Spray Drying Equipment Market: Current Analysis and Forecast (2023-2030)

Spray drying is a method commonly employed in various industries, such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and others, to convert liquid or slurry solutions into dry powders or granules. With the increasing trend of busy lifestyles of consumers, there is an increasing demand for ready-to-eat and instant food products. Spray drying plays a vital role in the production of items like powdered milk, coffee, soups, and baby food, ensuring long shelf life and easy reconstitution.

The Spray Drying Equipment Market is expected to grow at a strong CAGR of 6.48 % during the forecast period owing to the equipment facilitating the efficient conversion of liquid chemicals into dry, easily transportable forms. Many industries, including chemicals, ceramics, pigments, and detergents, require powdered or granulated forms of substances for manufacturing purposes. Spray drying equipment facilitates the efficient conversion of liquid chemicals into dry, easily transportable forms. For instance, in 2022, GEA Group, a leading provider of process technology for the food and beverage industry, launched a new range of spray dryers designed to improve product quality and reduce energy consumption.

Based on the dryer type, the market is segmented into rotary atomizer spray dryer, nozzle atomizer spray dryer, fluidized spray dryer, and others. Amongst these, the rotary atomizer spray dryer segment held a dominating share of the market in 2022 because rotary atomizer spray dryers offer high efficiency and faster drying times compared to other types of spray dryers. This makes them more attractive to manufacturers looking to maximize production capacity and reduce costs. Additionally, rotary atomizer spray dryers can be easily scaled up or down depending on production needs, making them versatile and cost-effective for various applications.

Based on application, the market is segmented into food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and others. Amongst these, the pharmaceuticals segment held dominating share of the market in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which had led to an unprecedented surge in demand for vaccines worldwide. Pharmaceutical companies have increased their production capacities to meet this demand, which has resulted in higher sales of spray drying equipment used in vaccine manufacturing. The pharmaceutical industry has several well-established players with significant resources and expertise in spray drying technology. This strong presence helped drive the adoption of spray drying equipment in the sector.

Based on the flow type, the market is segmented into co-current, counter-current, and mixed flow. Co-current segment has a dominating share due to the co-current flow type design allows for better heat transfer between the hot gas stream and the material being dried, resulting in higher thermal efficiency and faster drying times. This makes it more attractive to manufacturers looking to maximize production capacity and reduce costs. Furthermore, Due to their high thermal efficiency, co-current flow types require less energy to achieve the same drying rates compared to other designs, reducing operating costs and environmental impact.

Based on the stage type, the market is segmented into single-stage, two-stage, and multi-stage. The two-stage segment has a dominating share due to the design which allows for better separation of particles and larger droplets which is resulting in higher purity products that meet stringent industry standards for food, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemical applications. Moreover, the two-stage equipment have the ability to process powders, granules, and pastes. Two-stage spray dryers can also accommodate various material forms and particle sizes expanding their application scope across industries.

For a better understanding of the market adoption of the spray drying equipment industry, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in countries such as North America (U.S., Canada, and the Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, UK, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Rest of World. Asia Pacific has a significant share in the spray drying market because the region has experienced rapid urbanization and a growing middle-class population. These factors have led to an increased demand for processed and convenient food products. Spray drying equipment plays a crucial role in the food processing industry for creating powdered food products such as milk powders, instant coffee, and powdered beverages. Additionally, Continuous improvements in spray drying technology, such as enhanced drying efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and improved product quality, have made spray drying equipment a preferred choice for many industries. The adoption of advanced spray drying equipment is expected to further boost its market growth in the Asia Pacific region.

Some major players operating in the market include Changzhou Lemar Drying Engineering Co. Ltd., BUCHI Labortechnik AG, Acmefil Engineering Systems Pvt. Ltd., Tetra Pak Group, New AVM Systech Pvt. Ltd., SPX FLOW, Inc., SHANDONG TIANLI ENERGY CO., LTD., Dedert Corporation., Group Aktiengesellschaft, and European SprayDry Technologies.