Membrane Filtration Market, Analysis by Product Type (Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration, Micro Filtration, and Nano Filtration), by Application (Dairy products, Drink & Concentrates, Wines & Beer, Pharmaceuticals, and others), by Membrane material (Polymeric and Ceramic) and Regional Analysis, 2024-2032

Membrane filtration is the physical separation process that can separate molecules of different sizes and characteristics. The force driving this process is the difference in pressure between two sides of the membrane. Membrane filtration technology aids in increasing the product's overall quality and reducing production costs.

The increased demand for membrane filtration technology in the food and beverage industries propels the demand in the global membrane filtration market This demand is growing predominantly due to the significant application of filtration to eliminate hazardous microorganisms. The food and beverage companies focus more on food safety procedures due to the increasing demand for safe, high-value, and quality food products. For instance, in November 2022, Alfa Laval, a global supplier of products and solutions for heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling, launched a new multipurpose membrane filtration system. The new system is a cross-flow skid-mounted membrane filtration system that can be connected to up and downstream operations. The system is used majorly in food & beverage and pharmaceutical applications. The increasingly prevalent trend of microfiltration in pharmaceuticals pushes the demand for membrane filtration in the global market space.

The membrane technology is also gaining momentum in the water and waste-water treatment industry. The ability to remove smaller particles compared to traditional filtration methods is increasing the popularity of the product. This technology is mainly adopted for treating water with high levels of suspended solids. For instance, in April 2021, Koch Separation Solutions, a provider of membrane filtration products and systems, launched INDU-COR™ HD (High Density). The product is manufactured for treating various industrial waste streams and provides a packing density of up to 300 percent. The new product helps increase operational efficiencies and reduce the cost of waste treatment. The membrane technology is a cost-effective method that thus makes it more energy sufficient than other technologies.

Lakh of awareness of membrane filtration technologies among consumers could be a challenging factor in the global membrane market. This technology can also be expensive to install and maintain also not always practical in small-scale operations.

Impact of COVID-19 

The COVID-19 pandemic moderately affected the global membrane market. The pandemic caused a severe global disturbance in trade, production, and logistics supply. The supply and demand of raw materials, coupled with the lack of labor availability, negatively impacted the industry. Furthermore, dairy products, breweries, and other beverage production plants were closed during the pandemic. Thus, beverage product manufacturers and brewers have postponed purchasing or investing in machinery, including membrane filtration. Thus, there was low demand for the membrane filtration market during the pandemic.

Key Insights

The report will cover the following key insights:

• The product launches, technology innovation and key industry developements


• Qaulitative Analysis on Uses of Membrane Filtration in Various Industries


• Overview of the Global Membrane Filtration Market


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Membrane Filtration Industry

Analysis by Type

Reverse osmosis technology is expected to hold a significant market share in the global membrane filtration market. Reverse osmosis is a process in which the pressure reverses the natural osmosis process. This process can efficiently remove nearly all inorganic and organic contaminants from water. The increasing demand for water processing in agriculture industries is likely to drive the demand for membrane filtration. For instance, in March 2021, the construction of a USD 65 million Membrane Filtration Reverse Osmosis Facility for Agriculture (MFRO Facility) commenced in Escondido. The project was set up to produce four million gallons per day (MGD) of water with a salt concentration for agricultural irrigation usage. The facility used membrane filtration (MF) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies to provide a quality irrigation supply.

Analysis by Application

The dairy segment is expected to account for a major share of the global membrane filtration industry driven by economic and technical factors. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States, approximately 150 million household population around the globe are engaged in milk production. The use of membrane technology has revolutionized the dairy sector. Various types of membranes are used in the milk industry for numerous purposes, including extending the shelf life of milk, increasing the quality of dairy products, and concentrating & purification of milk components. Thus, the growing demand for dairy products and various government subsidies are key factors driving the membrane filtration market.

The wines and beer sector is also expected to grow at a higher CAGR in the forecast period. Processes such as de-alcoholization of beer and wine, beer recovery from the tank bottom, clarification of malt extract, and obtaining clear malt beverages are performed using a membrane filtration system, driving the demand for such technologies.

Analysis by Material

The ceramic membrane filtration technology witnessed immense demand during the forecast period. Ceramic membrane filtration is commonly used for the water treatment system to generate clean water by eliminating impurities such as bacteria, protozoa, and other substances. For instance, in August 2021, CeramTec, a manufacturer of advanced ceramic components, launched porous ceramic membrane tubes. These tubes are made from alumina and developed for nano-, ultra-, and micro-filtration. The new product is used to separate solids from liquids and is used majorly in biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications. Technological advancements in ceramic membranes help increase production efficiency and are expected to positively impact the global membrane filtration market in the upcoming years.

Regional Analysis

Europe is anticipated to hold the largest proportion of the global market, owing to the rising dairy sector and brewery industry growth. The increasing pharmaceutical industries are also driving the membrane filtration market. Several regional players adopt strategies such as geographic expansion, investments, mergers, and acquisitions to meet consumers' increasing demand. For instance, in May 2022, the Merck Group, a German multinational science and technology company, invested USD 455 million to expand its membrane and filtration manufacturing facility in Ireland. The investment helped enhance the company's value and develop specialized medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics for consumers.

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at a high CAGR in the global membrane filtration industry. The dairy & food industries and water purification industries are increasing gradually. In the dairy and food industries, membrane filtration is used for pasteurization and sterilization processes. India is expected to be the fastest-growing country in the food and beverage segment. The high demand for dairy products, several government subsidies, and an increase in the consumption of healthy and quality foods are some of the critical factors driving the membrane filtration market.

Key Players Covered

• Alfa Laval India Pvt Ltd


• DuPont De Nemours Inc.


• Veolia


• Gesellschaft für Entstaubungsanlagen (GEA) Group Ag


• Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M)


• Nitto Denko Corporation


• Koch Separation Systems


• Synder Filtration


• Aqua Membranes


• Pall Corporation

MEMBRANE FILTRATION MARKET SEGMENTATION ANALYSIS

Key Industrial Development

• In September 2022, Gesellschaft für Entstaubungsanlagen (GEA) Group Ag, a German corporation specializing in the food and beverage sector, announced the introduction of the intelligent software solution GEA Smart Filtration for membrane filtration plants which is monitored through the application. The technology-enabled system leverages cloud connectivity and performance in which the plant performance data is stored in the cloud and helps condition monitoring and extend the life cycle of the filtration equipment.


• In September 2019, DuPont De Nemours, Inc., an American company, signed an agreement to acquire the ultrafiltration membrane business from BASF, a German national chemical company. The association helped broaden the portfolio and ability to design integrated solutions for drinking water, industrial, and waste-water treatment applications across the globe.