Backed by strong activity in end-user industries and regulatory pressures, the market will make steady progress, finds Frost & Sullivan
Multi-functional garments hold tremendous potential to generate additional revenues for industrial protective clothing manufacturers in Western Europe. Consequently, the number of multi-functional heat and flame protective clothing products in the market has increased considerably, with high visibility, chemical and chainsaw being the most common secondary protection levels. Although multiple functions boost the average clothing price and hence overall revenues, they are yet to garner widespread acceptance in the end-user market.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Western European Industrial Protective Clothing Market, finds that the market earned revenues of €1.50 billion in 2014 and estimates this to reach €1.73 billion in 2019. In addition to heat and flame, high visibility, chemical and chainsaw industrial protective clothing, the study covers cold and wet and antistatic products. Relatively stable demand from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Scandinavia will spur growth across these segments.
Rising awareness on the importance of industrial protective clothing and escalating activity in end-user industries such as manufacturing, construction, and oil and gas will fuel the use of these products in Western Europe. Safety regulations will have a role to play in raising awareness levels on industrial protective clothing products in the region.
"Safety regulations have always been a driver for personal protective equipment (PPE)," said Frost & Sullivan Chemicals, Materials, Food & PPE Senior Research Analyst Aparna Balasubramanian. "The European Commission has been central to setting norms and introducing directives to improve health and safety at work."
The primary restraint, however, is market overcrowding due to the presence of low-cost products, which have resulted in intense price pressure, especially in the high-visibility protective clothing market. The key strategy for manufacturers to remain competitive in this context is to identify unmet needs and introduce new and enhanced products.
As the market is well-established and saturated, most of the growth avenues have already been explored. Products with additional functional features will nevertheless draw increased attention.
"Differentiated products with a focus on comfort are vital for manufacturers to prosper in the Western European industrial protective clothing market," summarised Balasubramanian. "A strong product portfolio aligned with regulatory standards and a commitment to innovation, while ensuring a high performance-to-price ratio, will also be winning strategies."
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