediaries in the value chain. The supply side denotes the data gathered from supplier, distributor, wholesaler and the demand side illustrates the data gathered from the end customers for respective market domain.

The supply side for a domain specific market is analysed by:

  • Estimating and projecting penetration rates through analysing product attributes, availability of internal and external substitutes, followed by pricing analysis of the product.
  • Experiential assessment of year-on-year sales of the product by conducting interviews.

The demand side for the market is estimated through:

  • Evaluating the penetration level and usage rates of the product.
  • Referring to the historical data to determine the growth rate and evaluate the industry trends

In-house Library: Apart from these third-party sources, we have our in-house library of qualitative and quantitative information. Our in-house database includes market data for various industry and domains. These data are updated on regular basis as per the changing market scenario. Our library includes, historic databases, internal audit reports and archives.

Sometimes there are instances where there is no metadata or raw data available for any domain specific market. For those cases, we use our expertise to forecast and estimate the market size in order to generate comprehensive data sets. Our analyst team adopt a robust research technique in order to produce the estimates:

  • Applying demographic along with psychographic segmentation for market evaluation
  • Determining the Micro and Macro-economic indicators for each region 
  • Examining the industry indicators prevailing in the market. 

Data Synthesis: This stage involves the analysis & mapping of all the information obtained from the previous step. It also involves in scrutinizing the data for any discrepancy observed while data gathering related to the market. The data is collected with consideration to the heterogeneity of sources. Robust scientific techniques are in place for synthesizing disparate data sets and provide the essential contextual information that can orient market strategies. The Brainy Insights has extensive experience in data synthesis where the data passes through various stages:

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Market Deduction & Formulation: The final stage comprises of assigning data points at appropriate market spaces so as to deduce feasible conclusions. Analyst perspective & subject matter expert based holistic form of market sizing coupled with industry analysis also plays a crucial role in this stage.

This stage involves in finalization of the market size and numbers that we have collected from data integration step. With data interpolation, it is made sure that there is no gap in the market data. Successful trend analysis is done by our analysts using extrapolation techniques, which provide the best possible forecasts for the market.

Data Validation & Market Feedback: Validation is the most important step in the process. Validation & re-validation via an intricately designed process helps us finalize data-points to be used for final calculations.

The Brainy Insights interacts with leading companies and experts of the concerned domain to develop the analyst team’s market understanding and expertise. It improves and substantiates every single data presented in the market reports. The data validation interview and discussion panels are typically composed of the most experienced industry members. The participants include, however, are not limited to:

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Moreover, we always validate our data and findings through primary respondents from all the major regions we are working on.

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