Asia-Pacific membrane filtration market to reach $ 927 million

The market for membrane filtration (MF) in Asia-Pacific is expected to reach $ 927 million in 2018 from $ 524 million in 2013, according to Lance Leverette, Analyst of the US-based BCC Research, which recently released a new report, ‘The global market for membrane microfiltration’. The report expects the global market of MF to reach $ 1.65 billion in 2013 and touch $ 2.64 billion in 2018, after increasing at a five-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%. While Asia-Pacific is expected to account for 31.75% in 2013 of the global MF market, its share is likely to go up to 35.11% in 2018. Leverette added, “CAGR comparisons show that Asia-Pacific is growing more than North America and Europe but less than the Middle East and Latin America.”

 

MF membranes are used in water, wastewater and process water treatment; food and beverage processing; semiconductor and electronics manufacturing; pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals production; and for separations in the chemical, petrochemical and other manufacturing industries. 

 

According to BCC Research report, regulations, industry standards, consumer demand, and the need to replace aging and/or outdated existing equipment are some of the drivers for membrane microfiltration (MF) market. However, the current slowdown in major developed and developing economies is having adverse impact on MF market. “With less public and private investment will come less infrastructure and plant projects,” said Leverette.

 

Biopharma: Driving growth

The membrane industry is roughly divided into two profit streams: industrial and biopharmaceutical. “By price per volume and replacement, the most profitable area is biopharmaceutical filtration and labs. This is because of the level of purity needed, increasing global customers, and the constant need to change filters,” the report added. 

 

Leverette elaborated, “Biopharma accounts for an exponential amount of the market due to markup as well as the fact industrial is dependent on new plants (which are tied to government spending). There is increased investment across markets. Bio/pharma is the fastest growing due to larger investment, increased infrastructure has resulted in increased demand, and although semi-conductor is a smaller market than in China, Malaysia, etc, it is also a growing market.”

 

On the other hand, industrial filtration segment is facing tough challenges. The report stated that the second profit stream, industrial filtration, will be the most cost driven and will rely the most on governmental infrastructure spending and economic forces. Also, membrane life expectancies are high for this stream, which means revenue generated from replacement filters will be far less than new filters going into new plants. 

 

The industry is also expected to achieve growth from power plants and other industries where water purity has a direct correlation with system performance. Other areas of growth identified in the report include the semi-conductor and electronics manufacturing industry and the food and beverage industry. The food and beverage industry employs membrane microfiltration in standard treatments for dairy processing.