Europe Melt Blown Fabric Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Filtration, Medical Fabrics, Sanitary Products, Oil Adsorbents, Apparel, Holt Melt Adhesives), By Country, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Market Size & Trends

The Europe melt blown fabric market size was estimated at USD 1.04 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% from 2023 to 2030. The market is driven by the increasing awareness of air and water pollution and the need to improve air and water quality has led to the adoption of high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which use these products to capture even the smallest particles. Additionally, these materials have a wide application in various products in the personal care industry such as diapers and feminine hygiene products due to their highly absorbent properties.

The market in Germany is primarily dominated by increasing demand from filtration, medical fabrics, and sanitary product applications. The country is highly focused on the medical & healthcare sector which comprises diagnostic imaging, precision medical, optical technologies, and dental care & instruments. Dental care accounts for significant consumption of disposable melt blown fabrics for use in surgical masks, caps, and gowns, which is likely to witness a positive demand growth over the forecast period owing to the increasing oral health problems among kids and older adults in the country.

Furthermore, they are extensively used in medical applications, including surgical masks, N95 respirators, and other medical garments. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly boosted demand for these products. For instance, meltblown fabric is used to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, masks, and other protective garments which had a high demand during the pandemic.

Meltblown fabrics are primarily porous by nature and are best suited for the filtration of liquids and gases. As a result, filtration is expected to remain the largest application segment during the forecast period. Rising consumer awareness of health and hygiene is expected to increase the demand for medical and sanitary products in the market.

The melt blown fabric market is characterized by the presence of a number of companies involved in the production of a large number of products that primarily help consumers to maintain high health and hygiene standards. Companies in the meltblown fabric marketspace compete on the basis of product design, strength & durability, protective abilities, filtration efficiency, and overall price.

Some of the key players operating in the market are China Hi-Tech Group Corporation, PFNonwovens Holding s.r.o, Dupont. Prominent players involved in the marketplace are continuously focusing on business expansion activities through collaborations and partnerships across the value chain. For instance, in February 2022, PFNonwovens Holding s.r.o announced a collaboration with Smart Plastic Technologies to produce nonwovens using advanced SPTek ECLIPSE technology.

Application Insights

The filtration segment accounted for 37.3% of the revenue share in 2022. Meltblown polypropylene used in filtration offers high barrier filtration efficiency, ranging between 95% and 99%. Increased adoption of nanofiber nonwoven fabrics for various applications, including air filtration in dust collection and engine air-intake filters in automobiles, is expected to positively affect market growth of meltblown fabric owing to increasing demand for high-performance filters in the automotive industry.

The medical fabrics segment accounted for the substantial revenue share in 2022 and it is expected to expand at a CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period. N95 facemasks made from meltblown nonwoven polypropylene fabric are capable of filtering out 95% of airborne particulates such as aerosol droplets of viruses from the air inhaled by users. This led to the extensive use of PP meltblown fabric for the production of medical masks. An exponential surge in demand for medical masks during the COVID-19 pandemic bolstered the demand for the market in filtration applications, in turn, fueling significant growth of the market.

Sanitary products account for a significant share of the market for meltblown fabric owing to their wide utilization in the domestic sanitation, healthcare, and commercial segments. Sanitary and hygiene products in the form of wipes, diapers, feminine hygiene pads, nursing pads, toddler training pads, and incontinence, among others, are expected to witness high demand owing to the rising population and increasing birth rates across the globe. In addition, sanitary products exhibit excellent softness, strength, leakage prevention, and bacterial protection, which is likely to witness high demand owing to increasing awareness regarding health & hygiene around the world.

The oil adsorbents segment accounted for a market value of over USD 180 million in 2022. Collection of oil from water, primarily after an accidental oil spill, is a common use for meltblown fabrics. These are also used commercially in machine & finishing shops and various industries to absorb water and oil that occur due to the continuous transportation of oil products in the vicinity. In addition, the use of adsorbent booms at offshore crude extraction units is a major contributor to the market growth of meltblown fabric.

Country Insights

Germany led the market and accounted for a 31.69% share of Europe revenue in 2022. The German healthcare sector is maintained by state funding through continuous research & development of advanced healthcare products in the field of medical and sanitary products. In addition, increasing medical tourism is likely to propel the demand for disposable medical products such as disposable masks and drapes used in treatments and surgeries, which, in turn, is likely to have a positive impact on the market of meltblown fabric growth over the projected period.

The market for meltblown fabric in France is expected to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period with a CAGR of 5.5%. The demand for meltblown fabric in France is driven by filtration application, which primarily includes facial masks and air filters. Increasing investments and government-led initiatives to distribute face masks amid the advent of coronavirus have spurred their demand, in turn, adding growth to the market of meltblown fabric.

The market for meltblown fabric in Spain was valued at USD 64.7 million in 2022 owing to the rising demand for filtration products. The rise in the demand for face masks post the pandemic, as per the strict regulations by the government to make the usage of masks mandatory at public places and workplaces, is likely to boost the market growth of meltblown fabric. The government is providing subsidies to small manufacturers of face masks for the expansion of their production facilities to meet the demand in the country.

The U.K. market for meltblown fabric is witnessing growth, in terms of volume, owing to the increasing capacities of small- and medium-scale manufacturers in the country. The demand for filtration, sanitary products, and medical products is expected to be the major contributor to the market of meltblown fabric, on account of its high demand for manufacturing hygiene products such as baby nappies, sanitary pads, and adult diapers. The rising demand for these products in the country is likely to result in increased production capacities by the manufacturers in the country thus impacting the demand for meltblown fabrics on a positive note.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market participants are adopting various strategies to gain a competitive edge, and thus sustain the growing industry rivalry. Meltblown fabric manufacturing companies have a position in the market because of the diversity in the product portfolios, having strategically fulfilled R&D centers, consistency in development, and advanced technology.

The companies resort to multiple mergers and acquisitions in a bid to gain market share in a particular region. In some cases, the companies build technological collaborations for the production of an advanced product with superior performance characteristics to increase the company revenues. Some prominent players in the Europe melt blown fabric market include:

• 3M Company

• BYM Medikal

• 4business Werbemittel & Vertriebs GmbH

• Novamask

• Westfalen Care GmbH

• Modern Medical Devices (MMD)

• Hygiene Care Company S.L.

• Sol-Millennium Medical Group

• Alfa Medi

• Baltex

• Seyntex

• ARGUN s.r.o.

• Pall Corporation

• Brady EMEA

• Bosch

Europe Melt Blown Fabric Market Report Scope

Europe Melt Blown Fabric Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Europe melt blown fabric market report on the basis of application, and country:

• Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million; 2018 - 2030)

  • Filtration

  • Medical Fabrics

  • Sanitary Products

  • Oil Adsorbents

  • Apparel

  • Hot Melt Adhesives

  • Electronics Specialties

  • Miscellaneous Applications

• Country Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million; 2018 - 2030)

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Spain

    • Italy

    • Russia