Respiratory Protective Equipment Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (APR, SAR), By End Use (Healthcare, Industrial), By Region (North America, Asia Pacific), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030

Report Overview

The global respiratory protective equipment market size was valued at USD 22.72 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% from 2022 to 2030. The growing awareness about worker safety and stringent government regulations are expected to have a positive impact on the industry's growth. The demand for disposable masks in the COVID-19 pandemic surged significantly requiring manufacturers to boost their production capacity. Furthermore, supply chain interruptions resulted in a lack of raw materials, causing prices to skyrocket. EPR manufacturers also began producing revolutionary solutions to combat the pandemic, which boosted the industry's growth.

Worker safety has gained prominence in various end-use industries along with sustainability. Various organizations, such as OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA, in the U.S., have updated the regulations making them more stringent, compelling companies to provide PPE. This is expected to result in an increased demand for RPE over the forecast period. N95 masks and surgical masks propelled the growth of the air-purifying respirators segment due to their widespread use by employees and workers across various sectors. An increase in employee safety training and focus on best safety practices are some of the key factors that are likely to have a long-term impact on the RPE industry.

Several governments have been focusing on infrastructure development through financial stimulus packages, which are expected to boost the construction industry worldwide. The growing infrastructure activities are likely to bring up chronic respiratory diseases, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), augmenting the demand for RPE. Manufacturing of RPE is highly capital-intensive owing to the high raw material costs and complex manufacturing methods. This has resulted in integration across the value chain by major raw material suppliers and functional material manufacturers to produce cost-efficient products and related accessories, discouraging new players and making the threat of new entrants low.

Product Insights

Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) led the global market and accounted for more than 60.5% of the overall revenue share in 2021. The widespread demand for disposable masks, such as N95 and surgical masks, during the pandemic, has been a key factor responsible for the segment’s high share. The segment is expected to retain its dominance over the forecast period. The demand for N95 and surgical masks, especially for first responders, healthcare workers, and the general public, is expected to continue post-pandemic on account of the realization that masks are the primary source of protection. Half-mask APRs are used in industries, such as healthcare, mining, fire services & emergency response, and the military.

The Supplied Air Respirators (SARs) segment is estimated to witness steady growth from 2022 to 2030. These respirators are primarily used in case of negative pressure and when PAPRs do not provide adequate protection, especially in hazardous environments. The growth of the chemical, pharmaceutical, and oil & gas industries in the Asia Pacific region is expected to be the key factor driving the demand for SARs. Repeated instances of wildfires in the U.S. and Australia, along with a rise in funding for firefighting services, have increased the demand for Self-contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBA). Moreover, an increase in the surface and underground mining operations is likely to boost the demand for SCBA over the forecast period.

End-use Insights

The healthcare segment led the market and accounted for over 53.2% of the global revenue in 2021. The emergence of global infectious diseases including COVID-19, Influenza A (H1N1), and Ebola virus promotes the use of protective respiratory equipment in the healthcare sector, which is projected to drive industry growth over the forecast period. The growing awareness about worker safety during the pandemic resulted in increased product demand from the industrial end-use segment. Rapid industrialization in countries including China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam along with continuous improvement in the occupational health and safety standards is expected to drive the segment over the forecast period.

In a bid to revive the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, governments have been giving out financial stimuli to boost infrastructure development. Employees working in the construction industry are exposed to respiratory hazards including silica dust, lead dust, and silica vapors among others, due to which, the RPE market in the construction industry is expected to grow at a steady CAGR over the forecast period. The mining industry is characterized by exposure to various particulates including organic vapors and gases, which can cause harm to the human body. The industry promotes the use of respirators to avoid the health issues caused by exposure to silica and other metal dust. Air-purifying respirators with a cartridge are one of the commonly used respirators in the mining industry to avoid exposure to contaminants in mines.

Regional Insights

North America led the global market and accounted for more than 33.5% of the global revenue in 2021. The increasing use of RPE in oil & gas drilling activities, electric power utility, and combustible dust industries has contributed to product penetration in the region over the past few years. Furthermore, stringent safety regulations are expected to be the key factors driving the market in North America over the forecast period. The strong presence of oil & gas reserves in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Columbia is expected to have a positive impact on the industry. In addition, the high potential of tight oil & gas in the Vaca Muerta field of Argentina is expected to boost the demand for new oil & gas refineries.

This, in turn, is expected to boost the product demand over the forecast period. The market in Asia Pacific is estimated to witness the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The rising investments in the construction, manufacturing, and food & beverage sectors are anticipated to drive the product demand in the region. Stringent norms regarding employee health and safety in various high-risk activities are expected to drive the product demand over the forecast period. An increasing number of respiratory hazards coupled with the growing requirement for highly effective RPE due to exposure to hazardous particulates in the majority of core industries, such as metal manufacturing, oil & gas, automotive, and refining, is expected to augment the product demand in Europe over the forecast period.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic has created major growth opportunities in the disposable filtering half-masks market, due to which key players are focusing on the healthcare segment. Moreover, evolving supply chains with an influx of technology coupled with the growing partnerships with raw material suppliers are expected to boost the industry's growth. Market players are investing in product development with a renewed focus on technological integration. Increasing market competition due to the pandemic has resulted in price wars and hoarding of raw materials & products, which is likely to affect the industry trade in the short term. Some prominent players in the global respiratory protective equipment market include:

• 3M

• Alpha Pro Tech Ltd.

• Ansell Ltd.

• Honeywell International Inc.

• Avon Rubber p.l.c.

• MSA Safety Inc.

• Intech Safety Pvt. Ltd.

• Delta Plus Group

• Bullard

• ILC Dover LP

• DuPont

• Kimberly-Clark Corp.

• Polison Corp.

• Uvex Safety Group

• Gateway Safety, Inc.

Respiratory Protective Equipment Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

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 the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global respiratory protective equipment market report on the basis of product, end-use, and region:

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

  • Air-Purifying Respirators (APR)

    • Unpowered Air-Purifying Respirators

      • Disposable Filtering Half Mask Respirator

        • N95 Mask

        • Surgical Mask

        • Others

      • Half Mask Respirator

      • Full Face Mask Respirator

    • Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR)

      • Half Mask Respirator

      • Full Face Mask Respirator

      • Helmets, Hoods, Visors

    • Escape Respirators

  • Supplied Air Respirators

    • Self-contained Breathing Apparatus

    • Full Face Masks

    • Airline Respirators

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Oil & Gas

  • Fire services

  • Petrochemical/chemical

  • Industrial

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Construction

  • Healthcare

  • Mining

  • Others

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

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Russia

    • Spain

    • U.K.

  • Asia Pacific

    • Australia

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

    • South Korea

    • Indonesia

    • Thailand

    • Malaysia

  • Central & South America

    • Argentina

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • South Africa

    • UAE