Global Market for Disposable Medical Supplies to Reach Nearly $200 Billion in 2016

A combination of upgrading and enforcement of infection prevention standards coupled with an expanding volume of hospital, surgical and outpatient procedures will promote overall gains in the global market for disposable medical supplies. Disposable medical gloves, a segment of this market, will continue to flourish despite increasing raw material costs and severe cost-cutting measures in the largest healthcare markets.

What will the market size of the medical disposables market look like in 2015? What are the key trends affecting this market? Who are the key vendors? What opportunities and threats do vendors operating in this sphere face? Global Information Inc (GII) announces three reports examining the global market for disposable medical supplies.

Disposable Medical Gloves (Surgical & Exam) Markets Worldwide

The global market for disposable medical gloves was estimated to generate $3 billion in revenues in 2011. Marketstrat forecasts that this market will continue to expand at a compound annual growth of 4.9 percent exceeding $4.3 billion by 2018. Key market and technology drivers include concern over barrier protection, latex allergies, ease of use, tactility and comfort.

Glove manufacturers are finding new opportunities and more shelf-space to fill in the blossoming economies of Latin America and Asia which are implementing stricter infection control standards. Awareness of hygiene requirements for protection of both the patient and the healthcare provider is improving in these regions. Latin America is maintaining a lead in this race, followed by China and India. Marketstrat predicts the highest growth in emerging markets will be in the latex and vinyl glove segments. In the relatively saturated markets of the U.S., western Europe and Japan, new growth is emerging from expanding patient populations and demand for high-quality powder-free latex and synthetics.

Key market trends in the global market for disposable gloves include: shift away from powdered glove in Europe, U.S. and Japan; latex continues to lead in market share though nitrile is gaining momentum in both the exam and surgical segments; and the greatest opportunities will be found in the emerging healthcare markets of Asia and Latin America.

World Disposable Medical Supplies

Global demand for disposable medical supplies is projected to grow 6.4 percent annually to nearly $200 billion in 2016. The range of disposable medical supplies consumed worldwide extends into 11 major product segments and eight additional product lines. Among the major product segments, world demand in 2016 will range from $7.5 billion for patient room supplies to $32.2 billion for surgical instruments and supplies.

Dialysis disposables will witness the fastest growth based on an increasing global prevalence of serious renal disorders. Other product segments projected to see above average gains in demand include infusion and hypodermic devices, diagnostic and laboratory disposables, nonwoven garments and textiles, and respiratory supplies and devices. The fastest growth among the eight additional product lines will evolve in transdermal patches, urinary catheters and accessories, and first aid kits.

The United States, China, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, India, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Brazil will comprise the ten largest geographical markets, combining to absorb nearly 70 percent of global demand in 2016. During the forecast period (2011-2016), average annual growth in these markets will range from 3.7 percent in Japan to nearly 13 percent in China.

Global Medical Disposable Market 2011-2015

According to TechNavio's up-to-date report, the global medical disposables market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.09 percent between 2011 and 2015. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing incidence of diseases and disorders. The global medical disposable market has also been witnessing the trend of adoption of home healthcare products. However, the presence of counterfeit products could pose a challenge to the growth of this market.

Key vendors dominating this market space include Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Bayer Healthcare AG, Becton, Dickenson and Co., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Johnson and Johnson, Kimberly-Clark Corp., and Roche Diagnostics Corp.