Membrane Filtration Market by Application (Dairy Products, Drinks & Concentrates, Wine & Beer), Module Design (Spiral Wound, Tubular Systems, Plate & Frame and Hollow Fiber), Membrane Material, Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2028

Membrane Filtration Market by Application (Dairy Products, Drinks & Concentrates, Wine & Beer), Module Design (Spiral Wound, Tubular Systems, Plate & Frame and Hollow Fiber), Membrane Material, Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2028

The global market for membrane filtration is estimated to be valued at USD 7.0 Billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 9.9 Billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. The global membrane filtration market is anticipated to experience significant growth in the coming years due to several key factors. One major driver is the expanding dairy industry worldwide, coupled with the emergence of advanced membrane filtration technologies. These technologies, including Ultrafiltration (UF), Microfiltration (MF), Nanofiltration (NF), and Reverse Osmosis (RO), offer various advantages that contribute to their increased adoption. Furthermore, there is a rising demand for high-quality and safe food products, which also fuels the growth of this market. Factors like rapid urbanization, income growth, and consumers' willingness to invest in premium products are expected to further boost the demand for membrane filtration technologies to some degree.

Nonetheless, the high initial costs associated with installing membrane filtration equipment and related technologies are likely to be a significant obstacle affecting the global membrane filtration market's growth in the foreseeable future. Moreover, a lack of awareness among food, beverage, and processed water producers in developing countries regarding the benefits of these products could present a notable challenge for the market's future expansion. Despite these challenges, new opportunities are emerging for membrane filtration market participants, primarily driven by the increasing number of desalination projects in the Middle East and the growing prevalence of waterborne diseases worldwide.

“The tubular systems in the module design segment are estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period.”

Tubular membrane modules are cylindrical structures with permeable walls, commonly utilized for the treatment of feed streams containing elevated levels of dissolved solids, suspended solids, as well as oil and grease. They are particularly favored in applications related to water treatment due to their effectiveness in eliminating contaminants and generating purified water of superior quality. This treated water can subsequently undergo further refinement through a reverse osmosis system to yield high-quality fresh water, making it notably prevalent in the beverage industry. In addition to water treatment, tubular membrane systems are also gaining traction in the dairy and wine sectors. In dairy applications, they are employed to reduce bacterial content in milk whey, whey protein concentrates, and brine. In the wine industry, they find application in wine filtration processes.

In May 2019, Koch Membrane Systems (KMS) introduced the Lees-COR line of tubular crossflow systems, with a primary focus on recovering premium wine and juice. These systems utilize crossflow membranes to produce wine and juices of exceptionally high quality, characterized by outstanding clarity. They offer an alternative to diatomaceous earth rotary vacuum drum filters, which not only pose respiratory risks to workers but can also compromise the value of the recovered juice and wine due to their filtration methodology. The Lees COR system, based on membrane technology, effectively addresses these concerns.

“Ultrafiltration type is estimated to be valued at USD 3.12 billion by 2028 for membrane filtration market growing at a CAGR of 7.1%.”

Ultrafiltration (UF) is a pressure-based membrane process that separates bacteria, viruses, suspended solids, and other microorganisms. UF membranes have pore sizes ranging from 0.1 to 0.001 microns, producing liquids with exceptional purity and low silt density. This method offers numerous advantages over traditional clarification and disinfection methods. Notably, UF doesn't require the use of chemicals like coagulants, flocculants, or disinfectants. It ensures consistent quality in treated water by effectively removing particles and microorganisms and is known for its user-friendly automation.

UF membranes find primary application in cases where the goal is to eliminate all colloidal particles containing harmful organisms. They are efficient in removing high-molecular-weight substances and both organic and inorganic polymeric molecules. However, UF membranes do not remove low-molecular-weight organics and ions like sodium, calcium, magnesium chloride, and sulfate. UF membranes come in various configurations, including plate and frame, spiral-wound, and tubular. For achieving high purity, spiral-wound and capillary configurations are commonly preferred. The choice of configuration depends on the type and concentration of colloidal materials. Due to their excellent capability to remove suspended matter and bacteria, UF membranes are widely employed in the production of drinking water and processed water.

“North America to grow at the CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period, in membrane filtration market to reach a value of USD 2.46 billion by 2028.”

The increasing inclination of consumers in North America towards healthier and more nutritious food products is expected to fuel the demand for high-quality and functional food items. This, in turn, will lead to a higher demand for membrane filtration technologies like ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and microfiltration. These technologies are effective in eliminating bacteria and improving the overall quality of food products.

Government support aimed at promoting the use of membrane filtration for water purification applications is also contributing to market growth. Furthermore, safety and security certifications issued by government agencies for the incorporation of membrane technologies in various applications within the food and beverage as well as dairy industries serve as strong indicators of market expansion. In February 2019, Bobcata, Inc., a U.S.-based company specializing in innovative membrane technology solutions, received FDA approval for its Hydro flat sheet membrane. This approval allows BabyCera to integrate its Hydro flat sheet membrane into various food processing applications, including the removal of fat and casein, dairy processing, and whey concentration.

The break-up of the profile of primary participants in the membrane filtration market:

By Company Type: Tier 1 – 45%, Tier 2 - 30%, Tier 3 – 25%

By Designation: D level – 40%, C-Level- 25%, Others – 35%

By Region: Asia Pacific – 30%, Europe – 26%%, North America -20%, South America- 14%, RoW- 10%

Research Coverage:

This research report categorizes the membrane filtration market by Type (Reverse Osmosis, Microfiltration, Nanofiltration, Ultrafiltration), Module design (Spiral wounds, Tubular systems, Plate and frame and Hollow fiber), Membrane Material (Polymeric and ceramic) and by region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, RoW). The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors, such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities, influencing the growth of the membrane filtration market. A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overview, services, key strategies, contracts, partnerships, and agreements. New service launches, mergers and acquisitions, and recent developments associated with the membrane filtration market. Competitive analysis of upcoming startups in the membrane filtration market ecosystem is covered in this report.

Reasons to buy this report:

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall membrane filtration market and the subsegments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:

Analysis of key drivers (rapidly growing dairy industry, rising demand for premium products, emerging technologies in the membrane filtration field, efficiencies offered by membrane filtration technologies), restraints (high set up cost, maintenance & cleaning in membrane filtration), opportunities (growing market for plant-based and dairy alternatives, rising demand for extended shelf life), and challenges (lack of awareness about the advantages of membrane filtration, membrane integrity and lifespan) influencing the growth of the membrane filtration market.

New technology launch/Innovation: Detailed insights on research & development activities, and new technology launches in the membrane filtration market.

Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets – the report analyses the membrane filtration market across varied regions.

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new services, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the membrane filtration market.

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies and technology offerings of leading players like Alfa Laval (Sweden), GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft (Germany), DuPont (US), Pall Corporation (US) and others in the membrane filtration market strategies.