NAICS 325613 Quarterly Industry Report
Surface Active Agent Manufacturing
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 325613Sector: 32Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
This Fair Market Value industry report for NAICS 325613 provides business owners, acquirers, and financial advisors with data-driven valuation insights for the surface active agent manufacturing sector, drawing on data from the U.S. Census Bureau[4] and International Trade Administration[5] chemical trade statistics. Additional data is drawn from Bureau of Labor Statistics[8].. The report aggregates transaction multiples, financial benchmarks, and market trends specific to NAICS 325613 establishments, supporting buy-sell agreements, succession planning, SBA-financed acquisitions, and litigation support engagements.
Industry Definition & Overview
Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (NAICS 325613) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing bulk surface active agents for use as wetting agents, emulsifiers, penetrants, and dispersants, as well as manufacturing textile and leather finishing agents used to reduce surface tension or speed drying processes. Products include anionic surfactants such as linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and alcohol sulfates, nonionic surfactants including alcohol ethoxylates, cationic surfactants for fabric softening and antimicrobial applications, and amphoteric surfactants for personal care formulations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau[4], approximately 21 companies operate in this highly concentrated industry, employing roughly 5,800 workers with annual revenue exceeding $7.1 billion in chemical process facilities that produce bulk surfactant intermediates consumed by soap, detergent, personal care, and industrial chemical formulators.
The industry represents a critical upstream supply node for cleaning product and personal care manufacturers, with surfactants serving as the primary functional ingredient in detergents, shampoos, emulsions, and industrial cleaning formulations. Industry International Trade Administration[5] reports U.S. surfactant exports exceeding $5.5 billion, making the country a major net exporter of surface active agents to global markets. The Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] identifies production roles including chemical reactor operators managing ethoxylation and sulfonation processes, process engineers overseeing continuous production systems, quality control chemists performing surfactant characterization and purity testing, and safety professionals managing exothermic reaction hazards and chemical storage compliance.
Per the SBA Office of Advocacy[7], the industry is highly concentrated among a small number of large oleochemical and petrochemical companies operating integrated surfactant production facilities. The capital-intensive nature of ethoxylation reactors and sulfonation plants, combined with the technical complexity of surfactant synthesis processes, creates high barriers to entry that limit competition to established chemical manufacturers with specialized production infrastructure.
What's Included in This Industry
- Valuation multiples benchmarked to surface active agent manufacturing operations
- Revenue and EBITDA trends for domestic surfactant production facilities
- SBA lending data and financing terms for NAICS 325613 businesses
- Comparable transaction data from recent surfactant manufacturer acquisitions
- Industry risk factors including feedstock pricing, concentration risk, and environmental regulations
- Workforce composition and labor cost benchmarks for surfactant production operations
- Regional market analysis covering Gulf Coast and Midwest surfactant production centers
- Capital expenditure benchmarks for ethoxylation and sulfonation reactor systems
- Growth projections tied to bio-based surfactant demand and personal care market growth
- Owner compensation and discretionary earnings benchmarks
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Subsector | Chemical Manufacturing | 325 |
| Industry Group | Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing | 3256 |
| NAICS Industry | Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing | 32561 |
| National Industry | Surface Active Agent Manufacturing | 325613 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 325611 | Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing | Soap and detergent manufacturers representing the largest downstream customer segment consuming bulk surfactants as primary functional cleaning ingredients in product formulations |
| 325620 | Toilet Preparation Manufacturing | Toilet preparation manufacturers consuming surfactants as primary ingredients in shampoos, body washes, facial cleansers, and other personal care product formulations |
| 325612 | Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing | Polish and sanitation product manufacturers consuming specialty surfactants and emulsifiers in floor care, automotive detailing, and institutional cleaning formulations |
| 325199 | All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing | Basic organic chemical manufacturers producing fatty alcohols, ethylene oxide, and other chemical intermediates consumed as primary feedstocks in surfactant synthesis |
| 325211 | Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing | Plastics resin manufacturers producing ethylene oxide and propylene oxide chemical feedstocks consumed in nonionic surfactant ethoxylation manufacturing processes |
| 325510 | Paint and Coating Manufacturing | Paint and coating manufacturers consuming surfactant dispersants and wetting agents to maintain pigment suspension and improve coating application properties |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 19.8% | 19 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 11.5% | 11 |
| 3 | South Carolina | 10.4% | 10 |
| 4 | Texas | 9.4% | 9 |
| 5 | Illinois | 8.3% | 8 |
| 6 | Ohio | 5.2% | 5 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 5.2% | 5 |
| 8 | Florida | 5.2% | 5 |
| 9 | Georgia | 5.2% | 5 |
| 10 | Indiana | 5.2% | 5 |
% Of Establishments
0%
20%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What is the typical valuation multiple for a surfactant manufacturer?
Surface active agent manufacturers typically trade at 6x to 9x EBITDA, reflecting the concentrated market structure and high barriers to entry from capital-intensive reactor systems. Per U.S. Census Bureau[4] data, the industry's 21 firms are predominantly large chemical companies, making acquisitions rare events that command strategic premium valuations.
What SBA loan options are available for surfactant businesses?
The SBA[9] sets the small business threshold at 750 employees for NAICS 325613. Given the industry's extreme concentration and capital intensity, SBA financing is primarily relevant to specialty surfactant producers or tolling operations rather than large integrated manufacturers.
How do feedstock costs affect surfactant manufacturer profitability?
Palm kernel oil, coconut oil, fatty alcohols, and ethylene oxide represent the primary raw material inputs, with palm oil derivatives subject to global commodity pricing volatility. Per the International Trade Administration[5], oleochemical and petrochemical feedstock price movements directly affect surfactant production economics and pricing to downstream customers.
What are the main end markets for surfactant products?
Household cleaning products represent the largest market, followed by personal care, industrial cleaning, oilfield chemicals, and agricultural formulations. Per the U.S. Census Bureau[4], over $7 billion in annual domestic surfactant production supports downstream cleaning and personal care industries.
How is sustainability affecting surfactant manufacturing?
Bio-based surfactants derived from renewable palm, coconut, and sugar feedstocks are gaining market share over petrochemical-derived alternatives. Per the EPA[12], environmental and consumer safety considerations are driving reformulation from conventional surfactants to milder, more biodegradable surface active agent chemistries.
What environmental regulations apply to surfactant manufacturers?
The EPA[12] regulates surfactant manufacturing under Clean Air Act emission standards for ethylene oxide and other hazardous air pollutants, with OSHA Process Safety Management requirements covering ethoxylation reactor operations handling reactive chemicals at elevated temperatures and pressures.
What workforce challenges do surfactant manufacturers face?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] reports strong demand for chemical process operators, reaction engineers, and safety professionals with experience in ethoxylation and sulfonation processes. Market specialized nature of surfactant manufacturing technology limits the qualified labor pool for critical production roles.
How does the U.S. surfactant export market affect domestic producers?
U.S. surfactant exports exceeding $5.5 billion demonstrate strong global competitiveness. Per the International Trade Administration[5], domestic producers benefit from competitive oleochemical feedstock access and proximity to major cleaning product and personal care manufacturing customers in North America.
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [5]International Trade Administration trade.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]SBA Office of Advocacy advocacy.sba.gov
- [8]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [9]SBA size standards sba.gov
- [10]SBA 7(a) loan program sba.gov
- [11]CDC/504 loan program sba.gov
- [12]EPA epa.gov
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