Asia-Pacific Medical Devices Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Asia-Pacific medical devices packaging market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period (2022-2027). The growing demand for medical devices due to increased healthcare expenditure in the public and private sectors and the stricter regulations are driving the market growth.

Medical device packaging is an important factor in keeping the device safe during distribution and throughout its shelf life. Hence, the design of the packaging material and packaging type is an important step in the development of medical products.

The packaging for medical devices is broadly categorized into sterile packaging and non-sterile packaging. Sterile packaging is the type of packaging wherein the devices must also protect against contamination, in addition to protection against physical damage. Sterilization packaging must conform to standards and must guarantee sterility throughout the whole supply chain from production through to the operation room.

Some medical devices such as CT scanners, X-ray machines, surgical robots, cardiovascular equipment, and ultrasound devices are sensitive and costly, thereby requiring appropriate packaging for proper distribution. The growth of the medical devices packaging market is driven directly by its end-user industry, i.e., the medical devices industry. More innovations are coming up in the packaging of these devices to make them tamper-evident and child-resistant. The industry is highly susceptible to government regulations, which vary with country.

According to the United Nations, Asia-Pacific is home to some of the world's most populous countries and approximately 60% of the world's total population. The region is among the prime locations for the manufacturing and sourcing of medical devices. The presence of some of the leading medical device manufacturers such as Olympus, Sonic Healthcare, and Nipro, among others, is driving the demand for medical device packaging solutions in the region.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on most parts of the APAC region during the early month of 2020. Although the demand for medical devices increased during the period, the supply was hit hard by several restrictions imposed across the region.

However, with the condition moving toward normalcy due to widespread vaccinations happening across the region, the medical devices packaging industry is anticipated to gain traction during the forecast period.

APAC Medical Devices Packaging Market Trends

The Plastic Segment is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share

Medical device packaging requires control over moisture, light barriers, and childproofing. The growth of polymers in medical devices has brought a considerable transformation to the medical device packaging industry. Plastic medical devices are steadily replacing other materials such as glass, ceramics, and metals, owing to benefits such as greater flexibility and affordable price.

Plastic has a long life and can be used for a wide range of applications, and the cost of the material used to make plastic products is less, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing. Plastics are resistant to corrosion and shattering, and medical-grade plastics can be designed to handle repeated sterilizations. All these advantages allow the medical device manufacturers to significantly reduce their overhead costs, benefiting both the operations and the patients by offering services at a lower cost.

PET, HDPE, PP, and vinyl are the most common plastics used in the medical devices packaging industry.

Medical devices packaging providers are increasing investments in developing sustainable packaging solutions due to the growing demand and stringent regulations. For instance, in October 2021, Avient announced two additions to its MEVOPUR line of medical-grade materials. Its new Pharmapack are color and additive masterbatches based on a polyethylene (PE) carrier that is manufactured using non-fossil feedstocks. The resins have bio-based content of up to 95%, as calculated to ASTM D6866 standard.

A similar approach is expected to be adopted by major packaging providers operating in the region to fulfil the growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions for medical devices.

China is Likely to Occupy the Maximum Market Share

China is among the leading medical device manufacturers in the world. Traditionally, the Chinese medical devices market has been known for low-end consumables, aids, and mechanotherapy devices, wherein the country was largely dependent on foreign imports to procure high-end medical devices. However, there has been a shift toward more domestically made high-value, high-risk devices in the country lately, owing to government-backed initiatives such as 'Made in China.'

Along with the expanding base of the healthcare sector, China's medical devices market is developing at a significant pace. One of the driving factors for the increase in demand for high-end medical devices in China is the aging population.

According to ITA, China registered 264 million people aged 60 years and above by the end of 2020, accounting for 18.7% of the total population. This demographic is expected to reach over 300 million by 2025. Additionally, the expanded medical insurance coverage also increased the demand for implants in the neurology and cardiovascular sectors, where high-value consumables are still import-dependent.

The country also exports a major share of its locally manufactured devices across various regions, which is augmenting the demand for medical devices packaging in the country. For instance, according to WTO, China became the largest exporter of COVID-19-critical medical products in 2020 as it exported products with a value of USD 105 billion, about 2.8 times its exports in 2019.

The growing export volume and the growth of consumption of medical devices within the country are expected to drive the growth of the medical devices packaging market in the country during the forecast period.

APAC Medical Devices Packaging Market Competitor Analysis

The medical devices packaging market is highly fragmented, with a large number of players manufacturing varieties of packaging products for medical devices across regions. At the same time, the industry is witnessing mergers and acquisitions/consolidation of packaging players due to pressure on companies to reduce prices. Some of the major players operating in the region include Amcor PLC, Bemis Manufacturing Company, Berry Global Inc., and Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings.

• November 2021 - Amcor announced the opening of its greenfield packaging facility in Tuas, Singapore. Amcor's new Tuas facility comprises cleanroom manufacturing environments, capability in three-, seven- and nine-layer co-extrusion blown film, and state-of-the-art flexographic printing, which is also fully certified to ISO 13485.
• October 2021 - ATMI partnered with Austar and opened a packaging materials plant in China. The Beijing facility will employ blown film extrusion technology to produce sterile packaging materials for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and medical device components.

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