Personal Protective Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Respiratory Protection, Protective Clothing), By End Use (Chemical, Oil & Gas, Mining, Construction), And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

Industry Insights

The global personal protective equipment market size was estimated at USD 50.9 billion in 2019 and expected to register a CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period. Increasing need for respiratory equipment in mining, emergency response, military and law enforcement, healthcare, and fire services, coupled with rising instances of hand injuries at the workplace, is anticipated to propel market growth over the coming years.

Growing awareness regarding workers’ health and safety, in addition to rising industrial fatalities primarily in emerging economies owing to lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), is anticipated to steer the market over the forecast years. Technological innovation, accompanied by changing consumer needs for PPE, is further projected to augment market expansion.

Lack of knowledge regarding workplace safety and health hazards is a major issue promulgating among workers. In order to raise health and safety awareness, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) has teamed up with various health and safety organizations for unique ideas and solutions through the Workplace Innovator Award campaign. Such initiatives by agencies in collaboration with market players to improve safety standards is anticipated to stimulate demand for personal safety equipment growth over the coming years.

Glove manufacturers are shifting their focus toward greener manufacturing technologies by employing renewable resources such as solar and wind power. They are striving to reduce costs by using less water and synthetic fuels, which is expected to spur product demand over the forecast period.

Rising concerns regarding employee health and safety in earthquake-prone areas is expected to urge employers to adhere to workplace safety regulations and encourage the use of personal safety equipment while working in high-risk activities. Moreover, growing awareness regarding the precautions to be taken post disasters is expected to urge various industries to prepare for natural calamities. This is projected to drive product demand over the forecast period.

Technological advancements, coupled with changing consumer trends, have led to a significant change in manufacturing techniques to obtain superior quality finished products. The industry has also been witnessing a surge in engineered and high-performance multifunctional protective clothing. However, these manufacturing processes are highly cost-intensive and complex for shop-floor workers to comprehend. This could act as a deterrent to market growth.

Product Insights

In terms of product, the protective equipment market is categorized into hearing protection, head, eye and face protection, protective clothing, protective footwear, respiratory protection, hand protection, and fall protection. Growing concern regarding employee safety and initiatives for reducing injury rates in industrial and commercial sectors is expected to drive the demand for personal protective gloves over the forecast period.

Rising demand for unpowered respirators particularly in the mining, petrochemical, and oil and gas sectors is expected to drive market growth over the forecast period. Technological innovation, improved performance of respirators, and stringent enforcement of workplace safety standards across Europe and North America are expected to drive investment and innovation in the field of personal safety equipment, which is projected to further propel the personal protective equipment (PPE) market over the coming years.

Increasing use of durable protective clothing in core industries such as oil and gas, construction, and mining is expected to enhance market penetration over the forecast period. In addition, rising demand for disposable industrial protective clothing in industries such as healthcare and chemicals where protective clothing cannot be reused owing to contamination is expected to complement segment growth.

End-use Insights

In terms of end-use industry, the market for personal safety equipment is categorized into construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and mining. Demand for personal protective equipment in the oil and gas industry is projected to grow at a significant rate owing to increasing popularity of natural gas, rising deals by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and landmark shale oil discovery over the forecast period.

End-use industries like manufacturing, oil and gas, and chemical are likely to witness substantial growth owing to rising workforce in economies such as U.S., Japan, India, Germany, and China. Increasing demand for better public infrastructure, including harbors, roadways, airports, and rail transport systems, is expected to drive the construction industry across the globe, thereby stimulating demand for personal safety equipment over the coming years.

The mining industry is anticipated to remain a key application sector for personal protective equipment owing to the high risk of industrial hazards. Mining is associated with a large number of hazards such as contact of chemicals to the skin and inhalation of harmful gases that may cause diseases and risk the life of an employee. Rising prevalence of diseases caused by airborne contaminants is expected to spur demand for personal protection equipment over the next few years.

Regional Insights

Europe has been the largest consumer of PPE and is expected to witness moderate growth over the forecast period.  There has been a growing need for highly effective wear-and-tear-resistant and high-utility personal protective equipment in most core industries such as metal manufacturing, oil and gas, automotive, and refining. This, coupled with increasing number of occupational injuries, is expected to augment the uptake of personal protective equipment in the region over the forecast period.

Rising number of industrial fatalities in emerging economies of Asia Pacific, due to lack of appropriate protective gear and low awareness regarding employee safety, is anticipated to propel market growth. In addition, technological innovation and changing consumer preference for personal protective equipment that combines safety and fashion are expected to augment market growth.

Limited commodity exports have been slowing down the Central and South American economies by reducing investment levels and resource employment. Furthermore, economic turmoil in the largest economy of the region, Brazil, is expected to negatively impact the demand for personal protective equipment in key application industries, which is expected to hamper market growth over the forecast period.

Personal Protective Equipment Market Share Insights

Key players in the industry offer personal safety equipment with distinctive features such as additional benefits in coveralls, customized gloves, and boots for diverse applications in order to gain dominance in the global market. The PPE market is estimated to struggle with pricing pressures and growing commoditization of products owing to which, strategic differentiation of products and services is predicted to separate leaders from other competitors in the industry.

Strategies adopted by companies include product portfolio expansion, product development, and distribution network expansion. Honeywell International, Inc. is one of the key players engaged in launching new products as a part of its strategic initiative. The products launched by the company in the last few years include portable gas detectors, Ne-Hon-6, and toxin-resistant hoods for firefighters.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis on the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2027. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global personal protective equipment market report on the basis of product, end use, and region:

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Head, Eye & Face Protection

  • Hearing Protection

  • Protective Clothing

    • Heat & flame protection

    • Chemical defending

    • Clean room clothing

    • Mechanical protective clothing

    • Limited general use

    • Others

  • Respiratory Protection

    • Air-purifying respirator

    • Supplied air respirators

  • Protective Footwear

    • Leather

    • Rubber

    • PVC

    • Polyurethane

    • Others

  • Fall Protection

  • Hand Protection

    • Disposable gloves

      • By type

        • General purpose

        • Chemical handling

        • Sterile gloves

        • Surgical

        • Others

      • By material

        • Natural rubber

        • Nitrile gloves

        • Neoprene

        • Vinyl gloves

        • Others

    • Durable gloves

      • Mechanical gloves

      • Chemical handling

      • Thermal/flame retardant

      • Others

  • Others

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Construction

  • Manufacturing

  • Oil & Gas

  • Chemicals

  • Food

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Transportation

  • Mining

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Russia

    • Italy

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • South Korea

    • Indonesia

    • Australia

    • Thailand

    • Malaysia

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East

    • Saudi Arabia

    • United Arab Emirates

  • Africa

    • South Africa