In healthcare facilities, sterilization equipment and disinfectants are essential for infection control. The growing prevalence of hospital-acquired infections or HAIs has led medical professionals to stress on the usage of sterilization equipment and disinfectants. The global sterilization equipment and disinfectants market was worth US$5.1 bn in 2012. Expanding at a CAGR of 8.5% during the period between 2013 and 2019, the overall market is projected to reach a valuation of US$9.1 bn by 2019.

Demand for Low Temperature Sterilization Equipment to be Highest in Near Future

Sterilization equipment and disinfectants are extensively used to sterilize pharmaceutical components, medical instruments, and laboratory equipment. While the rise in per capita healthcare expenditure has propelled the growth of the global sterilization equipment and disinfectants market, the growing preference for disposable medical devices is expected to hamper the market’s growth in the coming years. The excise duty imposed on medical device manufacturers across certain countries will also negatively impact the overall market’s growth. The global sterilization equipment and disinfectants market has a huge opportunity to grow with the increasing patient pool in emerging economies.

The key product types in the global sterilization equipment market include heat sterilization equipment, low temperature sterilization equipment, filtration sterilization equipment, and radiation sterilization equipment. In 2012, the heat sterilization equipment segment dominated the overall market in terms of revenue. During the period between 2013 and 2019, the segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 8.6%. The rapid growth of the segment can be attributed to the high adoption of heat sterilization equipment, as it is user-friendly and safe. However, the demand for low temperature sterilization equipment is expected to be the highest in the near future.

Researchers at Rice University Develop “Sterile Box” for Use in Low-resource Settings

To minimize the risk of infections to patients, especially in low-resource settings, researchers at Rice University have developed a sterilization station for surgical instruments. The sterilization station consists of a water system for decontamination and a solar-powered autoclave for steam sterilization. Though autoclaves are standard across all modern hospitals, they are badly needed in low-resource settings. Termed as Sterile Box, the system’s performance was nearly perfect in trials to prepare surgical instruments for safe reuse. The sterilization station would be particularly helpful for medical facilities in developing economies, where the prevalence of surgical-site infections is high due to improperly maintained or malfunctioning sterilization equipment.

Asia Pacific to Lead Demand from Global Sterilization Equipment and Disinfectants Market

While North America held more than 40% of the global sterilization equipment and disinfectants market in 2012, the region is expected to be surpassed by Asia Pacific during the period between 2013 and 2019. In Asia Pacific, the increasing demand for sterilization equipment and disinfectants can be attributed to the rising awareness about hospital acquired infections across developing economies.