Membrane Separation Technology Market Report 2026

The membrane separation technology market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $28.47 billion in 2025 to $31.02 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to stringent water quality regulations, rising industrial wastewater generation, growth of food and beverage processing industries, increasing demand for clean drinking water, technological improvements in polymeric membranes.

The membrane separation technology market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $44.46 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of desalination infrastructure, increasing investments in sustainable water treatment, growth of pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing, rising adoption of zero liquid discharge systems, advancements in nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technologies. Major trends in the forecast period include high selectivity membrane development, modular and compact membrane systems, energy efficient low fouling membranes, advanced water reuse solutions, pharmaceutical grade separation technologies.

The growing demand for purified, clean drinking water is expected to drive the growth of the membrane separation technology market in the coming years. Membrane separation systems have become essential for water purification, desalination, and wastewater treatment, with increased feed water pressure and temperature significantly enhancing water recovery. Key drivers include health concerns over contaminants such as PFAS, rapid urbanization outpacing existing infrastructure, environmental awareness reducing bottled water consumption, and technological advancements in membrane systems. For example, in August 2024, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), a US-based UN agency focused on healthcare, nutrition, and education, reported that 961 million people gained access to safely managed drinking water services in 2024, raising global coverage from 68% to 74% compared to previous years. Therefore, the growing need for clean, purified drinking water is fueling the expansion of the membrane separation technology market.

Major companies in the membrane separation technology market are focusing on developing innovative solutions, such as high-water permeability membranes that enable greater water flux at lower pressures while protecting downstream reverse osmosis membranes. High water permeability refers to a membrane’s ability to allow water to pass quickly and efficiently while retaining contaminants. For instance, in March 2025, Toray, a Japan-based advanced materials and water treatment company, introduced a next-generation ultrafiltration (UF) membrane featuring a sub-10-nanometer nanopore structure with increased pore density. The membrane provides high water permeability, efficiently passing water while retaining biopolymers and fine contaminants, reducing fouling and the load on downstream reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, and improving overall system efficiency. It also incorporates chemical-resistant polymers and optimized surface properties to extend membrane life and reduce CO₂ emissions, offering a sustainable and high-performance solution for large-scale wastewater reuse and water-stressed regions.

In June 2023, Memsift Innovations, a Singapore-based advanced membrane technology firm, partnered with Parry Enterprises India Ltd to establish a state-of-the-art membrane manufacturing facility in India. The collaboration aims to produce up to 1.2 million m² of high-quality membranes per year, approximately 2,000 industrial-scale membrane modules per month. Parry Enterprises is an India-based manufacturer specializing in industrial equipment and engineered solutions.

Major companies operating in the membrane separation technology market are Merck KGaA, Toray Industries, Inc., Pentair plc, Hydranautics, AXEON Water Technologies, GEA Group AG, Koch Separation Solutions, Danaher Corporation, 3M Company, SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions, Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation, DuPont de Nemours, Inc., Mann+Hummel GmbH, Huber SE, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Nitto Denko Corporation, Synder Filtration, Inc., NX Filtration B.V., Applied Membranes, Inc., Culligan Water, PCI Membranes, Pall Corporation, Permionics Membranes Private Limited, Samco Technologies, Inc., LG Chem, Ltd., Lanxess AG, Osmonics, Inc.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the membrane separation technology market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the membrane separation technology market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the membrane separation technology market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the membrane separation technology market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The membrane separation technology market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as adsorption, distillation, desalination, wastewater treatment, bio purification, separation, solvent purification, recovery and fouling. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The membrane separation technology market also includes sales of dense membranes, porous membranes, and asymmetric membranes, which are used in providing membrane separation technology services. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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