Surgical Gloves Market Analysis Report & Opportunities 2027

[Research Report] The Surgical Gloves Market was valued at US$ million 2,292.03 in 2019 and is projected to reach US$ 5,028.07 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.3% from 2020 to 2027. 

Market Insights and Analyst View:

Surgical gloves are used as a protective barrier. They are to prevent the possible transmission of diseases between healthcare professionals such as physicians, doctors, and nurses and patients during surgical procedures. In other words, they are essentially worn to prevent contamination of the patient during invasive procedures. It is also to protect the hand from exposure to potentially infectious materials. The most common surgical materials used are nitrile, polyisoprene, neoprene, and latex. The materials come in two types i.e., synthetic and latex.  These types of gloves are available in various sizes and offer accurate precision in surgeries. They are mostly available in sterile form. These types of gloves are mainly of two types powdered and powdered free. The powdered materials that are used are mainly cornstarch powder, lycopodium powder and talc, amongst others. These powdered materials essentially help to avoid sweat. The powdered materials are also used to lubricate the gloves upto full potential which are then very useful to use by the surgeons. Rising number of cases associated with COVID-19 in the recent past has aided the overall surgical gloves market growth and is expected to continue a similar trend during the forecast period. 

Growth Drivers and Restraints:

Infection that is contracted in any healthcare facility, such as a hospital, is termed as healthcare associated infection (HAI). The most common unit where HAI is contracted is intensive care unit, where the healthcare professionals treat serious diseases. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on any given day, one in 31 hospital patients contracts at least one healthcare-associated infection. Similarly, as per the study ‘Burden of Six Healthcare-Associated Infections on European Population Health: Estimating Incidence-Based Disability-Adjusted Life Years through a Population Prevalence-Based Modelling Study’ published in 2016, every year, over 2.5 million cases of HAI occur in the European Union and European Economic Area, corresponding to approximately 2.5 million disability adjusted life years. The burden of the six HAIs in Europe was more than that of all other communicable diseases under surveillance at European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Furthermore, as per the study ‘Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries’ published in 2018, the risks of HAIs in the Asia-Pacific region have been estimated to be 2–20 times higher than in developed countries, with up to 25% of hospitalized patients reported to have acquired infections. According to the National Library of Medicine, there were approximately five million hospitalizations (time period- March 2021 to March 2022) in the United States of America owing to healthcare associated infection (HAI) among hospitalized patients suffering from COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Thus, the global surgical gloves market is expected to see exponential growth over the forecast period. The United States held the largest market share in 2022 and is expected to continue a similar trend during the forecast period. Rising demand for surgical gloves across the globe has caused a shortage of gloves and other personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, the demand for disposable surgical gloves has tremendously increased due to the outbreak of COVID-19. According to an NHS report for April 2019, every year, NHS utilizes 1.4 billion gloves. However, NHS has failed to provide adequate PPE, including gloves and masks, to its employees during the pandemic. The shortage is seen due to the incapability of procurement systems that are unable to meet unprecedented levels of demand. Furthermore, as per the healthcare improvement company—Premier Inc., in the US, hospitals are struggling to obtain overall supplies due to the COVID-19 outbreak. During this survey of 905 hospitals that are members of Premier, around 40% of the hospitals were found to have a shortage of nitrile gloves. Thus, shortage of gloves and limited production are expected to restrain the market growth in the next few years.

Growing healthcare industry in developing countries is likely to create growth opportunities for the market. Also, increasing number of hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region is creating opportunities for the market. According to IBEF, Indian healthcare sector has recorded a threefold rise, at a CAGR of 22% during the period of 2016–2022 and has reached US$ 372 billion in 2022 from US$ 110 billion in 2016. Furthermore, it also mentioned that the Indian hospital industry had a CAGR of 16–17% to reach US$ 132.84 billion by 2022 from US$ 61.79 billion in 2017. Additionally, as per the NITI Aayog, Government of India, by 2024, India would have 2,500 new hospitals. Furthermore, as per the study “Private hospital expansion in China: a global perspective” published in 2018, China’s private hospital market is expanding rapidly. The study also mentioned that the number of private hospitals in China was more than public hospitals in 2015. Thus, growing healthcare industry and increasing number of hospitals in developing nations are likely to create growth opportunities for the surgical gloves market.

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Surgical Gloves Market: Strategic Insights

Market Size Value in	US$ 2,292.03 million in 2019
Market Size Value by	US$ 5,028.07 Million by 2027
Growth rate	CAGR of 10.3% from 2020-2027
Forecast Period	2020-2027
Base Year	2020

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Report Segmentation and Scope:

The “Global Surgical Gloves Market” is segmented based on raw material, form, usage, distribution channel, end user, and geography. Based on raw material, the surgical gloves market is segmented into latex gloves, nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves, neoprene gloves, and polyisoprene gloves. Based on form, the surgical gloves market is bifurcated into powdered and powdered free. Based on usage, the surgical gloves market is bifurcated into disposable and reusable. Based on distribution channel, the surgical gloves market is segmented into retail, medical store, and online. Based on end user, the surgical gloves market is segmented into hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and others.   The global surgical gloves market based on geography is segmented into North America (the US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, the UK, Russia, and Rest of the Europe), Asia Pacific (Australia, China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Rest of the Asia Pacific), the Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Rest of the Middle East & Africa), and South & Central America (Brazil, Argentina, and Rest of South & Central America).

Segmental Analysis:

Based on raw material, the surgical gloves market is segmented into latex gloves, nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves, neoprene gloves, polyisoprene gloves, and biogel gloves. Sterile latex gloves are usually used for surgical procedures and other invasive medical procedures. Treating patients in high-risk situations involving bodily fluids, blood, and infectious diseases require sterile latex surgical gloves. In 2019, the latex gloves captured the largest share and is expected to continue a similar during the forecast period. Latex disposable gloves can also be used for non-invasive low-risk, general procedures. They are a popular choice in the health care industry. The wide range of uses include dental, medical, child care, senior care, and public health sanitation. Latex surgical gloves are made from natural rubber latex and provide excellent tactile sensitivity and comfort. They are known to have high elasticity, meaning the gloves can stretch well to allow easy donning. Latex gloves are made from the natural rubber, which is derived from Hevea braziliensis trees. The advantage of latex for making gloves is due to its elasticity. Latex recovers its original form; hence, it is widely preferred for making gloves. Its properties, such as adaptability, dexterity, and prolonged comfort, prevents fatigue. The synthetic gloves in the market have replaced the latex gloves as latex gloves can cause allergic reactions (type I) and dermatitis to the user having sensitive skin. However, the latter type provides extra protection from viruses and durability properties make it’s appropriate and are expected to contribute to the largest market share. In addition, latex gloves are available in different colors, sizes, and different coatings. It also shows good performance with solvents and a variety of the most common chemicals, such as alcohols, ammonia, acetone. For instance, Cardinal Health offers Protexis Latex, Protexis Latex Blue with Neu-Thera, Protexis Latex Classic, Protexis Latex Hydrogel, Protexis Latex Micro, Protexis Latex Ortho, and Protexis Latex with Neu-Thera. For instance, Medi-Grip LATEX products, produced by ANSELL LTD., has a good handling and grip achieved through a unique external surface treatment. The soft and malleable latex formulation provides ample dexterity and good comfort. The product is primarily recommended for brief, low-risk examination procedures; sustained procedures; sterile procedures in the O.R.; and used as an outer glove when double gloving.

Nitrile gloves are made from synthetic rubber latex, derived from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Copolymer (NBR). The nitrile gloves are accepted as a substitute for the natural latex rubber as it duplicates the properties for natural rubber and prevents allergies. The nitrile gloves are comfortable to wear, which is the most significant advantage over natural gloves. It prevents type IV allergy and is suitable for people who have excessive sweating. Nitrile gloves also provide little tolerance to the dust of other gloves. These gloves are resistant to friction, wear, and tear compared to other gloves offer excellent strength and chemical protection.

Moreover, While the COVID-19 pandemic rages across the world, the demand for medical gloves has increased globally. Thus, many manufacturers are introducing nitrile rubber glove products to the global markets to help medical workers combat the coronavirus. For instance, in April 2020, Lath Nitrile Gloves has launched its nitrile rubber glove product to the US and UK markets. The nitrile gloves are suitable for instrument management, medical explorations, and contact with cytostatic products. These gloves are also widely used in the chemical and food industry. Thus, the market for the nitrile gloves segment is expected to grow at a faster rate during the forecast period. Vinyl gloves are made from material, which is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The material is further Formed with several plasticizers to gain specific properties. The vinyl gloves are natural latex-free. They also reduce the risk of type I and type IV allergies. The gloves are soft, comfortable, sensitive to the touch, and cost-effective. The vinyl gloves can be easily used or can handle alcohol, some organic acids, and solvents. However, these gloves are not suitable for high protection, patient examination, cleaning, and instrument handling. In addition, the gloves offer moderate protection and have less durability; hence, it is expected that market growth by vinyl gloves will have the least market share. It is projected to grow at a slow growth rate during the forecast period.

Surgical Gloves Market Revenue Share, by Raw Material (2019 and 2027)

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Source: The Insight Partners Analysis

Regional Analysis:

Based on geography, the surgical gloves market is segmented into five key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South & Central America, and Middle East & Africa.  North America held the largest share in 2019 followed by Europe. Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In recent years, surgical gloves market players on are focusing on strengthening their presence in the US. The companies undergo various organic and inorganic growth strategies to enhance its presence in the US. For instance, in October 2020, Mölnlycke has celebrated world handwashing day with the launch of the innovative Biogel PI UltraTouch surgical glove. The concerned product has been introduced to likely addresses the problem of allergic contact dermatitis among surgical teams.

Furthermore, US is expected to be a dominant country in the surgical gloves market owing to rising awareness of hygiene among healthcare professionals and growing number of admissions in the hospitals. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of 25 patients get infected due to hospital acquired-infections. Furthermore, according to the Definitive Healthcare's platform on surgery centers, around 9,280 ambulatory surgical centers are present in the United States as of 2019. Thus, these factors are expected to accelerate the surgical gloves market growth in the United States. The increasing focus of market players and rising in number of hospitals and clinics in the US is likely to propel the growth of surgical gloves market in the country

Industry Developments and Future Opportunities:

Various initiatives taken by key players operating in the global surgical gloves market are listed below:

1. In October 2019, Careplus Group Berhad spent RM24 million to gain full control of its loss-making subsidiary Careglove Global Sdn Bhd, which makes rubber gloves for Brazilian market. This expansion mainly indicates the company’s growth in other markets outside Brazil.
2. In September 2021, Hartalega Sdn Bhd., abided by the government’s coronavirus-related 60 percent workforce requirement. Hartalega operated at 60 percent capacity, not just due to the reduced workforce requirements under the MCO 3.0, but also due to the required fortnightly health screening for their entire factory workforce to control the spread of the virus. The CEO of the company reported that glove manufacturing plants in Malaysia located in areas placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) are not allowed to operate, as gloves are not recognised as an essential item during the pandemic.

Covid-19 Impact:

The COVID-19 pandemic affected economies and industries in various countries across the globe. Lockdowns, travel restrictions, and business shutdowns in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South & Central America (SAM), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). In the North American region, the US was profoundly affected by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country has marked the highest number of positive patients. Across the nation, various healthcare research centers were working only for research on COVID 19 therapeutics. Additionally, during the initial phase of COVID-19 crisis, owing to change in customer behaviours for purchasing personal protective equipment the demand for surgical gloves was significantly increased. Personal Protective equipment for healthcare professionals is essential to fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result of this pandemic situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the governments and market players to act definitively to boost the production of masks, respirators, gloves, medical gowns, and other PPE products used in healthcare systems. In order to meet such high global demand, WHO estimated that the manufacturers of all PPEs must increase their production by 40%. The most of the PPE manufacturers are operating at close to 100% capacity and prioritizing their orders to the countries with high demand-supply gap and increasing incidences of COVID 19. Therefore, pandemic situation has positively impacted the Surgical Gloves market in North America region. As the crisis moves forward due to lockdown and supply chain disruptions has affected the sales as well as manufacturing of surgical gloves for short period of time. However, the overall prospects for the market growth are considerably positive

Competitive Landscape and Key Companies:

The surgical gloves market majorly consists of the players such as Ansell Limited, McKESSON CORPORATION, Cardinal Health Inc, HENRY SCHEIN, INC, Mölnlycke Health Care AB, Dynarex Corporation, Unigloves (UK) Limited, ABENA UK LTD, Globus Group (Globus (Shetland) Ltd) and Barber Healthcare Limited among others. The companies have been implementing various strategies that have helped the growth of the company and in turn have brought about various changes in the surgical gloves market.