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India Emerges as Fastest-Growing Syringe Exporter Worldwide

syringe destination

India Emerges as Fastest-Growing Syringe Exporter Worldwide

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘World – Syringes, With Or Without Needles – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The Covid-19 pandemic intensified the global trade in syringes and enabled India to become the fastest-growing exporter with the lowest syringe prices in 2020. Over the last year, Indian supplies abroad spiked from $32М to $40M. Global syringe exports also followed an upward trend, rising by +4.4% y-o-y to $5.7B. While India robustly ramps up supplies, the U.S. ($872M), China ($766M) and France ($693M) remain the world’s largest exporters, providing 41% of total exports. 

Syringe Exports by Country

In 2020, global exports of syringes amounted to 52B units, growing by 4.9% compared with 2019 figures. In value terms, exports expanded by +4.4% y-o-y to $5.7B (IndexBox estimates) in 2020.

Among the major exporting countries, India recorded the highest export growth rate over the last year. The number of supplied syringes rose from 986M to 1.3B units, increasing from $32М to $40M in monetary terms.

While India rapidly increases exports, China keeps holding the leading supplier position, with the volume of exports amounting to 18B units, which was near 36% of total exports in 2020. Germany (5.8B units) ranks second in terms of total exports with an 11% share, followed by the U.S. (7.9%), France (6.8%) and Spain (5.9%).

In value terms, the largest syringe supplying countries worldwide were the U.S. ($872M), China ($766M) and France ($693M), with a combined 41% share of global exports. These countries were followed by Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Mexico, the UK, Spain, Ireland and India, which accounted for a further 42%.

In 2020, the average syringe export price amounted to $109,7 per thousand units, remaining constant against the previous year. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2020, the country with the highest price was the Netherlands ($328 per thousand units), while India ($32 per thousand units) was amongst the lowest. In 2020, the Netherlands attained the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox Platform

industries cybersecurity

Top Booming Industries of 2021

One positive effect of the pandemic on the job market is the new opportunities for people to bring their unique capabilities to the table. Digitalization and automation have affected all aspects of our lives. With the world urging a more virtual way of doing daily things, we have seen many companies adjust to this new reality. Some of them still fight to survive, while others have adopted the latest technologies and made considerable earnings in specific niches. Let us look at some industries that are booming in 2021.

Cybersecurity Industry

Cybersecurity has always been a big industry, but the increase in how we rely on digital tools such as virtual meeting applications means that our data is more vulnerable to hacking and other cyber vulnerabilities than ever before. Coronavirus is one of the biggest cybersecurity threats, as fraudsters have taken advantage of the disease’s uncertainty. Spam email issues have been viral: in the UK, hacking attacks on targeted people working from home were up by 12 percent before the first lockdown. Still, that number increased by 60% just six weeks later. Several attackers use the names and logos of trusted organizations and businesses, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), to trick users into clicking on dangerous links.

PPE Industry

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is one of the most talked-about and sought-after resources of this pandemic. Demand has been increasing rapidly, and countries that depend on imports from other countries such as China have been short of this vital equipment. Because of the coronavirus’s adverse effect, hospitals have the responsibility to have stockpiled in place if there is a similar case or occurrence in the future. Most PPEs have expiry dates, and because of this, steady supplies of new equipment will be in constant need, which means that manufacturers will always be busy trying to meet the new demand.

Cannabis Industry

Cannabis is the world’s most used drug. Owing to restrictions on the cultivation of cannabis in some parts of the world, cannabis has gathered interest from investors and researchers pushing for legalization to grow cannabis globally. More than 50% of Americans believe that the government should legalize cannabis. Thanks to a substance found in the cannabis plant known as Cannabidiol or CBD, many patients who suffer from medical problems like chronic pain and seizures have seen a significant improvement in their medical condition after using the CBD. However, to be successful in this industry, you must seek the service of cannabis consulting firms. The service is essential because the industry is relatively new and heavily regulated. Cannabis consulting companies know the dos and don’ts of starting and operating a cannabis business successfully.

Online Conferencing Industry

Virtual meetings have helped us make our work-from-home lives seem a bit normal. One of the corporations leading the industry, Zoom, has boomed during the pandemic and saw its stock price increase significantly over 100% in just two months. Google has made the premium features of its platform Google Hangouts free for users until September. The daily users of its Microsoft software, Team’s,  jumped from 32 million to 44 million during March.

Online Dating Industry

Dating apps are not the popular way of finding a partner, but there was a global downshift in app downloads as it came to be the norm. There was a 32.5percent growth in dating app users in 2016, but this reduced to just a 5.3% increase in 2019. However, as the COVID-19 outbreak restricted nearly all face-to-face meet-ups, there was a new rise in downloads and exchanges through the likes of Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge. On 29 March alone, Tinder users globally swiped through three billion possible matches, which is more than any other day, setting a record. eMarketer, a research company that provides information on digital marketing, media, and commerce, revealed that the number of people who dated through in the US alone hit 26.6 million, an 18.4% boost in 2019.

Final word

The pandemic will always be looked at as a negative occurrence that halted or reduced sales for many businesses. However, few industries had an exponential increase in demand for their goods or services. 2021 is still young, but we are positive from indications that the sectors discussed in this article will get the best out of it compared to other industries. The cannabis industry might come as a surprise, but with the stigma associated with rapidly shedding marijuana, the sky is only a starting point.

apparel

Face Masks to Drive Nonwoven Cleanroom Apparels Demand in the Near Future

Rising demand from various verticals like pharmaceutical, medical equipment, and the electronics sectors will anchor the adoption of nonwoven cleanroom apparel. The prevalence of several chronic and contagious disorders, like the present coronavirus, has resulted in an increasing need for sanitation and disease protection. Nonwoven cleanroom garments are gaining wider popularity in comparison to other materials as they do not necessitate the need for spinning or weaving the fabrics and can be derived from different sources of raw materials.

The nonwoven apparels are eco-friendly as well as sterilized and are gradually replacing traditional barrier-rendering and aseptic fabrics as they offer single-use and are easily disposable. They do not require re-cleaning or sterilization and effectively help to eliminate contamination. These materials offer fast production, lower costs, high yield as they can be manufactured in large quantities. Apart from these features, they can provide elastic recovery, aeration filtration, and absorbent insulation. Furthermore, the nonwoven fabrics are waterproof, soft, light, and not scalable.

As per a recently collated research report, the global nonwoven cleanroom apparel market size is slated to rise at an exponential growth rate by 2026.

Global demand for face masks

Annual revenue from face masks in the nonwoven cleanroom industry is likely to reach a prominent growth rate. This can be mainly attributed to their incessant demand across the globe particularly in the present COVID-19 pandemic on account of their lower cost and higher utility to curb the spread of the infection. The multilayer construction of the nonwoven face masks helps to provide effective protection against microorganisms.

Protection of medical equipment

Application of nonwoven cleanroom clothing across the medical equipment sector will reach significant revenue. This is owing to their optimum efficiency and user protection like high tearing and abrasion resistance as well as excellent barrier-providing abilities.

The fabrics also offer better comfort & feel, high-level vapor transmission, air permeability, and good cross-contamination control. Taking note of these factors, the nonwovens are most suited for wound-caring components like bandages, absorbent pads, and drug-delivery devices, and in many other types of medical equipment across ICUs, labs, and operating rooms.

Potential in the pharma industry

Nonwoven cleanroom apparel uses across the pharmaceutical sector will gain considerable traction due to their rising preference to filter the human-dispensed contamination in pharma applications. As the fabrics are derived from lightweight, low-threading as well as durable polyethylene and polyester fibers, they are affordable and suitable for single use. They are environment friendly and are hence excessively used across sterile operating facilities to counter contamination concerns while rendering high comfort and protection.

Nonwoven cleanroom apparel suppliers are working towards novel product launches as well as marketing strategies like partnerships, and acquisitions, to broaden their reach across the untapped regions in the world. They are keen on capacity expansions to sustain competition. For instance, in June 2020, Kuraray Co., Ltd., expanded its production of melt-blown nonwoven fabrics to cater to the increasing consumer requirements for mask filters.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Clean Air Products, DowDuPont Inc., Azbil Corporation, Connect 2 Cleanrooms Ltd., Dynarex Corporation, and Labconco Corporation some of the other global product manufacturers in the industry.

masks

Will Usage of Abaca Fiber Face Masks During COVID-19 Help to Reduce Wastes During the Pandemic?

With the demand for face masks and other PPE equipment soaring high worldwide due to the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic spread, it is quite impossible to not ignore the burgeoning plastic wastes created by their disposal. According to estimates by Greenpeace Taiwan, the country produced and used about 1.3 billion surgical masks during the apex of the pandemic- from early February to mid-May. This number generates over 5,500 metric tons of general waste within a span of 3 months.

Such numbers signify that although face masks add to the general protection during the pandemic situation, they also contribute massively towards environmental degradation and landfill pollution, demanding a bio-degradable solution and substitute. This has gradually led to the emergence and usage of abaca fiber-based surgical and sustainable masks.

Recently, a Philippines-based firm- Salay Handmade Products Industries, Inc. had come forward to commercialize and supply masks made from raw abaca fibers, which boast of the property to decompose in just two months. Abaca fibers are generally rooted from banana leaf and are considered to be strong as polyester but high on the sustainability front. A proper validation on the use of abaca fibers for the production of face masks is offered by the country’s Department of Science and Technology. The researchers found that abaca mask is potent of absorbing nearly 3% to 5% of total water applied, while N95 and surgical masks absorbed 46% and 0.17% respectively.

Essentially, the abaca masks repel water far better than an N95 mask and is considered to be extremely safe for use. Although these abaca masks are eco-friendly, they are also quite highly-priced. That said, environmentalists concerned with the plastic crisis plaguing the entire planet will hopefully witness the benefit of investing in biodegradable masks providing an impetus to the global abaca fiber market.

Abaca fibers, also known as ‘Queen of natural fibers’ offer a huge potential to be used as a renewable bio-resource and are claimed to have a high content of lignin (about 9%) and cellulose (roughly 77%) that provide significant resistance to abrasion, traction, UV rays, and saltwater. These properties allow the fibers to be abundantly used for various industrial or extra-industrial applications across automotive, shipping, construction, pulp and paper, furniture, and textile industries.

Why are abaca fibers gaining massive momentum across the automotive industry?

It was in late 2004 that a major automotive giant, Chrysler-Damlier had explored the possibility of incorporating abaca or banana fiber in polypropylene thermoplastic as a substitute to glass fiber used in the exterior of most of the cars. In fact, it was reported that the company was able to demonstrate that PP composites reinforced with abaca fibers showed high structural as well as tensile strength similar to that of glass fiber. Additionally, abaca reinforced PP composites are relatively lighter compared to glass fiber, which could lead to enhanced fuel and energy saving for vehicles while also reducing their weight by up to 60%.

Elaborating further, the DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute sees abaca’s potential as a roofing material for various public utility vehicles. The polymer’s low heat conductivity could help prevent most of the sun’s heat from entering the automobile’s cab, which is especially helpful during the long summer months.

Speaking of the importance of abaca fibers in the automotive industry, the Philippines, which currently produces about 85% of the world’s abaca firmly states that the use of these fibers could potentially augment the country’s local automotive industry in the years to come.

Abaca fiber market trends across the Philippines

The Philippines has over the years remained a dominant region for the abaca fiber market as it stands to be the largest global producer of abaca fiber, ever since its introduction. Reports state that the region produces about 80% of these fibers in about 130 thousand hectares of land. The market is witnessing a massive boost owing to the mounting demand for toys, gifts, and houseware products. Not only this, rising customer inclination for lifestyle products is also stimulating the industry progression.

What has been fueling the industry growth in the Philippines is the introduction of several initiatives that look toward the promotion and production of high-quality abaca fiber in the region. The federal government is responsible for mandating and creating initiatives and measures which strengthen the hold of the country in the overall abaca fiber market while also creating additional growth opportunities for new market players to foray into the regional market.

Although the market has been expanding prolifically over the past few years, it is currently facing some challenges which might hinder its growth in the near future. A major disadvantage being the application of these fibers as reinforcement. Since abaca fibers cannot blend uniformly with polymer composites owing to their natural properties, this complicates the composite fabrication process in the textile industry, limiting its use in the overall textile business space.

Nevertheless, abaca fibers’ eco-friendly and bio-degradable properties have enabled the global abaca market to grow profusely over the span of 2020 to 2026.

PPE

From Exports to Delivery: Simplifying PPE Shipping

From small businesses to large corporations, many are navigating the complex world of importing personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees, family members, and customers as businesses reopen across the globe.

Whether you have navigated these waters before or are new to importing PPE, COVID-19 has changed the game. In response to the changing environment, our team of experts at C.H. Robinson put together information on four key subjects that will help your PPE supply chain run smoother during a time when simplicity is what you need most.

Exporting PPE from China

Over the past several months, China has been the main source for PPE. So, it’s important you’re up to date on the latest regulations to avoid your freight being held up.

China has recently implemented three key policies that relate to PPE exporting.

-Policy 5 requires all medical supplies to meet quality standards of the importing countries, this policy also separated out the process for medical-grade and non-medical-use devices.

-Policy 53 increases CIQ inspection on all PPE products, labels, packaging, and documentation.

-Policy 12 created a white and blacklist of manufacturers and suppliers.

While China’s new policies offer tighter control on PPE being exported, they also have created a dedicated HS-code for PPE products to simplify export declarations.

For a closer look at how China’s regulations impact PPE shipping, check out our recent PPE exporting video featuring our director of product development, Vincent Wong.

U.S. and Canada customs best practices

The next key subject to address is importing PPE into the United States and/or Canada. It’s important you understand various government agency requirements and determine which ones apply depending on whether the PPE is for general or medical use. From there, other factors like labeling, packaging, and marketing of the product can influence these regulations as well.

Importing PPE into the United States

Depending on the PPE commodity you are importing, there can be multiple U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements to navigate. And due to the nature of the shipping industry, these regulations can change quickly—especially for medical grade equipment.

Importing PPE into Canada

While importing into Canada has some similarities—like changing regulations—there are some clear differences to be aware of as well. It’s important to note that while intended use, labeling, packaging, and advertising can be used to determine medical vs. general use in Canada, this is ultimately determined by the Canadian inspectors.

Whether you are importing PPE into the U.S. or Canada, make certain to watch our video on customs best practices with Ben Bidwell, director of North America customs and compliance, in order to better understand requirements, expectations and regulations for PPE.

Metered freight solutions

In this environment, we’re seeing companies turn to air freight to move their personal protective equipment quickly. However, when the demand for passenger travel plummeted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a dramatic reduction in cargo capacity followed. As you might imagine, this has drastically changed normal market conditions for air shipping.

While delivering all your PPE as fast as possible via air might seem like your only option, solutions like freight metering, which utilizes both air and ocean, can also meet your needs while providing cost-savings.

Ask yourself:

-How much of our PPE do we really need to fly?

-How much of that is safety stock?

-What’s the end user consumption rate?

-What’s the output rate at the factory?

Answers to these questions and cross-functional conversations that include purchasers, factory contacts, logistics providers, and end users can reveal that only a portion of your purchase order (PO) should fly and a balance of it should ship as ocean freight.

The key to metering your freight is to choose air freight for just enough of your order to match your end-users’ consumption rate. As ocean freight catches up, it can significantly reduce your freight spend.

Looking for more benefits of a metered air and ocean shipping solution for critical PPE orders? Watch our metered freight solutions video, featuring Bogen Chi, director of air freight.

FCL and LCL expedited ocean shipping

Lastly, we understand your need to continue moving your PPE cargo as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Utilizing expedited less than container load (LCL) or full container load (FCL) shipping could be the differentiator you need. In fact, depending on your PPE’s delivery city, C.H. Robinson’s expedited LCL services can cut traditional LCL transit time by 4 to 14 days and keep your costs nearly 80% lower than air freight services.

Watch our expedited ocean shipping video with Ali Ashraf and Greg Scott to explore if this smart transportation solution is right for your supply chain.

In conclusion

Personal protective equipment has become an extremely important and in-demand commodity as we face COVID-19. So, whether you’re looking to import PPE for the first time or as part of your normal procurement process, C.H. Robinson’s experts can help you build a more resilient supply chain when shipping PPE around the globe. As the market continues to change, our global suite of service offerings and market expertise remains available to help your PPE supply chain. We’re here to help today so you can have a better PPE process tomorrow.

COUNTERFEIT

TRADE IN COUNTERFEIT MEDICAL AND PROTECTIVE HEALTH GOODS SPIKING DURING PANDEMIC

Making matters worse

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to alter lives around the world, predators have seen opportunities to exploit the global health crisis by marketing and shipping counterfeit medical equipment, devices, and pharmaceuticals. In the few months since the beginning of the pandemic, illicit trade in counterfeit medical goods is both widespread and global in nature.

Authorities in the UAE shut down two factories, finding 40,000 fake sanitizers that were actually body sprays. In Cambodia, authorities seized three tons of fake sanitizer and nearly 17,000 gallons of fake alcohol. Australia’s Border Force intercepted shipments of counterfeit and otherwise faulty personal protective equipment.

Playing whack-a-mole with counterfeit goods

EUROPOL has cautioned that fake blood-screening tests, sanitizers, and pharmaceutical products are increasing in volume in the EU as criminals take advantage of shortages of genuine medical products. EUROPOL is monitoring the trade in counterfeit and substandard products by “listening” to social media platforms, following conversations that mention fake products. The agency reports many new online platforms have cropped up in response to coronavirus to profit illegally from illicit trade in fake medical goods.

Enforcement activity has also ramped up in the United States in response to the significant increase in criminals attempting to capitalize on the pandemic. In mid-April, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Operation Stolen Promise, a joint effort by experts in global trade, financial fraud and cyber investigations to combat smuggling of counterfeit safety equipment and test kits. The operation quickly shut down over 11,000 COVID-19 domain names for illicit websites. After seizing test kits at an Indianapolis express consignment facility, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced it is “targeting imports and exports — mainly in the international mail and express consignment cargo environments — that may contain counterfeit or illicit goods”.

More data, better enforcement?

In early May, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations announced an unprecedented partnership with private sector companies including Amazon and Alibaba to combat price gougers and scammers online. But will the effort be sufficient? The pandemic has exposed how vulnerable consumers are and how difficult the challenges are for law enforcement, prompting new discussion of potential changes to data collection practices that will better safeguard consumers while aiding law enforcement. Policymakers are also considering ways to shift more burden to the private sector engaged in online sales and trade.

The Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Online Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate on May 13. The sponsors noted that with the pandemic causing Americans to stay home, online commercial activity has increased, but that products sold online are not sufficiently transparent. The COOL Online Act would require that buyers of products sold online be told the country where the product was manufactured and where the seller is located.

CBP is currently conducting the 321 E-Commerce Data Pilot which requires private sector participants in the pilot program to transmit a significant amount of data to CBP regarding products shipped to the United States. What is yet unclear is whether companies in the supply chain and e-commerce ecosystems will be required to verify that the information submitted to CBP is accurate and whether they will be required to take the step of rejecting products or packages before facilitating shipment to the United States.

Such a requirement obligates private sector entities to take some measure to screen and prevent the export of non-compliant or suspect goods before they leave the country of export. Absent such an obligation, most, if not all, of the burden will remain on CBP – and its counterparts around the world – to protect public safety.

Countering the counterfeiters

Medical communities around the world are still grappling with a virus that has no known cure while law enforcement agencies work to combat the growing volume of counterfeit and substandard medical equipment and pharmaceutical goods marketed by criminals. Meanwhile, international crime watchdog INTERPOL has ominously issued a warning that it expects global markets to be flooded with fake pharmaceuticals as soon as a vaccine does become available.

The policy landscape continues to shift in various ways in the wake of this health crisis. Governments are actively engaging with the private sector regarding potential changes to the collection and sharing of data — and, how both should act on that data — to more effectively prevent counterfeit and illicit goods from even leaving the country of origin in the first place.

____________________________________________________________

Tim Trainer

Tim Trainer was an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. He is a past president of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. Tim is now the principal at Global Intellectual Property Strategy Center, P.C., and Galaxy Systems, Inc.

This article originally appeared on TradeVistas.org. Republished with permission.
detection kits

COVID-19 Detection Kits Market Size Sees 17.3% Growth to Hit USD 8 Billion By 2026

The global COVID-19 detection kits market should increase from USD 3.3 billion till now in 2020 to USD 8 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate of 17.3% for 2020-2026.

COVID-19 detection kits market is anticipated to garner noteworthy growth on account of growing cases of coronavirus registered worldwide. For the record, COVID-19 is a respiratory infection that is highly contagious and transmits through direct contact with an infected person or indirect contact with affected surfaces located near the immediate environment.

As of now, this virus has spread all over the world. Containing its spread has proven to be challenging for most developed as well as developing countries. In a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus, numerous countries are using COVID-19 detection kits that help identify the symptoms of the disease in early-stage patients.

Countries with a huge number of COVID-19 cases are currently going through grave public health problems. As a result, regulatory bodies like the U.S. FDA have decided to ease the regulatory process for COVID-19 detection kits, following the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) guideline. This has enabled manufacturers to launch their test kits in the market more quickly.

Technological innovation and subsequent development in the field of coronavirus diagnostic kits will enhance the COVID-19 detection kits industry outlook. According to a study conducted by Global Market Insights, Inc., the COVID-19 detection kits market is estimated to reach USD 8 billion by the year 2026.

This growth can be contributed to the below-mentioned trends:

Immense popularity of RT-PCR assay kits-

Rising incidence of COVID-19 around the world could play a crucial role in driving the demand for RT-PCR assay kits. The segment is expected to be more profitable and might achieve 96% of the overall market share within 2020.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 0.6 million positive COVID-19 cases have been reported up to this date in the U.S. Rising cases in the region may support the demand for RT-PCR assay kits. Other alternatives for RT-PCR assay kits include immunoassay test strips/cassettes.

Escalating demand across APAC-

The outbreak of COVID-19 in densely populated areas like India and China could augment the Asia Pacific COVID-19 detection kits industry over the years. Estimates claim that the regional market is likely to observe nearly 21% CAGR by 2026.

Facilities in APAC have recorded some recurrence cases of COVID-19 after the successful containment of the virus. This could develop the need for COVID-19 detection kits in the future.

Implementation of lucrative business strategies-

Companies operating in the market are implementing multiple growth strategies to expand their product portfolio and geographical presence by taking part in novel R&D initiatives.

Taking March 2020 for instance, Hologic revealed that it will be receiving grant funding from the U.S. government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to scale the production of COVID-19 detection kits. This collaboration would allow the firm to cater to the proliferating demand for detection kits.

Apart from Hologic, Co-Diagnostics, Cepheid, Abbott Laboratories, BGI, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, BioFire Diagnostics, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech, GenMark Diagnostics, Qiagen, Quidel Corporation, and Mylab Discovery Solutions are some other leading firms in the COVID-19 detection kits market.

Source: Global Market Insights, Inc.

personal protective equipment

Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control Market to Hit USD 17.1 Billion by 2026

The global Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control Market should increase from USD 10 billion in 2019 to USD 17.1 billion in 2026.

The massive outbreak of COVID-19 has produced a significant rise in the revenue scale of global personal protective equipment for infection control market. Global Market Insights, Inc., predicts the personal protective equipment for infection control industry to garner appreciable gains over 2020-2026 while depicting a CAGR of -19.3 percent through 2026, perhaps due to the expanding number of surgical procedures and rising awareness about personal safety for infectious diseases.

The lucrative growth map of personal protective equipment for infection control market is evident from the surging importance of safety at vivid workplaces lined with stringent regulatory reforms pertaining to the safety standards. Numerous regulatory authorities have addressed safety standards during operations in manufacturing industries and various service organizations like hospitals and research laboratories.

Moreover, standard operating protocol developed for security and safety against infections at the workplace would favor the business growth over the due course of time. Although the PPE for infection control is unveiling new trends across the globe, the complexity and dearth of time in the production of these might hamper the industry growth to some extent.

Categorized into products, types, and end-use industries, the personal protective equipment for infection control market across the hand and arm product segment is poised to perform exceptionally well in the ensuing years. For the record, hand and arm personal protective equipment market acquired a business share of $4.2 million in 2019. The momentous growth of this segment can aptly be ascribed to the increased risk of infection worldwide. Besides, skin disorder, given the direct contact to toxic pathogens and radioactive materials would propel the industry growth in the years ahead.

Considering the type bifurcation, the disposable PPE market held a considerable revenue share of 74 percent in 2019 and is touted to witness appreciable growth during the mentioned timeframe owing to its ability to reduce risk of infection as it is disposed of after use.

Elaborating further, personal protective equipment for infection control market from the research and diagnostic laboratories segment is set to accrue phenomenal proceeds in 2020, fundamentally due to the growing R&D activities in order to bring forth advanced solutions for diagnosis and treatment. In addition to this, elevating COVID-19 cases worldwide has enunciated the massive demand for PPE in diagnostic laboratories for effective security and functioning.

Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market report provides a comprehensive landscape of the industry, accurate market estimates and forecast split by product, application, technology, region and end-use. All quantitative information is covered on a regional as well as country basis. The report provides valuable strategic insights on the Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market, analyzing in detail industry impact forces including growth drivers, pitfalls, and regulation evolution. The report also includes a detailed outlook on the Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market competitive environment, diving into the industry position of each major company along with the strategic landscape.

Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market report is an all-inclusive document, compiled and designed to provide best-in-class research, insightful analysis and accurate quantitative data. The coverage of this research is the most extensive when compared to other similar studies available on Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market. The industry ecosystem information presented in this report is next-to-none and aims to address all stakeholders of the industry, irrespective of their size and business function. Details of segmentation and cross reporting structure, wherever feasible, makes this Personal Protective Equipment for Infection Control market research one of its kind to offer the most in-depth, readily available data.

Speaking of the regional demographics, the United States is poised to emerge as one of the most remunerative growth regions for industry given the current coronavirus outbreak. It has been reported that the country captured an overall business share of more than 90 percent of the North America PPR for infection control market in 2019.

This growth is ascribed to the expanding development activities paired with rising healthcare spending. It is imperative to mention that, the ongoing disease spread has urged myriad companies to undertake development activities with an aim to offer effective and accurate solutions to abate the infection transmission across the country while boosting its stance in the global market.

Although the rising patient pool has produced a shortage of PPE, various organizations like 3M Company, Honeywell, and multiple others, have laid their focus on establishing M&As to manage the increasing demand for these. Thus, these strategic initiatives would enhance the industry outlook over the forecast period.

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Source: Global Market Insights, Inc.

trade protectionism

Trade Protectionism Won’t Help Fight COVID-19

Countries around the world are limiting international trade and turning inward, seeking to produce nearly everything — especially medical supplies — themselves.

The Trump administration, for instance, is considering a “Buy American” executive order that would require federal agencies to purchase domestically made masks, ventilators, and medicines. And over two dozen countries — including France, Germany, South Korea, and Taiwan — have banned domestic companies from exporting medical supplies.

The scramble for self-sufficiency in medical supplies and medicines needed to fight the coronavirus is make-believe. It is neither feasible nor desirable, and will only deepen the pain felt amidst this pandemic.

Governments around the world have responded to COVID-19 by imposing export restrictions on things like ventilators and masks. In mid-April, Syria became the 76th country to follow suit. The import side of things isn’t much better. The World Trade Organization (WTO) reports that tariffs remain stubbornly high on protective medical gear, averaging 11.5 percent across the 164 members of the Geneva-based institution, and peaking at just under 30 percent.

This is no way to fight a pandemic.

It’s not that COVID-19 caused this bout of trade protectionism. It’s just that COVID-19 offers up a useful narrative to promote trade protectionism.

The Trump administration, for instance, has been touting its “Buy American” executive order as a move to spur local manufacturing. Canada has also considered going it alone in ventilators and masks, but recently acknowledged it can’t possibly achieve self-sufficiency in medicines. No one can.

The way many governments see it, the only thing standing in the way of greater self-reliance in medical equipment and medicines is the will to pay for it. The story is that ventilators might be more expensive if made domestically, but that’s the cost of going it alone. It’s only a matter of getting Bauer and Brooks Brothers, for example, to make personal protective equipment, rather than hockey gear and clothing.

But there’s a reason Bauer makes skates instead of surgical masks. It’s better at it, and skates are a much more lucrative business. Bauer didn’t misread the market. It’s heartwarming to hear that Bauer is stepping in to help out, but the company knows that making surgical masks in the US is five times more expensive than making them in China. That’s why 95 percent of the surgical masks in the US are imported.

The absurdity of self-sufficiency in medicines is even more glaring. The US is a major exporter of medicines, but the raw chemicals used to make them are imported. Nearly three-quarters of the facilities that manufacture America’s “active pharmaceutical ingredients” are overseas. To reorient supply chains to produce these ingredients domestically would take up to 10 years and cost $2 billion for each new facility.  Consumers would pay at least 30 percent more at the pharmacy.

The last plug for self-sufficiency in medical equipment and medicines is that it’s not a good idea to depend on adversaries to keep us healthy. We don’t. What’s striking about medicines, medical equipment, and personal protective products is that market share is highly concentrated among allies. For example, Germany, the US, and Switzerland supply 35 percent of medical products sold worldwide. True, China leads the top ten list of personal protective products, at 17 percent market share, but the other nine, including the US at number three, are all longstanding allies. To be sure, the untold story of China is that it depends on Germany and the United States for nearly 40 percent of its medical products.

This past week, the WTO and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called for an end to the folly of trade restrictions during this pandemic. The communique should have — but obviously couldn’t — call out governments around the world for maintaining, on average, a 17 percent tariff on soap. That tariffs on face masks average nearly 10 percent is baffling. That 20 countries in the WTO have no legal ceiling on the tariffs they impose on medicines is unforgivable.

Self-sufficiency in medical supplies and medicines is a political sop. It’s a narrative that can’t deliver anything but misery. If governments want to fight COVID-19, they should spend more time looking at how they’re denying themselves access to medical necessities, and less time on how to deny others the tools to save lives.

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Marc L. Busch is the Karl F. Landegger professor of international business diplomacy at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a nonresident senior fellow in the Atlantic Council.

needles

Global Needles And Catheters Market 2020 – Key Insights

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘World – Needles, Catheters, Cannulae For Medicine – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The global needles and catheters market size reached $32.4B in 2018, picking up by 7.3% against the previous year. The market value increased at an average annual rate of +4.8% from 2009 to 2018. Over the period under review, the global needles and catheters market reached its peak figure level in 2018 and is likely to see steady growth in the near future.

Global Trade of Needles And Catheters 2009-2018

In value terms, needles and catheters exports totaled $32B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018. In general, the total exports indicated a remarkable increase from 2009 to 2018: its value increased at an average annual rate of +2.4% over the last decade. Based on 2018 figures, needles and catheters exports increased by +28.1% against 2016 indices. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2012 when exports increased by 18% y-o-y.

Exports by Country

In value terms, the U.S. ($7.1B), the Netherlands ($4.4B) and Ireland ($3.9B) constituted the countries with the highest levels of exports in 2018, together comprising 48% of global exports. These countries were followed by Mexico, Germany, Belgium, Costa Rica, China, Malaysia, the UK, Hungary and Poland, which together accounted for a further 36%.

Hungary experienced the highest rates of growth with regard to the value of exports, among the main exporting countries over the period under review, while exports for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Imports by Country

The largest needles and catheters importing markets worldwide were the U.S. ($5.4B), the Netherlands ($3.4B) and Germany ($2.3B), with a combined 39% share of global imports. These countries were followed by Japan, China, Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, Mexico, Spain and South Korea, which together accounted for a further 33%.

In terms of the main importing countries, China experienced the highest growth rate of the value of imports, over the period under review, while imports for the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Import Prices by Country

In 2018, the average needles and catheters import price amounted to $54,311 per tonne, jumping by 2.8% against the previous year. Over the period from 2009 to 2018, it increased at an average annual rate of +1.0%. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2016 when the average import price increased by 67% against the previous year. The global import price peaked in 2018 and is expected to retain its growth in the immediate term.

There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major importing countries. In 2018, the country with the highest price was the Netherlands ($149,780 per tonne), while South Korea ($33,777 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2009 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the Netherlands, while the other global leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform