High Vacuum Filling Machine Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

The high vacuum filling machine is expected to register a CAGR of 4% over the forecast period 2021 - 2026. Currently filling machine in the food industry, beverage industry, cosmetic industry, etc are widely used and increasingly fierce competition in food packaging machinery, food filling machinery in the future will be with industrial automation which promotes the overall level of packaging equipment, development of multi-function, high efficiency, low consumption of food packaging equipment. Moreover, more diversified products and more differentiated pipeline emulsifiers have become a trend in the development of the beverage industry. The rapid development of the beverage industry will be the ultimate driving force for the mechanical technology of filling equipment, especially in the vacuum filling equipment.

Key Highlights

• Demand for the increased shelf life of the product is driving the market. According to US Packaging and Wrapping LLC, their studies have shown that vacuum filling/packaging can increase product shelf life from 50% to 400%. The key to increasing product shelf life is determining the ideal atmosphere within the packaging for the product being packaged during the filling process. This could be the introduction of inert gas or the reduction of oxygen to ideal levels. Vacuum filling is also and preferred form of packaging for many products going into long term freezer storage.
• Higher production speeds with simple controls/lower operator interaction drives the market. Automatic high vacuum filling machines allow packagers to produce more than could be produced by hand filling products. From thin free-flowing products to high viscosity items such as jelly or paste, automatic bottle fillers allow multiple containers to be filled with each cycle. With up to sixteen fill heads, inline systems can reach speeds of up to 120 bottles per minute, allowing thousands of bottles to be filled each day. The crucial settings such as fill times, indexing times, pump speeds and more are set on a centrally located touchscreen interface, which allows the manufacturer with smooth operation.
• Moreover, as production and demand increase, more fill heads can be added to the machine. With most machines, a maximum of sixteen fill heads can be placed on the nozzle bar, allowing sixteen containers to be filled with each cycle. Different machines may have different limits and top speed will depend on factors such as bottle size and shape and the actual product being filled.
• However, high initial investments, and training the company personnel to operate these machines, are few drawbacks, which act as restraints to the market.

Key Market Trends

Pharmaceutical Sector to Hold Significant Market Share

• With an increasing population, the increment in the number of people is growing who are affected by health and medical issues due to various illnesses. According to the WHO survey, the risk of dying from infectious diseases is highest in the African Region and South-East Asia Region, and in low-income and lower-middle-income countries.
• Also according to IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, global pharma spending will hit around USD 1.5 trillion in 2023. These factors exhibit the demand of pharma medicines by which the vacuum filling machine for pharma is increasing substantially.
• Aseptic processing is required at the highest level for new types of biopharmaceutical drugs. The use of MultiUse Filler is highly in demand and this type of machine is particularly suitable for efficiently and safely processing small to medium-sized batches and highly potent medicines. Various firms are focusing to develop this type of vacuum filling machine.
• For instance, in Aug 2019, the firm named Optima introduced H6-10 which has been designed for high performance and flexibility. This type of machine is particularly suitable for nested pre-filled syringes, through systems including rotary piston pumps, peristaltic pumps, and time-pressure filling. To ensure that syringes are completely bubble-free, filling and sealing processes are carried out under vacuum.
• Moreover, there are many rules and regulations that plants need to adhere to, such as the American Food and Drug Administration’s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs). Powder containment solutions make it easier for pharmaceutical manufacturers to meet these quality standards.
• For instance, Romaco Macofar MICRO 6, MICRO 9 and MICRO 18 are intermittent motion microdosing machines for dosing sterile powders at mechanical speeds of between 5,000 and 18,000 vials an hour. The powders are filled using a vacuum/pressure system. The cylindrical glass vials are then sealed with a rubber stopper. Its process analytical technology system is in accordance with FDA and EMEA (European Medicines Agency).

Asia- Pacific to Witness Fastest Growth

• The Asia-Pacific regions feature the highest demand for skincare, and particularly luxury products, as stated by L'Oréal. It is favored by the rising disposable income of consumers, the trend of online shopping, coupled with an increasing consumer base of people interested in personal hygiene and physical appearance. This is supported by highly populated countries, like India and China.
• Furthermore, with health-conscious consumers increasing awareness regarding the various benefits of products, the people are shifting toward healthy drinks, such as organic fruit juices, sugarfree liquid refreshments, etc. This trend is creating a market for automatic vacuum filling equipment. As the entire process is operated through computers, there is no chance of any contamination. This acts as a catalyst for this market.
• Furthermore, according to the International Wine and Spirits Record (IWSR), China expected to increase its wine imports by 8%, in 2019 and further predicted to increase its import percent in the coming years. The increase in demand for wines may create an indirect demand for a vacuum filling machine, among the manufacturers as wine have a high level of viscosity and it requires this efficient style of filling.
• Moreover, various new machinery was launched in the 27th International Processing and Packaging Exhibition for Asia held in June 2019 in Thailand. For instance, in June 2019, Owner Foods Machinery Company Limited, Thailand launched its newest and greatest technology known as "TALAY technology" for sausage manufacture high-speed vacuum filler working 2,000 portions/min and having automated casing. This will effectively drive the market growth in this region.

Competitive Landscape

The high vacuum filling machine is competitive and consists of major players and several local players. Many companies are increasing their market presence by introducing new products or by entering into strategic partnerships or acquisitions. Key players are Tenco S.r.l., Heinrich Frey Maschinenbau GmbH, etc. Recent developments in the market are -

• Jan 2019 - Smurfit Kappa launched a new high speed, triple head, automatic filling machine. The new machine is capable of filling up to 45 3L Bag-in-Box containers per minute on its three state-of-the-art filling valves. It is designed for industrial plants and optimized for efficiency and speed, where the machine is the latest innovation in the BIB 700 range and has an easy-to-use touch screen and ergonomic design. The BIB 700 Triple Head includes supply, separation of bags, opening, vacuuming, filling, capping, packing and release.
• May 2019 - Gardner Denver showcased its oil-lubricated rotary vane vacuum pump range, the VGD 11/16/21 at IFFA exhibition. Suitable for food and beverage applications such as packaging, filler and ‘pick and place’, the latest VGD models are more stylish and compact than previous units, with suction capabilities ranging from 10 m3/h to 20 m3/h.

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