1. A respirator mask is a personal protective equipment that prevents the wearer from inhaling aerosols as well as vapors or gases that are health hazards.
2. Unlike normal surgical mask that only protects against infectious droplets (e.g. droplets of saliva or other secretions), respirator mask can also protect the wearer from inhaling micro airborne infectious agents such as airborne virus (including coronavirus, SARS, H1N1, etc).
RESPIRATOR MASK GRADING
1. In the US and many other countries, respirator mask must meet the industry standard, which has three grades of disposable respirator masks, known as N90, N95 and N99 (equivalent to FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 masks in European standard)
2. N90 refers to an aerosol filtration of at least 80% and leakage to the inside of maximum 22%. This mask is mainly used as a dust mask (home renovations and various types of work).
3. N95 masks, also known as FFP2 masks in the European standard, have a minimum of 95% filtration percentage and maximum 8% leakage to the inside. They are mainly used in construction, agriculture, and by healthcare professionals against influenza viruses. As the most common and best-selling type of respirator mask, N95 masks have been proven effective for protection against the coronavirus.
4. N99 masks, also known as FFP3 masks in the European standard, are the most filtering masks in the market. With a minimum filtration percentage of 99% and maximum 2% leakage to the inside, they protect against very fine particles such as asbestos. It is the best mask to protect against coronavirus.
N95 TYPE CLASSIFICATION
1. Based on the exhalation valve, the global N95 market is classified into a mask with an exhalation valve and mask without exhalation valve.
2. Masks with the exhalation valve accounted for the major market share and valued at USD 566.69 million in the year 2019.
3. These masks are easier for breathing and to reduce the sweating. Thus, these masks have greater demand in the hospitals, where healthcare professional have to wear the mask for a long time.
REUSABLE MASKS
1. In terms of use, the market is segmented into disposable and reusable.
2. The reusable masks held the largest market share of 75.23% in the year 2019.
The N95 masks can be reusable for 3 to 4 days on an average.
N95 MARKET ANALYSIS
1. According to report published by Fior Markets, the global N95 mask market is expected to grow from USD 802.36 million in 2019 and to reach USD 1897 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 9.57% during the forecast period 2020-2027.
2. According to the latest N95 respirators market research report from Technaivo, the worldwide coronavirus outbreak is expected to significantly boost demand and production of respirator masks, particularly N95 masks around the world, driving the global N95 respirators market size to grow by US$382.90 million from 2020 to 2024, representing an impressive CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period.
3. Many countries such as the U.S., Italy, and Spain are facing the N95 mask shortage, with the spreading of global pandemic. For instance, as of March 2018, the U.S. only had 12 million N95 respirators and 30 million surgical masks— just 1 per cent of what is estimated to be needed during this pandemic. In addition to this, with the increasing demand for face masks are goes up to 4 fold the original amounts.
4. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, the demand is up to 100 times higher than regular demand in the world. However, currently, many factories have shut down their production, which has created a massive shortage of masks, may hamper the growth of the market. Furthermore, many countries have banned the exports of face masks to fulfil the global demand, further hindering the market growth.
KEY PLAYER
1. Key players operating in the global N95 masks market include Hakugen, Honeywell, 3M, Ansell, Kimberly-clark, Vogmask, Sinotextiles, KOWA, Prestige Ameritech, Cardinal Health, Gerson, DACH, Shanghai Dasheng, and Cambridge Mask among others.
2. In March 2020, 3M announced that they had expanded the production capacity for N95 masks to fight the pandemic and planning to produce more than a billion masks by the end of the year.
3. In March 2020, Honeywell announced that they had secured the contract from Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) to make 6 million N95 masks over the next year, to keep their hospitals and medical centres stocked with personal protective equipment crucial to fighting the coronavirus outbreak.
4. On 7th April 2020, 3M announced that the Trump administration allowed the company to export the N95 protective masks to the Latin America and Canada. The company also announced that the U.S. government and 3M are planning to produce 166.5 million masks over the period of next three months for the healthcare workers in the U.S.
5. On 2nd April 2020, The Home Depot, Inc. is the largest home improvement retailer in the United States, announced that it has stopped selling of N95 masks in all its 2,300 stores to make them available for healthcare workers.
6. In March 2020, Honeywell Company said that they are ramping up the production of N95 masks at multiple facilities across the globe to tackle the Coronavirus crisis and seeks USD 5 billion term loan for the face mask production.
OTHER KEY PLAYERS
1. Kimberly-Clark Corporation is an American health and hygiene company that manufactures and provides personal care and consumer products. The Company’s products include diapers, tissues, paper towels, incontinence care products, surgical gowns, and disposable face masks. Kimberly-Clark’s key products, such as procedural, surgical and N95 masks, as well as face veils, filter, pleated, and children’s masks are sold in countries around the world.
2. Ambu A/S is a Denmark-based company engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of diagnostic and life-supporting devices for hospitals and rescue services. The Company’s operations are structured into three business areas: Anaesthesia, Patient Monitoring & Diagnostics and Emergency Care. Ambu offers a range of products from resuscitators, face masks and laryngeal masks to the single use flexible intubation scope for hospitals, clinics, and ambulance services.
3. BD is a global medical technology company based in New Jersey, United States that is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. Their main products are used for infection control, medication management, medical supply management, diabetes care improvements and other goals across the healthcare system.
4. Prestige Ameritech is a leading domestic manufacturer of surgical masks and respirators in America and one of the top 10 respirator mask manufacturers in the world. Apart from facemasks and respirators, Prestige Ameritech also offers wide range of medical goggles, surgeons masks, and other products. Prestige Ameritech only serves customers in the United States.
5. Alpha Pro Tech is an American medical tech company engaged in developing, manufacturing and marketing a line of disposable protective apparel and infection control products for the cleanroom, industrial, pharmaceutical, medical and dental markets. It is one of the largest suppliers in the world for N95 respirator masks, as well as masks with and without shields, veils, and other medical personal protective clothing.
6. Louis M. Gerson Co., Inc. is one of the leading medical suppliers in the world. The Company offers strainers, dispensers, bags, spreaders, spray socks, tack cloth, filters, respiratory masks, and related products. The Gerson Company currently has manufacturing capabilities in both the USA and China. The Company is ISO 9001:2008 certified for respiratory protection equipment for medical and industrial usages.
7. Teleflex Incorporated is a leading provider of medical technology products and one of the world’s top 10 respirator mask manufacturers. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and supplies single-use medical devices used by hospitals and healthcare providers for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in critical care and surgical applications. The company has over 30 manufacturing sites worldwide with manufacturing operations located in the Czech Republic, Germany, Malaysia, Mexico and the United States.
8. Moldex-Metric AG & Company KG manufactures respiratory and hearing protection products. The Company offers earplugs, earmuffs, medical masks, pleated filter technology, full face masks, and filter systems. Germany and the US are currently two of the largest market for Moldex-Metric’s respiratory production products.
9. Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacture Company is headquartered in Shanghai, China. The company passed the ISO9001 international quality management system certification, and offers European standard EN149 products and NIOSH regulated N95 and N99 respirator masks as well as medical and other masks and goggles.
REGION ANALYSIS
1. On the basis of geography, the global N95 masks market classified into North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa.
2. North America accounted for the major market share of 36.23% in the year 2019. This is mainly due to rising number of coronavirus cases and death rate in the U.S. For instance, as of 7th April 2020, there are total 367, 659 registered cases and around 10,943 death cases due coronavirus. Therefore, there is a massive demand for masks in the North America. In addition to this, U.S. is one of the most extensive N95 mask producer in the world. However, due to pandemic, many companies have temporarily shut down the operation. In addition to this, presence of key companies in the U.S. is projected to boost the market. For instance, 3M, one of the largest N95 manufacturers has increased the production of masks to 1.1 billion per year from 400 million per year.
3. The Europe region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.56% over the forecast period. European countries such as Italy, Germany, Spain, France, and the U.K. have been worst heated by the global pandemic. Therefore, there is a huge demand for N95 mask across the region. Italy had a monthly requirement of over 90 million masks, which includes FFP2 and FFP3, standard European masks. Furthermore, Germany is also severally heated by global pandemic and facing the shortage of N95 masks amid to the Covid-19. Thus, automotive manufacturers Volkswagen and Daimler Group announced that they are providing about 200,000 category FFP-2 and FFP-3 protective face masks for public health protection in Germany.
(Source: https://blog.technavio.com/blog/top-10-n95-mask-manufacturers, https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/04/07/2012991/0/en/Global-N95-Mask-Market-is-Expected-to-Reach-USD-1897-Million-by-2027-Fior-Markets.html))
