Medical Devices Packaging Market - Forecasts from 2024 to 2029

The medical devices packaging market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.99% over the forecast period to reach US$43.004 billion by 2029, increasing from estimated value of US$32.145 billion in 2024.

Medical device packaging is an indispensable part of the healthcare industry. They are used to shield the product before its usage. The packaging of medical devices not only has to be free from leaks or holes but also has to be sterilized to maintain the integrity and shelf life of the device. The package should meet the standard requirements set by authorities, be easy to handle, and be transportable to avoid microbial contamination. Improper packaging can risk the life of the patient and can cause a host of issues to crop up for medical institutions and packaging companies. To move medical equipment from developed to developing or under-developed countries also demands a strong packaging system that guarantees the product's safety and soundness.

Medical Devices Market Drivers:

Rising investments in the healthcare industry

Both private and public investments in the healthcare field are increasing with the view that this is a profitable area given increased cases of illnesses and old age. The medical equipment packaging market will also increase because there will be more demand for such items. This is expected to boost the medical device packaging market owing to the growing demand for medical devices. The continuous evolution of medical equipment through research and development requires parallel development in the materials and design of the package to support that complex equipment. Innovations such as child-resistant packaging are one of the examples.

Rising technological advancement is expected to augment market growth

The fact that life expectancy has increased significantly suggests that a sizable portion of the elderly population needs medical assistance. The demand for medical devices that can be used for at-home healthcare is increased by people's intended uses. There are clear associations between the healthcare system and developments in the medical device packaging market. In addition, it is expected that companies producing medical devices for packaging will gain from advancements in health technology and increased investment in health infrastructure in developing countries. Furthermore, demand for packaging materials that can be reused or recycled has increased as concerns about the environment continue to rise.

The growing demand for hospital care at the global level is escalating the market in the forecast period.

The demand for medical devices will rise due to increased health consciousness and diseases. Governments' increased healthcare expenditures to achieve universal health targets fuel the demand for medical device packaging. A trend of flexible and transparent packaging of medical devices is also driving market growth.

Further, packaging materials must pass extensive testing protocols before being launched on the market. Patient safety must remain the focus of the medical device packaging industry. Material innovations must be carried out to enable the product to sustain shocks, temperature fluctuations, or vibrations. Besides, in light of environmental concerns, this market has to develop easy-to-dispose packaging solutions to remain sustainable.

Rising use of pouches for packaging

Pouches are frequently used containers for small- to medium-sized soft and semi-soft medical products that are sold in units and are not susceptible to damage when being transported or stored. Intravenous (IV) catheters, IV administration sets, dialysis disconnect caps, wound dressings, tiny surgical instruments, diagnostic test packs, sutures, and dental supplies are among the particular uses for pouches. Medical device packaging applications use a lot of film. Paper laminated with layers of polyolefin has been used to make pouches. Uncoated nonwoven polyolefin materials are widely used in the production of heat-sealable pouches. Additionally, choosing the right pouch size minimizes the risk of instrument overload, permits sterilant penetration with sufficient air removal, and reduces the likelihood of punctures or tears.

Medical Devices Market Restraint:

Strict government regulations & product variations

Strict government laws and regulations about plastic packaging products may impede the worldwide market expansion. However, packaging made mainly of plastic has caused a lot of damage to the environment. For the medical device industry, it’s necessary to adhere to rules set strictly by regulatory bodies to ensure the protection and safety of its products.

In addition, several government agencies regularly carry out audits to guarantee the highest caliber of medical equipment. Manufacturers will be penalized for any deviation in product quality or packaging compliance. Consequently, it is projected that the expansion of new players in the medical device packaging market will be hampered by regulatory bodies' requirements for increased oversight, ranging from product quality to packaging and labeling.

Medical Devices Market Geographical Outlook

North America is projected to grow rapidly during the forecast period

The United States and Canada are two nations that have a high standard of living. They have good economies and healthcare systems that are among the best globally, but they still vary with respect to the amount of income their economies generate annually, how much money they spend on their health sectors, how many people live in them, and what types of health insurance schemes exist there. The United States is home to one of the world's largest geographic markets for medical devices and related packaging products. This is due to its advanced primary medical community, extensive medical and life science research activities, high intensity of healthcare spending, and sizable pharmaceutical and medical supply and device industries.

Medical Devices Market Developments:

• In November 2023, Amcor, a packager and manufacturer, unveiled the next version of its medical laminates. Thanks to Amcor's most recent development, such packaging is now recyclable in PE’s direction, where only films are used for it. This will also mean that the final package can have reduced carbon content and still have high enough performance requirements for device applications. A mono-material polyethylene (PE) laminate that can be applied to a variety of packaging formats is the new packaging solution. For 3D thermoformed packages used for drapes and protective materials, catheters, injection and tubing systems, etc., non-recyclable lidding can be replaced with recyclable lidding.
• In November 2023, Coveris, a top manufacturer of medical packages, launched the recyclable thermoforming film Formpeel P during the COMPAMED trade fair in Düsseldorf. Formpeel P is a member of Coveris’s range of environment-friendly materials like Flexopeel T, Cleerpeel, and Formpeel T. It reduces product wastage during storage or repackaging, yet it has similar attributes in terms of use and safety to the traditional kind.
• In February 2022, Comar, a supplier of custom medical devices and specialty packaging solutions, acquired Automatic Plastic Ltd, a custom-based molding company based in Ireland. The combined operations of Comar and Automatic Plastic Ltd. enhance Comar’s medical device and pharmaceutical packaging manufacturing expertise.

Key Market Segmentation:

Medical devices packaging Market is segmented and analyzed as below:

By Type

• Trays
• Pouches
• Clamshells
• Bags
• Boxes
• Wrap Films
• Others

By Packaging Material

• Glass
• Paper & Paperboards
• Plastic
• Metal

By Application

• Sterile Packaging
• Non-sterile Packaging

By Geography

• North America
• USA
• Canada
• Mexico
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others
• Europe
• UK
• Germany
• France
• Spain
• Others
• Middle East and Africa
• UAE
• Saudi Arabia
• Others
• Asia Pacific
• Japan
• China
• India
• South Korea
• Indonesia
• Others