Membranes Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Material (Polymeric, Ceramic, and Others), By Technology (RO/FO, UF, NF, MF, and Others), By Application (Water & Wastewater Treatment, Food & Beverage, Gas Separation, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2024-2032

The global membranes market size was valued at USD 7.80 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 8.27 billion in 2024 to USD 14.21 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.0% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific dominated the membranes market with a market share of 36.28% in 2023. Moreover, the membranes market size in the U.S. is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of USD 1.60 billion by 2032, driven by the increasing number of stringent regulations on the treatment of water and wastewater. 

Membranes are barrier films that allow the passing of selected molecules and particles depending on their size. In other words, they are semi-permeable. On the basis of size, technologies, such as MF (microfiltration), UF (ultrafiltration), NF (nanofiltration), and others, are used for a variety of applications depending upon the size of substrates to be separated. Microfiltration and Ultrafiltration are among the first large-scale applications of these barrier films and are being used in many water treatment plants globally. These barrier films are manufactured using natural or synthetic polymers or sintering metallic powders, ceramics, or zeolites. Ceramic ones are highly inert and are preferentially used in highly acidic and basic environments. Zeolite barrier films are preferred in gas separation processes due to their uniform pore distribution.

Leading companies are significantly investing in the regional market to stay ahead of increasing competition. For instance, in January 2021, SUEZ SA completed the asset purchase of LANXESS's Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane product line. With this acquisition, SUEZ added a new RO membrane technology to its portfolio. This will strengthen the Water Technologies & Solutions division's offering and allow SUEZ to provide customers with even more help in water treatment.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic created a disturbance in global trade, production, and logistics activities. Halt in production activities significantly impacted the economies globally, which eventually resulted in the economic slowdown. Disruptions in the supply and demand chain of raw materials such as polymers, including polysulfones, polyacrylonitrile, and others, coupled with a lack of labor force availability, caused decreased production. However, with the gradual control of the spread of the pandemic by the end of 2020, different countries relaxed the restrictions on the movement, which resulted in the beginning of the normalization of industrial activities.

Membranes Market Trends

Increasing Adoption in the Pharmaceutical Industry to Drive Market Development

There has been rapid technological advancement in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry in recent years. Be it the recovery of valuable intermediate or substrate or reducing the concentration of effluent stream, they have an important application in the industry. Nano filtration and pervaporation processes are generally used to reduce the harmful constituents in the effluent stream in the pharmaceutical industry. Nanofiltration barrier films are generally employed to remove dyes, colors, BOD/COD, endocrine disruptors, medicinal residue, microplastic, and other impurities. Increasing rules and regulations associated with wastewater treatment and pre-treatment effluents are expected to surge the product demand.

The manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals is highly regulated, with strict quality requirements and sanitary standards. Single-use technologies reduce cross-product contamination, minimize operation costs, improve quality, and reduce process time. Single-use filtration membranes and cartridges have become standard equipment for the processing of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food, and other regulated industries. These products have enabled end-users to achieve regulatory compliance for their processes at a cheaper cost.

Membranes Market Growth Factors

Scarcity of Fresh Drinking Water to Fuel Market Growth

Freshwater for drinking is an essential element for the survival of human life. With a rapid increase in population, the water crisis has only worsened, and it has become the need of the hour to use available resources efficiently. Advancements in technology have reduced the tension on existing freshwater resources. Seawater can now be converted to potable water using this technology. Desalination plants using this technology have become a boon for people and countries where water resources are limited. For instance, in regions, such as the Middle East and Africa, people have a large dependency on desalination plants for many activities, including farming, industrial, and day-to-day requirements. As the population is rising globally, the water crises are getting worse, and it is evident from the increasing number of desalination projects that this technology is evolving as a game-changer. Moreover, an increasing number of household water purifiers based on this technology also significantly contribute to consumption. Furthermore, the shift from the chemical treatment of water to the adoption of physical methods, strict regulations on water treatment, and changing climate conditions are fueling the demand for products.    

Rising Aquatic Pollution to Drive Market Growth

Water scarcity due to severe pollution levels has hampered the quality of water resources. The majority of the population in developing economies is exposed to harmful water pollutants, such as pesticides, dyes, heavy metals, antibiotics, and microbiological contaminants. In recent years, membrane separation technologies have gained a lot of attention due to their high efficiency, high degree of automation, low emissions, and small carbon footprint. Various membranes, such as nanofiltration, microfiltration, and electrodialysis membranes, have been deployed for wastewater treatment, municipal sewage recovery, desalination, and water purification.

Industries contribute to a large amount of water pollution, and with urbanization & rapid industrialization in developing countries, the strain on water resources has significantly increased. The rising environmental concerns have compelled lawmakers to frame stringent industry discharge norms to curb water pollution. Many industries use this technology to reduce the severity and level of pollutants in their discharge streams to comply with the norms. The concept of zero discharge is relatively new, and membranes play a pivotal role in achieving zero liquid discharge (ZLD), thus reducing the environmental impact of industries. As industrialization continues to strive in the development process, reducing the impact is the only way to maintain sustained growth. These factors are driving the membranes market growth.  

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Fouling Results in Frequent Replacements to Affect Membrane Adoption

Fouling is a major problem, and it has adverse effects on its operations. It decreases its efficiency and flux, resulting in increased energy consumption and spoiling the water or stream quality. Chemical cleaning or replacements are the only options (both require considerable expenses) to eliminate fouled products. Considering these costs, applications and their adoption are confined to specific industries, thus affecting the market growth.    

Membranes Market Segmentation Analysis

By Material Analysis

Cost Effectiveness Offered by Polymeric Materials to Boost Segment Growth 

Based on the material, the market is segmented into polymeric, ceramic, and other materials.

Among these segments, the polymeric segment held the largest market share in 2023. The polymeric segment is growing at a highest CAGR and anticipated to retain its position by the end of forecast period. The major polymeric materials used in the manufacturing of the membranes include polyacrylonitrile, cellulose acetate, high-density polyethylene, polyethylsulphone, polysulphone, polytetrafluroethylene, polyamide, polystyrene, and polyvinylidene difluoride. These materials are not only cost-effective but also can be easily processed under different conditions to obtain membranes with the desired pore size and functionality. Hence, they are adopted in different filtration technologies, including RO/FO, UF, NF, and MF.

The ceramic segment also held a considerable market share in 2023. The products made of ceramic offer robustness in terms of resistance to chemical attack and fouling. However, the relatively higher cost of ceramic-based products limits their applications for niche areas such as MBR technology.

Other materials used include metal, carbon, zeolites, and liquid membranes. Metal-based product is used in GS and membrane reactors. Zeolites find their applications in products used in membrane reactors, gas separation, solid-state batteries, and water desalination.

By Technology Analysis

RO/FO Technology to Retain its Dominance in the Future Owing to Wide Adoption

Based on technology, the market is classified into RO/FO, UF, NF, MF, and others.

RO/FO segment held the largest market share in 2023. RO/FO technology is the most widely used and cost-effective technology and is expected to grow during the forecast period due to its high adoption in water and wastewater treatment. Besides, it has healthy adoption in industrial applications, ensuring its sound growth in the industry. As water crises continue to escalate, RO system technology is poised to grow the fastest in the market.

MF technology, which plays an important role in the pre-treatment stream, is anticipated to follow RO segment growth at a slightly low rate.

The usage of UF technology is significantly rising owing to its ability to remove high molecular dissolved compounds.

The NF segment has high demand in water & wastewater treatment and industrial applications.

The others segment include ion-exchange technology, pervaporation, dialysis, and electrodialysis. The growth of the segment is driven by a rise in awareness of water and wastewater treatment due to depleting levels of freshwater sources and the need for selective separation to meet quality standards. Furthermore, sustainability policies pertaining to the environment are supporting the segment's growth.

By Application Analysis

Increasing Need for Clean Water to Boost Growth of Water & Wastewater Treatment Segment

By application, the market is classified into water & waste treatment, food & beverage, gas separation, and others.

Water & wastewater treatment segment dominated the market in 2023 and anticipated to retain its position during the forecast period. The rising water pollution due to rapid industrialization and urbanization is the key factor driving segments growth.  Water & wastewater treatment has been the primary purpose for developing membranes. Later, with the evolution of technology, the applications extended into various industries, including food & beverage, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and others. With depleting water resources, purification technologies have become promising technologies to supply and fulfill potable water needs.

Food & beverage accounts for the second largest share in the global market. The rising disposable income combined with shifting consumer preference toward processed foods and strict food safety regulations are the major factors influencing the food & beverage segment's growth. The rising demand for membranes for carbon capture is expected to drive the growth of the gas separation segment.

The others segment include pharmaceutical, biomedical, and other industries. The primary growth factor for the segment is the rapid growth of the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, the incorporation of single-use membrane technologies due to cost-efficiency is supporting the segment growth.       

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Geographically, the market is studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2023 on the back of China, Japan, India, Australia, and several other Southeast Asian countries. Emerging economies, such as India and China, are the most promising markets in terms of growth. China accounted for the largest share of the Asia Pacific market in 2023. The growth is primarily attributed to the increasing number of regulations pertaining to the protection of natural water bodies. China revised existing laws and acted to accommodate the changing climatic conditions and water scarcity levels such as Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law and Environmental Protection Law. In India, the city of Chennai already has two desalination plants, each with a capacity of 100 million liters per day (MLD). The third plant, with a capacity of 150 MLD, was announced in 2019 by the local government and is set to begin operations in 2023. These initiatives are expected to generate good business for the market over the foreseeable period and beyond. Japan is the leading producer of membranes in the world, and as per WIPO data, the country also leads in the intellectual rights for a majority of the products.

Europe is the second largest region and key market on the back of Western European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. The growth of the market in Europe is attributed to the increasing awareness regarding the issue of water scarcity and initiatives by the government to protect freshwater sources. The rise in scarcity of freshwater and high demand for safe drinking water in growing economies is fueling the market growth in the Rest of Europe. The growing population and consistently rising demand for food & beverages will support market growth in the Rest of Europe.

In North America, the market growth is primarily owed to the increasing number of stringent regulations on the treatment of water and wastewater. The U.S. accounted for the largest share of the North American market. The implementation of new acts and laws by the government to facilitate uncontaminated and safe drinking water for the citizens is fueling the demand in the U.S. and Canada.

In Latin America, Brazil is also expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, owing to the expansion of the food industry. The country’s food industry comprises more than 35,800 food processing companies, and the necessity to have zero contamination in their products is fueling the demand. Mexico is focusing on supplying uncontaminated water to its citizens as well as keeping the freshwater bodies free of pollutants and contaminants. The country has plans to introduce new laws and regulations by scrapping the General Law on Waters (LAN) and General Law on Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection, which lack coordination. Hence, the country will witness significant growth during the forecast period.

The Middle East & Africa is the fastest-growing region in the market and is home to over 45% of the global desalination capacity. The scarcity of water in the region has significantly fueled the construction of water treatment and desalination facilities. People in this region have a great dependency on desalination plants due to the limited availability of freshwater resources.

List of Key Companies in Membranes Market

Key Players to Focus on Expanding their Existing Production Capacities

The global market is highly fragmented, with over several 1000 membrane manufacturers and integrators. China alone has more than 1000 manufacturers. The market is quite competitive and has a tight supply. The purchasing power of a buyer is far greater than the seller. However, players such as DuPont, Toray Industries, KOCH, GE, and others have recognizable shares in the market. Research and development of innovative technologies hold an important place for the players. As a result, players spend healthy amounts of their revenue on R&D activities.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. (Japan)


• DuPont (U.S.)


• SUEZ (France)


• KOCH (U.S.)


• Pentair plc (U.S.)


• TOYOBA (Japan)


• Hydranautics – A Nitto Group Company (U.S.)


• Pall Corporation (U.S.)


• Seccua GmbH (Germany)


• Synder Filtration (U.S.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• March 2024: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. announced that it has developed a new reverse osmosis membrane. The newly launched product enables to save water, offers double chemical resistance and halves replacement and carbon dioxide emissions.   


• September 2021: Synder announced the opening of a new sales office in its Vacaville, California headquarters. The Technical Sales Team and Project Engineers will operate in the 2600 sq. ft. office space, which is part of the 53,000 sq. ft. R&D center, system fabrication, and production facility.


• April 2021: KOCH Separation Solutions unveiled the addition of its new technology named INDU-COR HD (High Density) to its tubular membrane range, which is developed to treat industrial waste streams efficiently. INDU-COR HD has a 300% higher packing density than standard INDU-COR, making crossflow filtration more cost-effective while taking up less space. This new product configuration boosts operating efficiency and sustainability while lowering waste treatment costs for clients.

REPORT COVERAGE

The market report includes both qualitative as well as quantitative data in regards with the global market. Quantitative insights cover the global market value in USD billion across each segment, sub-segment, and region profiled in the scope of the study. Moreover, this research report provides membranes market shares in 2023, growth rates of all segments & sub-segments, and key countries across each region. Qualitative data provide detailed analysis of key drivers, restraining factors, potential growth opportunities, and key market trends related to the market. The competitive landscape chapter highlights the detailed company profiles of the market players present in this market.

Report Scope & Segmentation