Medical Oxygen Cylinders Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product Type (Fixed, Portable), By Application (Home-care, Non Home-care), By Technology, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Report Overview

The global medical oxygen cylinders market size was valued at USD 4.0 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.40% from 2023 to 2030. The increasing prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases and the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have both been key factors in driving market growth. The increase in industrialization across the globe has adversely affected the overall quality of breathable air. The air quality index (AQI) has been high due to rapid development and increasing pollution, which has resulted in an increase in the prevalence of respiratory diseases. Patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) such as COPD require oxygen supplementation to ease breathing, which can greatly enhance life quality. CRDs are caused due to pollution, tobacco smoke, occupational chemicals, and dust, etc.

According to the WHO, 235 million people globally suffer from asthma, a common chronic respiratory disease. The dependence on medical oxygen supplementation has increased over the past few years, which has been a key driving force for the growth of the global market. The growing geriatric population with chronic illnesses needing continuous respiratory support has risen in recent years, which has been a notable factor in the growth of the market.

As per the WHO, for the population over 60 years, non-communicable diseases already account for 87% of the disease burden, which translates to more hospitalizations and greater dependence on life-support systems. At-home care for elderly patients needing continuous respiratory support has driven the market players to devise new technologies and devices for better management of these conditions, which has also contributed to the growth of the market for medical oxygen cylinders.

According to the WHO, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused 3.23 million deaths in 2019, of which almost 80% were in developing countries. The rapid rate of urbanization, increasing pollution, and exposure to harmful industrial gases and particles were the leading causes identified for this disease. COPD patients often require hospitalizations and supplemental oxygen for easing symptoms, which has led to an increase in the uptake of medical oxygen cylinders in developing nations.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw a massive number of people, both old and young, in need of medical oxygen supplementation. The virus caused severe lung infections which created a need for respiratory support. The healthcare industry saw an unsurmountable increase in the demand for medical oxygen cylinders and other supporting equipment, thus increasing the pressure on the system to meet the demand for medical oxygen cylinders. Data from WHO suggests that more than half a million patients require it on a daily basis in developing countries.

COVID-19 Medical Oxygen Cylinders Market: 84.6% increase in revenue from 2019 to 2021

Furthermore, an estimated 1.1 million cylinders were needed in the developing countries in a single day. The shortage created a huge surge in prices of these cylinders during the pandemic, and governments have been focusing on meeting these demands; these factors have been key contributors to the growth of the medical oxygen cylinders industry in the past two years. In India, the government scaled up production from 9960 metric tons to 18,836 metric tons for oxygen shortage preparedness.

Product Type Insights

The fixed medical oxygen cylinders segment dominated the market with a share of 58.3% in 2022, in terms of product. This market share can be attributed to the increase in demand for medical oxygen cylinders during the pandemic, and the rising geriatric population in need of at-home care. As per UN data, 703 million people were aged above 65 in 2019, with the prevalence of COPD in the elderly being over 14%.  Portable medical oxygen cylinders were in high demand due to at-home treatments being done during the pandemic, in light of the limited hospitalization capacities of hospitals.

Portable medical oxygen cylinder segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate of 4.7%. The increase in the prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases has created a surge in the demand for portable medical oxygen cylinders and has been a primary factor in the growth of this market segment. The portable section has been in high demand due to its ease of use, and a majority of patients trying to avoid hospitalization to avert additional infections prefer this product.

Application Insights

Non home care segment dominated the market with share of 61.1% in 2022. The substantial proportion of people requiring oxygen supplementation during the pandemic was the major cause of the non-home care segment’s high market share. The number of patients being hospitalized also increased, resulting in the growth of this segment. The hospitals and clinics were driven to increase their medical oxygen capacities to meet the rising demand, which also resulted in the growth of this segment.

Home care segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate of 5.0%. With the fear instilled by the pandemic, people have been reluctant in going to hospitals unless absolutely necessary; this has contributed to the growth of the at-home care segment. Limited hospitalization capacity has also been a major reason for the adoption of at-home medical oxygen cylinders. People suffering from CRDs requiring constant oxygen supplementation have been opting for home care systems to avoid additional infections due to hospitalizations, driving the segment growth.

Technology Insights

Continuous flow segment dominated the market with share of 53.8% in 2022. The technology has been useful for patients who require constant support and its demand surged during the pandemic, acting as a key driver for the growth of this technology type. Continuous flow technology has been in use for COPD patients, with the increasing prevalence of the disease driving its demand, resulting in the segmental growth. The rising number of geriatrics and immobility patients who are incapable of activity has been another key factor for this growth.

The pulse flow segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate of 4.6%, which is used for patients who are physically active and has been proven to be more effective in some cases for treating chronic respiratory diseases. An increase in demand for this technology by active users has been a key factor for growth in the sub-segment.

In the last two years, the number of patients requiring supplemental oxygen has increased; these also include patients who do not suffer from any chronic respiratory disease but have suffered a loss of function due to diseases during the pandemic. The low requirement of patients has been a key factor contributing to the growth of this technology type.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific segment dominated the market with share of 37.4% in 2022. This can be attributed to the region’s rapidly expanding population, the increasing disease burden, and rapid urbanization, which are all contributory factors to the growth of medical oxygen cylinder demand in the APAC region.

The countries in APAC were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to a lack of proper medical facilities and infrastructure, the outbreak led to a shortage of medical oxygen, which prompted governments to amplify its supply. The high prevalence of respiratory diseases and the increasing geriatric population have also contributed to the growth of the market.

The fastest growth is expected to be registered in Europe during the forecast period. The alarming rate of growth of the geriatric population has been a primary cause for the increase in the uptake of medical oxygen cylinders. As per data from Eurostat, in 2020, more than 20.6% of the EU population was aged 65 and above. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in the older population has also resulted in the increased demand for supplementation, propelling the growth of the regional market. 

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market has both large players, as well as small regional players, due to which the market is highly fragmented. Governments across the globe have been collaborating with the healthcare industry to improve the medical oxygen capacities of the healthcare systems, which includes more oxygen production by local authorities and small private companies. Big hospitals have also been advised to maintain an oxygen production facility to meet any incumbent surge in demand for medical oxygen cylinders.

Some of the prominent players in the medical oxygen cylinders market include:

• Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare, Inc.

• Philips Healthcare

• Invacare Corporation

• Nidek Medical

• AirSep Corporation

• Linde Group

•  Air Liquide 

Medical Oxygen Cylinders Market Report Scope

Global Medical Oxygen Cylinders Market Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global medical oxygen cylinders market report on the basis of product type, application, technology, and region:

• Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Fixed

  • Portable

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Home-care

  • Non Home-care

• Technology Channel Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • Continuous Flow

  • Pulse Flow

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Russia

    • Rest of Europe

  • Asia Pacific

    • Japan

    • China

    • India

    • South Korea

    • Singapore

    • Australia

    • Rest of Asia Pacific

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

    • Argentina

    • Rest of Latin America

  • Middle East and Africa

    • South Africa

    • UAE

    • Saudi Arabia

    • Rest of Middle East and Africa