Medical Elastomers Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The global medical elastomer market is expected to reach US$13.825 billion in 2029 from US$9.364 billion in 2024 at 8.10% (CAGR).

Elastomers are materials with high physical performance, flexibility, thermoplastics, and sterilization properties. These properties make them suitable for medical applications such as blood pressure tubing, fluid pathways, wound drainage, and drug delivery systems.

The prime factor propelling the market expansion is the growing use of elastomers in the manufacturing of disposable medical supplies like tubing, syringes, and valves, among other medical devices. These devices require diverse physical features like flexibility and resistance to high temperatures and chemicals. Furthermore, the increasing need for vital implants for prosthetic joints and heart valves has also contributed to market growth.

In addition, silicone is anticipated to experience a notable surge in demand globally as it is used to encapsulate biomedical products and presents countless opportunities for product development and market introduction.

Global Medical Elastomer Market Drivers:

• Growing chronic disease prevalences have bolstered the market expansion.

Elastomers are extensively used in the manufacturing of cardiovascular devices, prosthetic devices, general medical care products, transdermal therapeutic systems, orthodontics, etc. This extensive use is due to their biocompatibility, durability, design flexibility, and favorable performance/cost ratios. The growth may be attributed to the surge in demand for safe and halogen-free polymers used in medical products.

Over the years, the prevalence rate of major chronic diseases such as cardiovascular has become a major health issue. For instance, according to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease has become one of the leading causes of death, accounting for an estimated 17.9 million annually. Likewise, as per the study conducted by the American College of Cardiology, in 2022, the global number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease reached 19.8 million. Such a high death count will emphasize the development of artificial heart valves and vascular prostheses for cardiovascular applications, thereby bolstering the demand for elastomers.

• The increased applicability of medical tubes has stimulated market growth.

Elastomers, due to their higher flexibility, have become an ideal choice for making customizable tubes that can be used as fluid pathways and artificial valves. The demand for materials is booming in the healthcare sector owing to the increasing requirement for fluid delivery medical tubes and medication applications and the escalation of respiratory diseases, including lung cancer, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Moreover, the aging population and rising rates of chronic diseases, followed by the growing need for minimally invasive medical procedures and disposable tube-based medical equipment, all contribute to the medical tube market growth. Additionally, strategic mergers and acquisitions among different medical device companies are anticipated to propel the demand and reach of disposable medical devices globally, thereby propelling market growth.

Global Medical Elastomer Market Segment Analysis

• Silicone is expected to show significant growth during the given timeframe.

Based on type, the global medical elastomer market is divided into thermoset elastomer, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, and others. Silicon offers high bio-compatibility processing flexibility and mechanical & electrical resistance, owing to which it is majorly used in medical applications such as medical bags, gloves, tubes, and implants. Due to their high preference, silicon-based elastomers account for a considerable market share and will grow steadily during the forecast period. Likewise, the thermoplastic and thermoset elastomers are estimated to show constant growth.

• Medical tube is projected to account for a significant share.

Application-wise, the global medical elastomer market is analyzed into implants, syringes, medical bags, gloves, medical tubes, and others. Medical tubes are poised for constant growth and will hold a significant market share as the elastomers are mainly used for making blood flow tubing, heat shrink tubing, and fluid pathways, which are majorly used in fast-paced surgical procedures.

The growing emphasis on customized medical tubes in minimally invasive surgeries, followed by ongoing investments and strategic collaboration to bolster them, has bolstered the overall segment growth. Likewise, implants are also expected to grow at a steady rate, fuelled by their growing applicability in artificial heart valves.

Asia Pacific is witnessing exponential growth during the forecast period

Region-wise, the global medical elastomers market is divided into North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. The APAC region shows great potential for the medical elastomer market fuelled by the booming chronic disease prevalence which has increased the demand for medical interventions and treatments driven by the large aging populations in countries like China and Japan.

Moreover, the growing research and development investments, technological innovations in medical devices, and favorable government efforts to improve chronic disease treatment for the geriatric population have further paved the way for regional market expansion.

Likewise, North America is also poised for positive growth owing to the growing scale of traumatic, reconstruction, and prosthetic surgeries, where the elastomers form a better alternative for deploying reconstructive implants and also act as tissue expanders. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in 2023, breast reconstruction surgery witnessed a 4% growth over 2022, with the total number of procedures recorded at 157,740.

The same source also specified that pelvic floor reconstruction procedures experienced a 7% growth in the same year. Additionally, the well-established presence of major market players, namely DuPont, which is investing in establishing new medical elastomer manufacturing units in the country, is augmenting the market expansion. The European and South American regions are expected to grow at a positive rate, whereas the Middle East and Africa will account for a minimal market share during the forecast period.

Global Medical Elastomer Key Market Developments:

• In February 2024, Arkema started manufacturing "Pebax" elastomer at the company's Serquigny plant in France, which, besides being used in sports equipment, will also be applicable to medical devices. The plant will produce the "Classic Pebax" and "Bio-Circular Pebax Renew" ranges.
• In January 2023, Mearthane Products Corporation acquired Precision Elastomeric Inc., which specializes in manufacturing customized polyurethane and silicone for use in semiconductor manufacturing and medical devices. The acquisition has enabled Mearthane to expand its thermoset materials capabilities.
• In November 2022, Celanese fully acquired the Mobility and Materials division of DuPont's thermoplastics and elastomers business. This acquisition will increase the availability of medical elastomers and strengthen Celanese's product lineup and elastomer and thermoplastics production capabilities.

The Global Medical Elastomer market is segmented and analyzed as given below:

By Type

• Thermoset Elastomer
• Silicone
• Thermoplastic Elastomer
• Others

By Application

• Implants
• Syringes
• Medical Bags
• Gloves
• Medical Tubes
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• Germany
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• France
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Thailand
• Taiwan
• Indonesia
• Others