Membrane Separation Technology Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Technology (Microfiltration, Ultrafiltration, Nanofiltration, Reverse Osmosis), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global membrane separation technology market size was estimated at USD 22.0 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.2% from 2022 to 2030. The market is expected to be driven by the growing environmental restriction on untreated wastewater discharge. Furthermore, the growing adoption of the technology in the desalination of sweaters has also contributed to market growth. The industry is likely to grow substantially with the rising adoption of membrane separation technology in the dairy processing and food and beverages industry. In addition, technological advancements related to durability enhancement and reduction of fouling potential are expected to have a favorable impact on the widespread adoption of membrane separation technologies.

Factors such as growing product demand from end-use industries and environmental regulations laid down by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are forcing companies in the U.S. to adopt water treatment solutions, which is anticipated to boost technology growth. Furthermore, economic revival and government initiatives to promote environmental protection are also expected to drive the market for membrane separation technology in the U.S.

Handling of wastewater, industrial processing, and maintenance of hygiene in food and beverage and medicine plants witnessed a sudden demand for high-quality processing equipment from 2020, which resulted in the growth of the market for membrane separation technology. This change in trend is supported by a sudden demand for high purity consumables in the food and medical industry to tackle the COVID satiation across the globe.

Investments, divestments, and regional expansion are the key strategies adopted by various players to strengthen their presence in the market for membrane separation technology. Increasing investments and continuous R&D in membrane separation technology have led to the introduction of membrane products with enhanced durability and higher flow rates. However, fluctuations in raw material prices are expected to emerge as a key concern for the players.

Technology Insights

Reverse osmosis emerged as the largest technology segment and accounted for a revenue share of 42.0% in 2021, owing to its widespread utilization in residential and industrial applications. Furthermore, the growing adoption of reverse osmosis as an alternative to the thermal desalination process is expected to boost segment growth. Reverse osmosis technology exhibits a considerably higher recovery rate than the traditional thermal desalination processes such as Multistage Flash Distillation (MSF) and Multiple Effect Distillation (MED). As a result, reverse osmosis technology is rapidly replacing the thermal desalination process in saltwater desalination plants across the world.

The nanofiltration segment is projected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period on account of its growing utilization for producing Ultrapure Water (UPW) in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, the growing preference for nanofiltration in the dairy, chemical processing, and textile sectors is expected to further propel segment growth. Nanofiltration technology removes most of the organic contaminants from water and wastewater. They are used in the recovery of spent acids and caustic solutions from industrial effluents. Furthermore, it can be used for the elimination of dyes and colorants from the wastewater generated by textiles and leather processing industries.

Application Insights

The pharmaceutical and medical application segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR of 14.8% over the forecast period owing to the growing acceptance of membrane separation technology to treat pharmaceutical wastewater discharge and discharge to avoid the release of undesirable constituents into the environment. Membrane separation technology is used to recover precious solvents and catalysts that are spent during the synthesis of various pharmaceutical compounds/intermediates. Furthermore, it is used to produce Purified Water (PW), Highly Purified Water (HPW), and Water For Injection (WFI) used in the production of various pharmaceutical formulations.

The industrial processing application segment accounted for a revenue share of 12.5% in 2021. Rising technological innovations coupled with increasing R&D initiatives are anticipated to have a positive impact on product demand in the industrial processing segment. The emergence of new applications such as the solvent recovery process is expected to augment market growth. Globally, the paints and coating industry is expected to witness exponential growth owing to the increasing number of construction projects, majorly in the Asia Pacific. Strict government regulations related to environmental pollution are expected to promote the use of membrane separation technology in the paints and coating industry, thus, contributing to the growth of the industrial processing application segment.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific dominated the membrane separation technology market and accounted for a revenue share of 35.0% and this trend is anticipated to continue over the forecast period. Growing investments in the development of water and wastewater treatment plants are anticipated to drive the technology in the Asia Pacific region. In 2021, china accounted for the highest revenue of USD 3.0 billion in the Asia Pacific. The rising number of initiatives taken by the government and NGOs of China to limit environmental pollution is expected to propel the implementation of wastewater treatment processes, thereby, boosting the growth of the market for membrane separation technology.

Middle East and Africa are expected to witness the highest CAGR of 14% over the forecast period. The rapidly growing industrial sector coupled with stringent government and environmental regulations is expected to promote the growth of the market for membrane separation technology over the forecast period. South Africa is home to a well-established wine production industry. In 2019, it emerged as the world’s ninth-largest wine-producing country with a volume of 9,700 hectoliters. Thus, the use of membrane separation technology in the clarification of wine is expected to have a positive impact on market growth over the forecast period.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market for membrane separation technology is highly concentrated in nature with the top five players accounting for over 60% share. The market is characterized by a large number of players involved in capacity expansions and mergers and acquisitions to increase their share. International players are focusing on strategic acquisitions of small as well as medium-scale companies to expand their product portfolio. Furthermore, the players are establishing strategic alliances with the various desalination and wastewater treatment plant operators to undertake new projects across the world. Some of the prominent players in the membrane separation technology market include:

• Merck KGgA

• Toray Industries, Inc.

• Pentair plc

• Hydranautics

• AXEON Water Technologies

• GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

• Hyflux Ltd.

• Koch Membrane Systems, Inc.

• Corning Incorporated

• HUBER SE

• Pall Corporation

• 3M Company

• SUEZ

• Asahi Kasei Corporation

• DuPont de Nemours, Inc.

• Parker-Hannifin Corporation

• Synder Filtration

• Microdyn Nadir

• Via Separations

Membrane Separation Technology Market Report Scope

Global Membrane Separation Technology Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the membrane separation technology market based on technology, application, and region:

• Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Microfiltration

  • Ultrafiltration

  • Nanofiltration

  • Reverse Osmosis 

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Water & Wastewater Treatment

  • Industry Processing

  • Food & Beverage Processing

  • Pharmaceutical & Medical

  • Others (includes Pulp & Paper industry, Mines & Minerals)

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Russia

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • Australia

    • South Korea

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa