Furfural is an organic chemical intermediate obtained from renewable sources such as agricultural residues and wood chips. Furfural is considered to be a platform chemical, which is used as a precursor for the manufacturing of various derivatives such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), furfuryl alcohol, and furan resins.
The global furfural market size is expected to grow from USD 551 million in 2019 to USD 700 million by 2024, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% during the forecast period. This is attributed to the large scale derivatives manufacturing and growing focus on the use of green chemicals globally.
The corncob raw material segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to its highest pentosan content. This results in higher economic value as it offers greater yield in comparison to other raw materials.
The derivatives application accounted for the largest share of the furfural market. Among the derivatives, furfuryl alcohol dominated the consumption of furfural in this segment. Furfuryl alcohol is mainly used in the manufacturing of furan resins used in the foundry industry.
