Medical Grade Silicone Market Analysis By Product (Elastomers, Gels, Medical Adhesives, Medical Coatings, Foams), By Application (Prosthetics, Orthopedic, Contact Lens), And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2025

Report Overview

The global medical grade silicone market size was valued at USD 406.5 million in 2019 and is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% from 2020 to 2025 owing to various properties including thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and chemical resistance. Increasing usage of heart pumps and defibrillators, diagnostic guidewires and over-molded surgical blades, and suture sleeves is expected to propel the demand for medical silicone over the forecast period.

Aging population coupled with the rising global income levels in the developing countries including India, China, Thailand, and Indonesia is expected to fuel growth. The growing prevalence of orthopedic conditions such as degenerative bone disease and the rising number of road accidents are the major factors driving industry growth. Furthermore, the global harmonization of standards and regulatory requirements is anticipated to facilitate the overall growth in the near future.

Silicone elastomers display superior properties in comparison to silicone gels, foams, adhesives, over a wide range of temperature, inertness to chemicals & solvents, oil & fuel resistance, and high productivity. These factors are expected to propel the use of silicone elastomers in the end-use industries such as neuromodulation, diagnostics, surgical, vascular, and drug delivery.

The rising demand for substitutes such as thermoplastic elastomers is expected to restrain the market growth over the forecast period. The ability to see through a thermoplastic elastomer product, for instance, face masks to monitor a patient is a key feature augmenting the consumption of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) in the healthcare devices industry. The rising TPE demand in the healthcare industry is likely to restrict the growth of the silicone elastomers over the forecast period.

Increasing requirements for low-cost healthcare facilities in emerging economies such as China, India, Singapore, and Malaysia along with the rising disposable incomes of the middle class in these countries are expected to spur growth in Asia Pacific. Moreover, the significant rise in the medical tourism industry in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico is expected to increase demand in the Americas region over the upcoming years.

The growing demand for medical silicone in the intraocular lens, orthopedic, cardiovascular implants, dental implants, and breast implants is expected to drive the industry growth. Furthermore, the demand for LSR elastomers is triggering the demand for silicone in implantable devices, wherein LSR leads to a reduction in the production cost owing to its fast curing abilities.

Medical Grade Silicone Market Trends

Rising utilization of long-term implantable devices such as heart pumps & defibrillators, short-term implantable devices such as diagnostic guide wires & over-molded surgical blades, and disposable implantable devices such as suture sleeves is expected to propel the demand for silicone in medical sector. 

Major applications of these devices include cosmetic surgery, ophthalmic surgery, and spinal & cardiovascular surgeries, which are expected to witness an increase on account of the growing geriatric population and rising prevalence of chronic diseases globally. This, in turn, is projected to augment the demand for implantable medical devices and therefore the demand for medical silicone.

Increasing expenditure and a greater focus on healthcare, rising construction of hospitals & clinics, and growing establishment of public health insurance are factors anticipated to augment the demand for silicone in medical devices market in developing countries such as China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and others. The growing aging population coupled with the rising income levels in developing countries is projected to fuel the growth of healthcare infrastructure. Furthermore, the global harmonization of standards and regulatory requirements is anticipated to help facilitate the overall growth of medical silicone market.

Silicone elastomers have superior properties as compared to other elastomers. These properties make them desirable in a number of end-use industries. With novel applications coming to the fore, the requirements of the end-use industries have become difficult to attain. Such stringent requirements are likely to drive silicone elastomers market over the next few years.

The ability to see through thermoplastic elastomer products, such as facemasks, to monitor patients is a key feature augmenting the demand for Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in the medical devices market. Other properties driving the demand for TPE in medical devices are its excellent adhesion and sealing properties, soft touch, good transparency, and rubber-like elasticity over a wide range of temperatures. 

TPE is recyclable, provides a greater design freedom, and can be processed more economically & efficiently than thermoset rubber. Being flexible at low temperatures, TPE can be used in place of medical grade silicone to produce various medical products such as drainage tubes, diaphragms, bottles, gaskets, peristaltic pump tubing, seals, face mask cushions, and resuscitation bags.

Product Insights

Elastomers were the most extensively used medical silicone and accounted for 46.4% of the global volume share in 2016. The demand is fueled by the salient properties offered by the polymers including hypoallergenic, non-reactivity with most chemicals, high tear strength, exceptional thermal conductivity, and excellent fire resistance.

LSR and HCR elastomers are used to manufacture medical tubing, devices, and components. However, the demand for liquid silicone rubber in molding applications is anticipated to witness significant growth as a result of low viscosity aiding the growth of intricate and complex molds over HCR, thereby driving the demand over the upcoming years.

Gel-based medical grade silicone is expected to grow at a predicted CAGR of 6.7% from 2017 to 2025, in terms of revenue. The product is projected to witness high gain in the market over the next few years on account of various characteristics including resistance, high and low temperature, excellent hydrophobicity, and high dielectric breakdown.

The demand for silicone gel is expected to positively affect the medical-grade silicone industry as the market is not only diversified in nature but also focuses on the development of new technology and product innovation to cater to the demand in devices, prosthetics, and orthopedic component applications.

Application Insights

Prosthetics accounted for USD 120.7 million in 2016 on account of diversified segmentation, including orthopedic implants, cardiovascular implants, stents, structural cardiac implants, spinal implants, neurostimulators, ophthalmic implants, dental implants, and face and breast implants. Improved clinical outcomes, innovative technological innovations, cost-effective products, and increasing FDA approvals for the clinical trial are expected to spur the industry size.

Countries such as Germany, the U.S., UK, China, and India are registering increased incidences of chronic diseases, heart diseases, obesity, and smoking cases. These factors contribute to developing implants market and are likely to positively affect the industry size.

The neurology devices including neurostimulators, embolization, catheters, stents, shunts, and ultrasonic aspirators are anticipated to register a high growth rate over the forecast period on account of increasing investments in the R&D of neurological devices and technologies. The increasing availability of sophisticated equipment to monitor the brain and neural activities to provide better diagnostics and treatment for patients is a major driver for the growth of the medical devices market.

Regional Insights

North America is expected to register significant revenue gains, signifying a CAGR of 6.3% from 2017 to 2025. The presence of robust manufacturing bases and rapid growth of the healthcare industry in the U.S. is expected to augment the usage of medical devices and components production, which in turn is expected to drive the industry demand over the upcoming years.

Furthermore, demographic developments in the region are supporting the growth of the healthcare industry, which in turn is anticipated to fuel the consumption of medical silicone in the prosthetic and orthopedic components markets. With the formulation of over 350 registered drug products as excipients or actives by Pfizer, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; and Sanofi in the pharmaceutical sector is anticipated to fuel the medical silicone consumption in the next eight years.

The demand for medical silicone in the U.S. market is expected to witness a high growth on account of its beneficial properties such as biocompatibility, hydrophobicity, resistance to pathogens, low surface tension, and its inherent thermal & chemical stability. Not only does silicone enable the development of innovative technologies, but its durability, elastic nature, and chemical stability also make it suitable for long-term implantation in the human body. Furthermore, growing application of silicone in pharmaceutical formulations owing to its antifoam properties is expected to drive medical silicone market in the U.S. over the forecast period.

Asia Pacific accounted for 20% of the overall volume share in 2016 and is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period. The increasing private sector participation in the manufacture and distribution of medical supplies, equipment, and pharmaceuticals to improve healthcare services, infrastructure, and offer high-quality treatment in countries including China, Japan, India, Singapore, and Australia is expected to drive the market growth.

The presence of major economies with high healthcare costs and increasing government expenditure on public & private healthcare systems are factors expected to positively impact the regional market growth. Furthermore, increasing private participation in the healthcare industry to improve healthcare services & infrastructure and offer high-quality treatment in countries such as China, Japan, India, Singapore, and Australia is expected to drive the market. Rising utilization of medical silicone in prosthetic applications, owing to the increasing demand for various types of prosthetic equipment by hospitals in urban & rural areas in emerging economies, is also expected to lead to market growth. The ability of medical silicone to prevent infections and maintain health & safety standards is expected to positively impact the market growth.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is highly competitive in nature owing to the presence of numerous manufacturers, especially in the U.S., Germany, and China. The industry is dominated by various major participants including Momentive Performance Materials Inc.; Trelleborg AB; China National Bluestar (Group) Co. Ltd. (Bluestar); 3M Company; Henkel AG & Co. KGaA; Dow Corning Corporation; Zodiac Coatings SAS; and Wacker Chemie AG.

The global market is fragmented with various manufacturers offering similar products. The applications of medical silicone include prosthetics, orthopedic components, devices, tapes, and oral care products. Key players rely on strategies such as strategic innovations, production capacity expansions, distribution and branding, mergers, joint ventures, and acquisitions to increase their presence in the market.

In December 2015, The Dow Chemical Company became 100% owner of Dow Corning Corp., a joint venture between Corning Inc. and Dow to enhance the company’s infrastructure and consumer solutions as well as extend its portfolio in consumer care, building, automotive, and construction applications.

In May 2017, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA acquired German-based Sonderhoff Group, which offers industrial assembly with high-impact sealing solutions, in an attempt to enhance the existing portfolio of the company and initiate growth opportunities in cleaning solutions for applications such as lighting systems and filtration appliances.

Medical Grade Silicone Market Report Scope

Global Medical Grade Silicone Market Segmentation:

This report forecasts volume and revenue growth at a global, regional & country level, and provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global medical grade silicone market report on the basis of product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Elastomers

  • Gels

  • Medical Adhesives

  • Medical Coatings

  • Foams

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Prosthetics

  • Orthopedic Components

  • Medical Devices

  • Medical Tapes

  • Contact Lens

  • Oral Care Products

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

  • Central and South America

    • Brazil

  • The Middle East and Africa