Membrane Switch Market Analysis By Product (Polyester, Polycarbonate), By Application (Industrial, Medical, Consumer Goods) By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, RoW), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global membrane switch market size was valued at USD 4.24 billion in 2015. Growing electronics and semiconductor industries are expected to have a positive impact on the membrane switch market over the forecast period. Membrane switches are the most commonly used in consumer appliances such as TV remote control, washing machine, and air conditioner.

Asia Pacific dominated the membrane switch market in 2015 and is expected to display the same trend over the forecast period on account of rising consumer electronics production and consumption. Growing demand from emerging countries such as China and India are expected to play a major role in the growth of this market over the forecast period.

U.S. membrane switch market revenue, by application, 2014 - 2025 (USD Million)

Membrane switches are expected to have the highest penetration in the consumer electronics application segment. These are used in remote controllers of televisions and air-conditioners, along with washing machines and microwave ovens, to name a few. The market in this segment is driven by growing consumer electronics industry.

The penetration of membrane switches in the medical segment is projected to increase over the forecast period. This is due to the growing medical expenditure, coupled with extensive R&D in the medical equipment industry.

Growing electronics industry is expected to augment demand over the forecast period. Rapid R&D has revealed numerous benefits over alternatives such as rubber and mechanical switches in the past few years, which is expected to fuel growth over the forecast period.

Product Insights

Polyester based switches accounted for 35.5% of global share in 2015. Membrane touch based switch construction visuals are usually covered with polyester on account of enhanced properties of hardness, durability, processability, aesthetics and to condense the switch panel both chemically and microbial resistant which expected to drive the industry.

Polyester is recognized for its tensile strength which facilitates resistance to cracking as well as deformation. The favorable properties of polyester are expected to find wide applications in the industrial and medical sectors.

Polycarbonate segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.0% over the forecast period. Polycarbonate film has excellent electrical characteristics, good dimensional stability, and low moisture absorption. The high solvent resistance and good PTF ink compatibility would result in high demand for polycarbonate in the membrane switch industry

The other materials used in manufacturing are polyimide, polyvinyl carbonate, ITO, and polyimide. The material innovation in the market has led to the development of specialty materials that provide benefits of both polyester and polycarbonate. They are majorly used in domestic appliances such as remote control, electronic lock, washing machine, microwave oven, electric cooker, and sound installations.

Application Insights

Industrial application dominated the industry accounting for a revenue share of 29.6% in 2015. The industrial application of membrane switches is experiencing huge demand from the past few years. The development of technologies that result in significant cost savings as well as improve the aesthetics of the plant floor is expected to drive demand. These are suitable for rugged environments, are water resistant, and also exhibit moisture resistance owing to which they are highly preferred in industrial applications.

Membrane switch market revenue by application, 2015 (%)

The membrane switches used in the medical application are custom designed for use in hospitals, laboratories, and other medical environments. The lightweight nature is expected to boost their application in medical devices. The switches are used in medical appliances such as hospital equipment, self-serve kiosks, handheld devices, the point of sale applications, patient monitors, and lab equipment.

The demand for membrane switches in the consumer electronics application in 2015 was estimated at USD 1,200.8 million. These products can be used with various other control systems including smart lighting, touch-based sensors, and keyboards, and also be integrated with switch panels and membrane keyboards in mobile phones and computers which are anticipated to drive the demand for the industry.

Membrane switches are the perfect alternative to mechanical, especially in the fitness industry. The fitness keypads manufactured using membrane switches are not only water and chemical resistant, but they can be cleaned with traditional household cleaners which are likely to bolster the growth of the market.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific is one of the fastest and largest growing regions, accounting for USD 2,766.2 million in 2015. The demand in this region is driven by countries such as China and South Korea that have a thriving electronics market. China and South Korea also have marked the presence of various end-use industries that is driving the demand for membrane switches. The rising demand for consumer electronics and advanced medical devices is expected to drive the demand over the forecast period.

China is the largest market in Asia Pacific on account of the government initiatives aimed at exports to the U.S. is expected to boost the demand. The presence of a large number of small enterprises in this country is boosting the production of membrane switches in this country.

North America is the second largest region and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3%. The growth in application segments in the region is driving the market growth. The U.S. is one of the largest electronics manufacturers in this region. The presence of various integrated device manufacturers such as Intel and Qualcomm is propelling the demand.

Europe is driven by countries such as Germany and France that are marked by the presence of major manufacturers. The growing industrial electronics market in the region is expected to boost the demand for the product. These switches also form an important component of the automation trend that has been replacing various mechanical activities in the application segments.

Competitive Insights

The key players in this industry are Molex, Xymox Technologies Inc., Douglas Corporation, Dyna Graphics Corporation, GOT Interface, Esterline, EPEC LLC, Butler Technologies Inc., Design Mark Industries, Nelson Miller, Lustre-Cal Corp, EECO, Hankel Corporation, Sytek Enterprise, GGI International, Schurte, Fascia Graphics Ltd, APEM, You-Eal Corporation, Cixi Membrane Switch Factory, Shenzhen Lunfeng Technology Co Ltd, Fujikura, and Elecflex.

The companies operating in this industry are widening their distribution channels and global reach through mergers & acquisitions. In October 2016, Design Mark has acquired Sensigraphics, thus evolving expertise, manufacturing, and sales of membrane switches.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the membrane switch market on the basis of product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Million Units, Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Polyester

  • Polycarbonate

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, Million Units, Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Industrial

  • Medical

  • Consumer Goods

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Million Units, Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • South Korea

  • RoW