Asia Pacific And Middle East Personal Protective Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Protective Clothing, Protective Footwear, Hand Protection), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2016 - 2022

Industry Insights

The Asia Pacific and Middle East personal protective equipment market size was estimated at USD 10.38 billion in 2016 and is expected to register a CAGR of 7.8% over the forecast period. Increasing awareness towards employee health and safety at workplaces, coupled with favorable government regulations pertaining to employee safety is anticipated to drive industry growth over the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific and Middle East are anticipated to experience high growth over the forecast period on account of increasing construction and infrastructure projects, thereby creating immense opportunity for the need for personal protection of the employees. Rapid industrialization in developing economies such as those in South-East Asia is expected to impact positively skilled labor requirements, which in turn are anticipated to augment personal protective equipment (PPE) demand in the near future.

Increasing investments in construction projects and automobile parts assembling are expected to drive industrial growth in China over the forecast period. In addition, rising technological advancements in textile machinery and electronic manufacturing are expected to drive the industrial sector further. Rapid growth in the industrial sector, coupled with the increasing penetration of PPE in the industries is anticipated to complement market growth in China.

Safety regulations by the government of China in the form of China Occupational Health Law, China Workplace Safety Law, and Standards in Chapter 6 (Occupational Safety and Health) of China Labor Law are likely to impact the PPE market growth positively. Furthermore, regulatory agencies in the Asia Pacific and Middle East are enforcing stringent norms on employers to make it compulsory to ensure workers’ safety on account of increasing hazards in these regions.

Accidents involve loss of life, work disturbance, costs, reimbursement to family, legal issues, and infrastructure damages; therefore, industry participants have augmented workers’ safety. The growing number of the blue-collar workforce across various production-centric industries and R&D establishments is anticipated to fuel PPE demand over the forecast period.

Technological innovation, coupled with changing consumer need for personal protective equipment that combines safety with fashion and attractiveness, is further estimated to augment market expansion in Asia Pacific and Middle East regions. However, unavailability of precise numerical safety equipment data for personal protection from industries acts as a major challenge for market participants.

Product Insights

Hand protection emerged as a leading personal protective equipment product segment accounting for over 23.7% market revenue share in 2015. Rising occupational fatalities along with increasing hand protection requirements in various industries including automotive, refining, oil & gas, and metal manufacturing are expected to drive the demand for hand protection equipment over the forecast period.

Protective footwear is required to protect employees against foot injuries caused by chainsaws, electric shock, electrical conductivity, metatarsal impact, sole puncture, static discharge, and toe impact in workplaces. The product demand is anticipated to witness growth at a CAGR of 8% from 2016 to 2022, owing to the increasing penetration in various industries such as oil and gas, chemical, construction, pharmaceuticals, transportation, manufacturing, food, and mining.

Rising protective clothing demand from various end-use industries, including construction, manufacturing, and oil & gas is anticipated to drive the market over the forecast period. In addition, huge penalty costs related to non-compliance of safety regulations is expected to force employers in the regions to adopt protective clothing in order to safeguard their employees from various hazards associated with these end-user industries.

Mechanical protective clothing protects the employees against various cuts or slash hazards including chain saws, sheet metal, glass, knives or sharp edges and stabs, and puncture-related injuries. Rapid growth in the manufacturing and construction industries, particularly in India and Saudi Arabia is expected to drive the personal protective equipment market over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific was the largest PPE market among the two regions with a total revenue share of over 68% in 2015 and is anticipated to witness the highest growth over the forecast period. Increasing construction spending along with growing transportation and oil & gas industries in the region, particularly in economies of China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam is estimated to raise PPE demand over the forecast period.

Emerging economies such as China and India, are expected to witness significant growth in automobile and electronics industries along with the implementation of various OSHA regulations regarding employee health and safety in companies within the regions. Furthermore, growing concern towards high-risk activities, including sharp metal sheets, glass making, and chemical handling in the Asia Pacific is expected to drive protective gloves demand over the forecast period.

Middle East personal protective equipment market is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period on account of the stringent regulatory scenario in the region coupled with growing employee awareness towards personal safety. Furthermore, increasing the oil & gas industry in the region is expected to drive the PPE market over the forecast period.

An increasing number of offshore and onshore accidents coupled with stringent safety norms is forcing the employers to adopt personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of workers. Additionally, huge compensational costs arising due to injuries or loss of life is anticipated to increase PPE market penetration over the foreseeable future.

Asia Pacific and Middle East Personal Protective Equipment Market Share Insights

The Asia Pacific and Middle East personal protective equipment market is highly fragmented with the top five players including Honeywell, 3M, DuPont, Ansell, and MSA Company, accounted for over 70% of the market share in 2014. Honeywell has constantly been involved in R&D to develop various application-specific products.

In April 2015, the company launched rigid rail fall arrest systems to provide workers with mobility and fall protection while working at height. Other players operating in the industry include Alpha Pro Tech, Ansell Ltd., Jal Group Italia Srl, Delta Plus, Superior Glove Works Limited, Uvex Safety Group, and Globus.

DuPont is one of the major integrated players in the market and accounted for 13.3% of the global revenue in 2014. The company is constantly involved in R&D to develop new materials such as breathable & comfortable fibers with enhanced durability. Furthermore, DuPont is also engaged in expanding the personal protective equipment portfolio in other segments to offer maximum protection to the majority of the end-user industries.

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