Overview of the global antibacterial glass market

Technavio’s market research analyst predicts the global antibacterial glass market to grow at a CAGR of almost 7% during the forecast period. The rapid development of touchscreen applications in mobile devices has propelled the use of antibacterial surfaces and glasses. With the growth of the touch-enabled devices, concerns regarding the presence of pathogens on their surface are gaining prominence. Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass is the first US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered antimicrobial cover glass which is extensively used in the touch surfaces of electronics goods, such as smartphones, laptops, and microwaves. It is not only tough and scratch-resistant but also includes the ionic silver components which help in the elimination of bacteria from the touch surfaces. Moreover, Corning glass is non-toxic and safe to use and is used as a display cover glass in smartphones and tablets. Also, the rise in environmental and health awareness have propelled market vendors to focus on the development of eco-friendly antibacterial glass with low toxicity.

By geography, Europe accounted for the largest share of the global market and will continue its dominance over the next four years. Much of the region’s growth can be attributed to the presence of developed end-user industries, including hospital, food and beverage, military equipment, automotive, and construction. Moreover, the Europeans have a greater consciousness towards health and sanitation issues, which has increased the consumption of antibacterial glass. With stringent government regulations for sanitation and hygiene, the antibacterial glass industry in Europe is expected to witness the highest growth rate over the forecast period.

Competitive landscape and key vendors

Characterized by a limited number of players, the global antibacterial glass market is highly consolidated. Intense competition prevails in the market due to lack of product differentiation and same target customers, such as hospitals, military equipment, food and beverage, household products, construction, and electronics goods. To sustain themselves in such contentious market scenario, several leading players are engaging in various business policies, such as product development and strategic pricing. Owing to the strong presence of global players in the market, the entry barrier for new entrants will remain high over the predicted period.

Leading vendors in the market are -

• Asahi Glass
• Glas Trösch Holding
• Nippon Sheet Glass
• Saint-Gobain
• Corning

Other prominent vendors in the antibacterial glass market include Archello, Beijing JiYan-Tech, BUFA Glas, Essex Safety Glass, Innovative Glass, Ishizuka Glass, Morley Glass & Glazing, MO-SCI, Joh. Sprinz, and Sumita Optical Glass.

Segmentation by material type and analysis of the antibacterial glass market

• Silver
• Others (copper, zinc, titanium, and zeolite)

Silver is the predominant material used in antibacterial glass due to its superior antibacterial properties, which when used in ionized form reduces the maximum number of the pathogens present on the applied surface. The various forms of silver used in microbial inhibition are silver salts, silver zeolite, and silver nanoparticles. The silver-type antibacterial glass is used in the sterile environments in hospitals, electronic goods having touchscreens, defense apparatus, wall coverings, and mirrors.

Segmentation by end-users and analysis of the antibacterial glass market

• Hospital
• Food and beverage
• Military equipment
• Household

Hospitals are the major end-users of antibacterial glass owing to the high requirement for sterile environments and hygiene. The segment dominated the market during 2015 and is expected to witness an increase in market share throughout the forecast period. Antibacterial glasses are preferred in hospitals as there are high chances of growth of harmful microbes in these places and diseases can be easily transferred to the patients, hospital staffs, and visitors. The growing need for germ-free environments in vulnerable hospital sections, such as geriatric wards, intensive care units, oncology wards, maternity wards, hematology wards, isolation and sterilization rooms, burn units, and pharmacies will increase the adoption of antibacterial glass, making hospitals the fastest-growing end-users in the antibacterial glass market.

Key questions answered in the report include

• What will the antibacterial glass market size and growth rate be in 2020?
• What are the key factors driving the global antibacterial glass market?
• What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global antibacterial glass market?
• What are the challenges to market growth?
• Who are the key vendors in the global antibacterial glass market?
• What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global antibacterial glass market?
• Trending factors influencing the market shares of APAC, Europe, North America, and ROW.
• What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global antibacterial glass market?