Steam Autoclave MarketSize and Trends

Steam Autoclave Market – Drivers

New product launches with advanced technology is expected to drive the steam autoclave market growth during the forecast period. For instance, in 2016, Astella Scientific launched a touch screen based controller for its autoclave ranges, combined with analogue and digital input/output modules. Controller software has features to improve speed and management of load cycles with menu system, cycle selection, customizable access levels, and password protection. Moreover, it stores historic data up to 5,000 cycles and can be viewed or downloaded via USB port. Manufacturers are also focusing on introducing high capacity steam autoclave at low prices, to sustain in the growing autoclave market.

Increasing prevalence of hospital-acquired infectious (HAIs) is expected to propel growth of the steam autoclave market. For instance, according to World Health Organization (WHO) factsheet, in developed countries 7 out of 100 hospitalized patients acquire one of the other healthcare associated infection, whereas, in emerging countries the ratio is 10 out of 100. Moreover, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) annual National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report (HAI Progress Report, 2014), the burden of HAIs in the U.S. hospitals was reported to be 722,000 in acute care hospitals in 2011. Moreover, nosocomial infection including central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia are some of the common hospital acquired infections. These are expected to be major factors leading to increasing demand for sterilization of surgical instruments, medical waste management, and other consumables.

Moreover, increasing number of surgical procedures and increasing preference for minimally invasive surgical procedures is also expected to fuel growth of the steam autoclave market. According to a study presented by the Centers of Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) 2014, around 4.7 million people underwent total knee arthroplasty, while 2.5 million underwent total hip arthroplasty in the U.S. Rapidly increasing surgical waste and hazardous bio-medical waste is also expected to fuel the steam autoclave market growth. For instance, according to BioMedical Waste Solutions, LLC., hospitals in the U.S. produce over 5.9 million tons of waste, annually. Same source stated that hospital produce 33 lbs. of medical waste per day per staffed bed. Furthermore, governments of various countries are focusing on investing in proper disposal of medical waste and this is also expected to support growth of the steam autoclave market. For instance, in 2012, the U.S. government invested around US$ 2.5 billion for proper disposal of medical waste. Moreover, in 2015, the Government of Liberia, with the support of United Nations Development Programme, installed equipment to sterilize and manage medical waste in the hospitals of the country. Under this initiative, the government installed autoclaves valued at US$ 35,000 at various hospitals.