Liquid Handling Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Competition, Opportunities and Forecast, Segmented by Type, By Product, By Application, By End-User, By Region & Competition, 2020-2030F

Global Liquid Handling Market was valued at USD 2.12 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 3.18 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 7.12% during the forecast period. The global liquid handling market is undergoing significant transformation, driven by advancements in life sciences research, drug discovery, and laboratory automation. Liquid handling, a fundamental component of laboratory workflows, involves the precise measurement and transfer of liquids using manual or automated instruments. As laboratories continue to emphasize accuracy, reproducibility, and efficiency, the demand for advanced liquid handling systems has grown considerably. In July 2023, Revvity launched the Fontus Automated Liquid Handling Workstation, a state-of-the-art system combining advanced technologies from its existing platforms. This workstation is tailored to improve and accelerate workflows in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and diagnostic research applications.

The shift toward automation in laboratory settings is one of the key factors fueling this market. Automated liquid handling systems reduce the chances of human error, improve consistency, and increase throughput, making them indispensable in high-volume testing environments such as genomics, proteomics, and clinical diagnostics. These systems are particularly valuable in applications requiring high precision, such as next-generation sequencing, PCR, and cell-based assays. The increasing complexity of research, especially in areas such as personalized medicine and biotechnology, has created a need for liquid handling solutions that are not only accurate but also flexible and scalable. This has led to the integration of robotics and software into liquid handling platforms, enabling customization and seamless data management.

Emerging economies are also playing a crucial role in expanding the market landscape. Growing investments in healthcare infrastructure, increased funding for research and development, and the establishment of new laboratories are contributing to higher adoption rates of liquid handling systems in regions like Asia-Pacific and Latin America. The market is competitive and innovation-driven, with key players constantly striving to enhance performance, user-friendliness, and versatility. As the scientific community continues to pursue breakthroughs in diagnostics and therapeutics, liquid handling technologies will remain at the core of laboratory operations. The global liquid handling market is poised for steady growth, supported by technological evolution, rising research activity, and the ongoing need for accuracy and efficiency in laboratory environments.

Key Market Drivers

Growth in Life Sciences and Biotech Research

Growth in life sciences and biotechnology research plays a central role in driving the liquid handling market. For instance, in May 2024, Ohio was recognized for hosting the top two emerging biotech research hubs, highlighting the state's growing prominence and investment in biotechnology innovation and development. As scientific investigations become more advanced, laboratories require tools that support precise, reliable, and high-throughput workflows. Liquid handling systems are vital for critical applications such as genomics, proteomics, cell biology, and drug discovery, where even minor errors in reagent volumes can lead to inconsistent or invalid results. Biotechnology companies and academic institutions are increasingly investing in research related to personalized medicine, regenerative therapies, and synthetic biology. These areas demand complex and sensitive assays that depend on accurate liquid transfer. Manual pipetting often falls short in terms of reproducibility and scalability, prompting a shift toward semi-automated and fully automated liquid handling platforms. In drug development, the need to screen thousands of compounds against biological targets has pushed the adoption of robotic liquid handling systems. These systems enable rapid sample preparation, reduce human error, and support miniaturization, which saves on reagent costs. Research involving CRISPR, gene editing, and high-throughput sequencing also relies on advanced liquid handling to manage large volumes of data and samples efficiently.

Academic research institutions and public health laboratories are expanding their infrastructure to meet the growing demand for molecular diagnostics and vaccine research. This expansion increases the need for efficient, scalable liquid handling technologies. As life sciences research becomes more data-driven and interdisciplinary, the role of precise, automated liquid handling systems continues to grow, making them an indispensable part of modern laboratories.

Key Market Challenges

Complexity of Operation and Integration

The complexity of operation and integration is a notable challenge in the liquid handling market. As laboratories adopt automated systems, they often face difficulties in configuring and operating these technologies effectively. Advanced liquid handling platforms typically require technical knowledge to set up protocols, troubleshoot errors, and maintain consistent performance. Not all laboratory staff are trained in operating such equipment, which can lead to inefficiencies, increased training time, or underutilization of the system.

Integrating liquid handling systems with existing laboratory infrastructure presents another layer of complexity. These systems must often communicate with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), robotic arms, and data analysis software. Ensuring seamless compatibility can be challenging, especially when different components are sourced from multiple vendors. Customization and software configuration may be required, which adds time and cost to the implementation process. Frequent updates in software and firmware can also pose operational challenges. Laboratories need to ensure that updates do not disrupt workflows or cause incompatibility with legacy systems. Maintenance personnel must stay current with changing technology standards to avoid downtime or errors during integration. Misalignment between user needs and system capabilities may lead to inefficiencies or errors in sample handling. Systems not properly configured for specific applications can produce inconsistent results, which compromises the quality and reliability of research. This complexity can discourage adoption, especially in settings with limited technical support. Simplifying user interfaces, offering better training resources, and improving interoperability with other lab systems are crucial to addressing this barrier and promoting broader use of automated liquid handling solutions.

Key Market Trends

Growth in Point-of-Care and Decentralized Testing

The expansion of point-of-care (POC) and decentralized testing is significantly influencing the liquid handling market. As healthcare systems aim to provide rapid diagnostics closer to patients, there is a growing demand for compact, automated liquid handling solutions that can operate outside traditional laboratory environments. POC testing enables immediate clinical decisions by delivering diagnostic results at the patient's location, such as clinics, pharmacies, or homes. This shift reduces the reliance on centralized laboratories and accelerates treatment initiation. To support this model, liquid handling systems must be portable, user-friendly, and capable of precise sample processing in varied settings. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity for decentralized testing, leading to increased investments in POC technologies. Governments and healthcare providers recognized the value of rapid, on-site diagnostics in managing infectious diseases, prompting the development of advanced liquid handling devices tailored for POC applications.

In regions with limited access to centralized healthcare facilities, decentralized testing offers a practical solution for disease monitoring and management. Liquid handling systems designed for these environments must be robust, require minimal maintenance, and function reliably under diverse conditions. The integration of microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies into POC devices has enhanced their capabilities, allowing for the handling of minute sample volumes with high precision. These innovations contribute to the efficiency and accuracy of decentralized diagnostic processes. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve towards more patient-centric models, the demand for adaptable liquid handling solutions in POC and decentralized settings is expected to grow, driving innovation and expansion in the market.

Key Market Players

• Agilent Technologies
• Aurora Biomed, Inc.
• AUTOGEN, INC.
• Danaher Corporation
• BioTek Instruments, Inc.
• Analytik Jena AG
• Corning Incorporated
• Eppendorf AG
• Formulatrix, Inc.
• Gilson, Inc.

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Liquid Handling Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

Liquid Handling Market, By Type:

• Manual Liquid Handling
• Automated Liquid Handling
• Semi-Automated Liquid Handling

Liquid Handling Market, By Product:

• Automated Workstations
• Pipettes
• Dispensers
• Burettes
• Others

Liquid Handling Market, By Application:

• Drug Discovery
• Cancer and Genomics Research
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Others

Liquid Handling Market, By End-User:

• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry
• Contract Research Organization
• Academic Institutes
• Others

Liquid Handling Market, By Region:

• North America
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • France
  • United Kingdom
  • Italy
  • Germany
  • Spain
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • South Korea
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
  • South Africa
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Liquid Handling Market.

Available Customizations:

Global Liquid Handling Market report with the given market data, TechSci Research, offers customizations according to a company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).