United States Brake Friction Products Market Overview, 2030

The polyols market in Argentina has evolved alongside the country’s industrial, construction, and agricultural sectors, reflecting both regional opportunities and economic challenges. Initially, Argentina’s demand for polyols was largely dependent on imports, as the country lacked large-scale petrochemical capacity to produce synthetic polyols domestically. From the late 20th century onward, multinational companies such as Dow, BASF, and Huntsman supplied synthetic polyols to meet demand from Argentina’s growing construction, automotive, and furniture industries. Rigid foams became critical for insulation and refrigeration, aligning with urban development and the expansion of the domestic appliance sector, while flexible foams gained importance in furniture and bedding.During the 1990s and early 2000s, Argentina’s economic volatility created fluctuations in polyol demand, with periods of contraction followed by recovery driven by infrastructure investment and industrial growth. However, over the past two decades, increasing urbanization, modernization of housing, and the expansion of automotive manufacturing have driven steady demand for polyurethane products. In parallel, sugar alcohol polyols such as sorbitol and maltitol gained traction in the food and beverage sector, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward sugar-free and low-calorie products.In recent years, Argentina has started exploring bio-based polyols, leveraging its agricultural strengths in soybeans, sunflower oil, and castor oil as renewable feedstocks. While adoption is still limited due to cost and scale barriers, pilot initiatives demonstrate potential for future growth. Today, Argentina’s polyols market reflects a blend of traditional reliance on synthetic imports and emerging opportunities in sustainable bio-based solutions, positioning the country for gradual modernization.

According to the research report, ""Argentina polyols Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the Argentina polyols market is anticipated to add to more than USD 140 Million by 2025–30. The regulatory and policy framework shaping the polyols market in Argentina reflects a combination of environmental, industrial, and consumer protection policies, aligned with national legislation and international commitments. Synthetic polyols, widely used in rigid and flexible foams, fall under Argentina’s chemical management regulations overseen by the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development and the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT). These agencies regulate chemical safety, emissions, and permissible exposure levels, ensuring compliance with occupational and environmental standards. Although Argentina is not formally aligned with the EU’s REACH regulation, it is progressively adopting elements of international best practices through its participation in Mercosur frameworks, influencing chemical import, labeling, and registration standards. In the food sector, sugar alcohol polyols such as sorbitol, mannitol, and maltitol are regulated by ANMAT, which approves their use as food additives, sets acceptable daily intake levels, and oversees labeling for sugar-free and reduced-calorie products. Compliance with Codex Alimentarius standards is also important for Argentina’s exports of food and beverage products containing polyols. Building and construction regulations, particularly under Argentina’s National Energy Efficiency Program, encourage the use of insulating materials like polyurethane foams derived from polyols, supporting energy-saving objectives in housing and commercial buildings. At the same time, Argentina’s climate policies under the Paris Agreement emphasize a transition to lower-emission and renewable industrial inputs, opening opportunities for bio-based polyols derived from soybean oil and castor oil. Collectively, these frameworks balance industrial competitiveness with environmental sustainability, driving gradual adoption of greener alternatives in Argentina’s polyols market.

The application landscape of the polyols market in Argentina is led by rigid foams and flexible foams, reflecting the country’s construction, furniture, and automotive needs. Rigid foam applications dominate due to their role in insulation for buildings, refrigeration appliances, and cold storage facilities. Argentina’s government-backed housing programs and efforts to improve energy efficiency standards have driven the adoption of polyurethane insulation materials, especially as urbanization expands in major cities like Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Rosario. Additionally, the refrigeration sector, vital for Argentina’s large food and agricultural export industry, relies heavily on rigid foams for cold chain efficiency, ensuring consistent demand. Flexible foams represent another significant segment, fueled by Argentina’s robust furniture manufacturing sector and domestic demand for mattresses, sofas, and seating materials. Flexible foams are also critical in the automotive industry, which supports both domestic vehicle assembly and regional exports. As automotive production grows, particularly in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, flexible foams for seating and interiors are expected to see continued expansion. Beyond foams, coatings, adhesives, and sealants (CAS) are increasingly used in Argentina’s industrial and construction sectors, offering durability, resistance, and performance advantages in packaging, flooring, and infrastructure. Elastomers, while smaller in market share, serve specialized applications such as footwear, industrial components, and automotive parts, benefiting Argentina’s export-oriented industries. Meanwhile, other applications, notably in pharmaceuticals and personal care, use sugar alcohol polyols like sorbitol as excipients and humectants.

In Argentina, polyether polyols account for the majority of demand, driven by their extensive use in flexible and rigid polyurethane foams across construction, furniture, automotive, and refrigeration industries. Polyether polyols are preferred because of their cost efficiency, ease of processing, and versatility in producing cushioning materials, insulation boards, and refrigeration panels. The furniture and bedding industry in Argentina, which remains strong due to domestic consumption, relies heavily on polyether-based flexible foams for mattresses, sofas, and seating. Similarly, the automotive industry, with production hubs in Córdoba and Buenos Aires, uses polyether polyols in seating, interior cushioning, and noise-reduction applications. In the construction sector, polyether-based rigid foams provide thermal insulation and energy savings, aligning with Argentina’s drive for greater efficiency in residential and commercial buildings. Polyester polyols, though representing a smaller segment, are gaining traction in coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers (CASE applications). Their superior chemical resistance, abrasion durability, and tensile strength make them suitable for high-performance industrial products. In Argentina, polyester polyols are particularly relevant in the footwear industry, where polyurethane elastomers are used in soles and specialty components, supporting both domestic demand and exports to neighboring Latin American countries. They are also used in industrial coatings, adhesives, and packaging applications, catering to Argentina’s manufacturing and logistics sectors. While more costly than polyether polyols, polyester polyols serve niche applications where durability and mechanical strength are critical.

The polyols market in Argentina is currently dominated by synthetic polyols, which are derived from petrochemical feedstocks such as propylene oxide and adipic acid. Synthetic polyols are widely used in rigid foams for insulation and refrigeration, flexible foams for furniture and automotive seating, and coatings, adhesives, and sealants. With Argentina’s established construction, furniture, and automotive sectors, synthetic polyols provide the scale, affordability, and performance needed to meet industrial demand. However, Argentina relies heavily on imports from multinational suppliers like BASF, Covestro, and Dow, as the country has limited domestic petrochemical capacity. This dependence makes the market vulnerable to price volatility and supply chain fluctuations, particularly during economic downturns or global feedstock disruptions. On the other hand, bio-based polyols are an emerging opportunity in Argentina, supported by the country’s strong agricultural base. Feedstocks such as soybeans, castor oil, and sunflower oil offer potential for renewable polyol production, aligning with Argentina’s broader sustainability goals and its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement. Local innovation in bio-based chemistry, combined with partnerships between global chemical players and domestic agricultural producers, is opening pathways for pilot projects in green building materials, low-VOC coatings, footwear, and automotive components. However, adoption remains limited due to higher production costs, lack of industrial-scale facilities, and slower commercialization compared to synthetic alternatives. Looking ahead, synthetic polyols will continue to dominate Argentina’s market in the short to medium term, but bio-based polyols are expected to grow steadily as sustainability, export competitiveness, and environmental compliance become stronger drivers of industry transformation.


Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Polyols Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Application
• Rigid Foam
• Flexible Foam
• Coatings
• Adhesives & Sealants
• Elastomers
• Other Applications

By Type
• Polyether Polyols
• Polyester Polyols

By Source
• Synthetic
• Bio-based

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Brake Friction Products Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Type
• Brake Discs
• Brake Pads
• Brake Drums
• Brake Shoes
• Brake Liners
• Brake Shims

By Sales Channel
• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
• Aftermarket

By Material
• Metallic Discs
• Composite Discs
• Ceramic Discs

By Vehicle Type
• Passenger Cars
• Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs)
• Trucks
• Buses Show more