Central Europe Medical Gloves Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Application (Surgical and Examination), By Material (Latex and Synthetic), By Category (Powdered and Powder-free), By End-user (Hospitals and Clinics, Diagnostic/ Pathology Labs, Dental Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2023-2030

The Central Europe medical gloves market size was valued at USD 1.14 billion in 2022. The market is projected to grow from USD 1.31 billion in 2023 to USD 3.40 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period.

Medical gloves include surgical and examination gloves. The increasing prevalence of various chronic diseases, growing number of healthcare facilities, and environment friendly advancements in these products is anticipated to drive the market growth in the near future.

Moreover, the pace of automation in medical glove manufacturing has advanced significantly in the recent years. This has enabled a substantial decline in the cost of production, and subsequently, the prices of these products. This has led to a significant rise in the adoption of these products, and has further contributed to the market growth. In addition, constant government support in terms of these products’ supply in countries such as Germany, Austria, Poland, and Romania is influencing the market growth.

• For instance, in March 2020, Semperit AG Holding, in collaboration with Austria’s crisis management team, supplied over 60 million gloves as protective equipment for medical personnel in Austria.

Furthermore, various healthcare programs, increasing healthcare spending, and growing awareness regarding hygiene among the population is anticipated to create lucrative opportunities for the growth of the industry.

COVID-19 IMPACT

COVID-19 Positively Impacted the Market Revenue Due to Significant Adoption of these Products by Healthcare Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a positive impact on the market as compared to the 2019, owing to the significant utilization of these products by healthcare professionals for the management and diagnosis of the virus. Furthermore, the surge in the number of hospital admissions in this period, led to an explosive growth of this market. The pandemic especially caused a shift in terms of understanding the risks of infection transmission. Therefore, to meet this surge in demand, prominent market players augmented their production capabilities in 2020 and 2021, which enabled them to register record growth in sales revenues in comparison to the previous years.

• For instance, Hartalega Holdings Berhad reported that its total sales volume grew by 13.0% to 35.0 billion pieces, with nitrile gloves accounting for 97% in 2020. North America and Europe remained their key export markets, amounting to 48.0% and 29.0% of their total exports respectively.

The COVID-19 crisis spurred the demand for these products in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the market witnessed a negative impact due to the decline in the demand for these products in comparison to the peak demand witnessed in 2020 and 2021. In the forecast period, the market is projected to witness steady growth, driven by the consistent demand patterns and sustainable product launches.                                                    

Central Europe Medical Gloves Market Trends

Greater Adoption of Synthetic Gloves is a Prominent Trend

The demand for synthetic rubber gloves has increased significantly in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Poland. Synthetic gloves offer chemical resistance, puncture resistance, and provide a strong protection against viruses. Moreover, the increasing number of diagnostic tests and growing preference for synthetic gloves to deal with high-risk situations such as handling blood samples and body fluids is driving the adoption of these gloves.

• For instance, in February 2022, Kimberly-Clark Corporation introduced the Kimtech Opal Nitrile Gloves. This product guards against contamination by chemical splash and micro-organism hazards.

Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a greater demand for synthetic disposable products and this increased demand is expected to continue in the near future. Hence, this was identified as a key market trend.

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Central Europe Medical Gloves Market Growth Factors

Rise in the Number of Hospital Visits and Surgeries Contribute to Market Growth

Chronic diseases are considered to be some of the most prevalent and costly health conditions in the European countries. Among them, oral diseases are one of the most prevalent form of disease leading to regular checkups, hospitalization, surgical procedures, and long-term disability.

• For instance, according to the data published by Oral Health Platform in Europe in 2023,  above 50.0% of the European population may suffer from some form of gum disease and over 10% have severe oral disease, with prevalence increasing to 70.0-85.0% of the population aged 60- 65 years of age.


• Furthermore, according to the data published by Eurostat in January 2023, a total of 244,200 and 400 caesarean sections were performed in Germany and Poland respectively in 2021. These statistics are expected to fuel the adoption of these products in these countries.

Such instances are projected to augment the number of hospital visits. This is set to drive the market growth considering the increased adoption of these products among healthcare professionals while handling patients.

Surge in Investments for Research & Development Activities to Boost Market Growth

Manufacturers in the market are involved in enhancing production capacity to meet global demand for medical gloves. Additionally, they are also focused on expanding their geographical presence in key strategic markets by undertaking mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, as well as broadening their product portfolios with innovations and production efficiency.

• For instance, in December 2021, Top Glove, a globally leading glove manufacturer, announced its focus on expanding its global market share by increasing its production capacity from 2022 to 2025. At the time, the company had planned a capacity increase of 23.0% in 2023, 18.0% in 2024, and 24.0% in 2025.

Furthermore, manufacturers are increasingly focused on innovating novel technologies for the production of technologically superior gloves. They are focused on investing in new sustainable and innovative production methods to save on gas, electricity, and CO2 emissions. The innovative development of these products in the market is increasing their range of application in healthcare settings. Such factors are set to drive the market growth in the near future.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Highly Competitive and Price Sensitive Market May Limit Market Growth

The raw materials used for medical gloves such as natural rubber or synthetic material consumption, is a significant part of almost half of the overall operating cost of gloves production. They account for about 45.0% of the gloves’ price, and therefore, for the most essential part of the glove pricing. Cheaper raw materials can cause lesser strength, flexibility, durability, and toxicity problems.

The cost of the raw materials is determined by the prices of nitrile and natural rubber for synthetic glove production and natural glove production. Hence, the price of producing rubber gloves and their selling price is unpredictable. Additionally, the workforce or labor contributes to about 10.0% of the overall operating cost. Hence, high competition and price sensitivity of the products may limit the Central Europe medical gloves market growth over the forecast period.

Central Europe Medical Gloves Market Segmentation Analysis

By Application Analysis

Examination Segment Dominated in 2022 Owing to its High Use by Healthcare Professionals

On the basis of application, the market can be segmented into examination and surgical. 

The examination segment dominated the market in 2022. The growth is attributable to the strong volume of examination gloves used by a wide range of healthcare professionals such as nurses and physicians for patient examinations. Additionally, the greater awareness amongst the patients and healthcare workers regarding the better safety gained through the usage of examination gloves such as prevention of spread of infection are expected to drive the growth of this segment over the forecast period.

The surgical segment is projected to grow steadily in the near future. The growth of the segment is mainly attributed to the significant increase in the number of surgical procedures due to the strong prevalence of chronic diseases in the countries.

• For instance, according to the data published by Statistik Austria, around 1,172,910 number of surgeries were performed in Austria in 2022, an increase of 1.0% as compared to 2021. Such an increase is projected to drive the demand for surgical globes in the country.

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By Material Analysis

Synthetic Segment Dominated in 2022 Due to Growing Number of Product Launches

Based on material, the global market is segmented into synthetic and latex.

The synthetic segment dominated the market in 2022 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The growth of the segment is attributable to the strong adoption of synthetic products across the developed markets of Central Europe. Furthermore, the key market players are focused on launching biodegradable examination gloves which can degrade faster.

• For instance, in June 2019, Top Glove Corporation Bhd officially launched its flagship green product, BioGreen Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves (Powder-Free), in conjunction with World Environment Day. These gloves can biodegrade 10 times faster than conventional nitrile examination gloves. Such environment friendly product launches are projected to drive the segmental growth in the near future.

On the other hand, latex gloves are still widely used in Central European countries due to its cost effectiveness and wider ease of availability.

By Category Analysis

Powder-free Segment Accounted for the Largest Share in 2022 Owing to Growing Awareness About its Advantages

Based on category, the market is bifurcated into powder-free and powdered.

The powder-free segment accounted for the highest market share in 2022 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. The dominance of this segment is due to the greater transition of healthcare workers and other individuals using gloves to powder-free alternatives. This is mainly due to the advantages offered by powder-free gloves and increasing awareness of these advantages amongst the end-users. Some of the advantages include enhanced strength, highly skin-friendly, reduced risk of contamination, and more versatility.

The powdered segment is projected to decline in the upcoming years owing to the growing awareness about its side effects such as allergic reactions. Moreover, preventive measures are implemented by governments to ban or reduce the usage of gloves causing allergies in hospitals and diagnostic labs.

• For instance, in 1997, Germany's regulation of personal protective equipment banned the use of surgical glove powder cornstarch realizing the dangers of cornstarch on examination and surgical gloves. This has lowered the adoption of powdered gloves in the Central European countries.

By End-user Analysis

High Volume of Usage in Hospital & Clinics to Contribute to the Segmental Dominance

Based on end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, dental clinics, diagnostic/pathology labs, and others.

The hospitals & clinics segment accounted for the highest Central Europe medical gloves market share in 2022. The dominance is due to the high flow of patients suffering from critical chronic diseases in hospitals & clinics, which led to the high volume of usage of these products in these settings. In addition, the presence of a large number of hospitals in key European countries indicated the higher demand for disposable glove products in these settings.

• For instance, according to the February 2023 estimates published by Statistisches Bundesamt, the number of hospitals in Germany and Austria amounted to 1,893 and 264 respectively in 2022.

The dental clinics segment is projected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The growth is attributable to the rise in the number of patient population in the Central European countries, opting for elective dental procedures.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Based on geography, the market is segmented into Austria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and the rest of the world.

The rest of the Central Europe generated the highest revenue in 2022 and is projected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Germany, a part of rest of Central Europe region is anticipated to account as one of the key countries of the market in the Central Europe due to a number of reasons. Some of these factors include possession of one of the highest population in the European region and one of the highest healthcare expenditures in the region.

• For instance, according to the data published by Eurostat in December 2023, Germany has the highest population of 83,369,843 and accounts for the highest healthcare expenditure of 12.7% in 2022 in the Central European countries. Such trends are anticipated to lead to the greater demand for medical gloves over the forecast period.

The Austria market generated a revenue of USD 0.08 billion in 2022. Austria is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period of 2023-2030 owing to the rising awareness of greater safety through gloves in the country. Furthermore, the prevalence of almost all types of serious and chronic diseases are increasing in this country coupled with increase in healthcare expenditure, which is anticipated to lead to greater usage of these gloves.

On the other hand, Romania, Hungary, and Poland are anticipated to grow at a robust rate. This is due to the gradual and consistent adoption of the advanced disposable medical gloves for a wide range of healthcare procedures such as treatment and diagnosis.

List of Key Companies in Central Europe Medical Gloves Market

Top Glove Corporation Bhd, Sempermed, and ANSELL LTD to Dominate Owing to Diversified Product Portfolio

The Central Europe medical gloves market is a semi-consolidated market. Top Glove Corporation Bhd is one of the dominant players operating in the market. The company is reinforcing its strategic position in this market by emphasizing on the production of various categories of medical gloves.

Sempermed is considered to be the second most prominent player in the market, owing to the strong focus on supplying medical gloves in Central European countries.

• For instance, in March 2020, Semperit AG Holding, in collaboration with Austria’s crisis management team, supplied over 60 million gloves as protective equipment for medical personnel in Austria.

Other prominent players in the market include ANSELL LTD., BERNER International GmbH, Supermax Corporation Berhad, Mölnlycke Health Care AB, and Cardinal Health who are continuously engaged in the development of the high quality products and focusing on enhancing their distribution channels across the Central European market through strategic partnerships and persistent investments in R&D.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• ANSELL LTD. (Australia)


• Kimberly-Clark Corporation (U.S.)


• Supermax Corporation Berhad (Malaysia)


• BERNER International GmbH (Germany)


• Hartalega Holdings Berhad (Malaysia)


• Top Glove Corporation Bhd (Malaysia)


• Semperit AG Holding (Austria)


• SHIELD Scientific (Netherlands)


• Cardinal Health (U.S.)


• Mölnlycke Health Care AB (Sweden)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• December 2023: Mölnlycke Health Care AB partnered with Hamish Laing and the School of Management, Swansea University, in delivering two important workshops on the topic of Value-based Supply at the MedTech Europe, European Value-Based Procurement Conference.


• August 2020: ANSEL Ltd. entered a distribution partnership with OneMed, the provider of medical supplies and support systems, that already operates an existing distribution network in the Nordic countries. In Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, a new distribution partnership between Ansell and OneMed was initiated on 1st September 2020.


• March 2020: Semperit AG Holding, in collaboration with Austria’s crisis management team, supplied over 60 million gloves as protective equipment for medical personnel in Austria.


• June 2019: Top Glove Corporation Bhd announced the launch of BioGreen Biodegradable Nitrile Gloves (Powder-Free) in conjunction with World Environment Day. This product launch has expanded the company’s product portfolio in the European market


• March 2019: Supermax Healthcare (Europe) Limited, a subsidiary of Supermax Corporation Berhad, was set up in Dublin. The launch of a new Europe-based subsidiary has expanded the medical gloves business across Europe

REPORT COVERAGE

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The report provides a comprehensive market overview and analysis. The report covers key aspects such as the Central Europe medical gloves market forecast and analysis of segments of country/sub-region, application, category, end-user, and material. The report also provides an in-depth examination into the market dynamics such as market trends, competitive landscape, key insights, and other aspects. The market also provides a detailed analysis into the impact of COVID-19 on the market. The report also analyses the other factors that have contributed to the market growth in the historical period.

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