Tuesday 31 May 2016

Global Water Treatment Systems Market to be driven by Water Scarcity, Environmental Awareness, and Government Support

Water treatment has gained importance in the recent times due to the growing demand for clean water for drinking and industrial purposes. Through the processes of softening, purification, and deodorization, water treatment systems make water suitable for specific end-use industries such as drinking, irrigation, river flow maintenance, and industrial water supply.

How are nations reacting to growing water pollution and water treatment?

In developed economies of North America and Europe, stringent regulations regarding water treatment have supported the robust growth of the water treatment systems market. In North America, the U.S. has been among the key nations stressing on the treatment of industrial wastewater. The rising awareness about water treatment in the European nations has fuelled the growth of the market.

However, in the near future, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be one of the lucrative regions for the market as countries such as China and India are finally waking up to the challenge posed by severe water scarcity. Both these countries have witnessed rapid industrialization in the last 25 years and this has significantly affected their water bodies. In China, rampant industrial water pollution has led river waters turn into unnatural shades of red, green, and orange. Toxic water supply has further led to the growing prevalence of many chronic diseases. Taking a cue, the Chinese government has introduced the Water Ten Plan, a comprehensive water policy last year. This has resulted in framing of stringent rules regarding water efficiency and water pollution.

On the other hand, India has been witnessing severe water scarcity due to depletion and pollution of ground water level due to industrial activities. The country is now focusing on water treatment systems to curb the flow of industrial wastewater to water bodies. In fact, India is being viewed as one the most promising markets for water treatment systems. 


How is the competitive landscape in the global water treatment system market evolving?

The global water treatment system market is dominated by some of the prominent players such as The Dow Chemical Company, Honeywell International, 3M Company, Pentair plc, and others. The treatment of industrial wastewater and drinking water is of primary concern and hence, the market players are focusing on innovative technologies to develop novel water treatment systems while adhering to the standards set by governments and regulatory authorities. For instance, Cambrian Innovation has introduced a water treatment system that will let breweries to convert spent brewing water into reusable water.

The competitive landscape of the global water treatment systems market is expected to evolve rapidly with entry of smaller and medium companies. Many of the market players are bagging projects from governments and private organizations to treat industrial and drinking water. For example, Japanese firm Hiyoshi runs water purification facilities for local governments and works on wastewater treatment projects.

Global Vitamins and Herbal Dietary Supplements Market to be Driven by Growing Demand for Indigenous Medicine

The top performing products in the U.S. dietary supplement market are exhibiting double-digit growth rate thanks to heightened consumer focus on health, improved industry regulation, and industry trends that are focused on globalization.

How safe are herbal dietary supplements?

The manufacture of herbal dietary supplements is regulated by the FDA in the United States, but is not subject to the same scientific scrutiny or regulations as food or drugs. For instance, herbal supplements manufacturers are required to follow good manufacturing practices in order to ensure that supplements are processed under uniform conditions and meet quality standards but they do not need approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before launching their products in the market. 


Nevertheless, the FDA regulates both dietary ingredients and finished dietary supplements. The FDA oversees dietary supplements under a different set of mandates than those that cover conventional foods and drugs. These are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), which states that:
 
  • Dietary ingredients and dietary supplements that are adulterated or misbranded are prohibited to be marketed by product manufacturers and distributors.
  • FDA is responsible for taking action against any misbranded or adulterated dietary supplements after it is introduced in the market.

What are the core factors driving the growth of the vitamins and herbal dietary supplements market?

The demand for safe and naturally derived curative options persists among consumers. Consumers are more inclined towards the purchase of herbal products combined with government support for promoting the use of traditional medicine. For instance, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and several other indigenous medicines are increasing their impact. Furthermore, the rising healthcare cost is also favoring the growth of the vitamins and herbal dietary supplements market as consumers are seeking alternate options for medical conditions.

There are several reasons for taking vitamin supplements, such as over-the-counter multivitamins. As per the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), vitamin supplements are recommended to be taken for:
 
  • Certain health conditions.
  • Individuals who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet.
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Are herbs and botanicals regulated by legislations in the European Union?

Yes. Traditional herbal medicines for human use are as much regulated as pharmaceutical products. A simplified registration procedure for the pharmaceutical legislation of traditional herbal medicinal products was introduced in 2004 that overcame the difficulties encountered by the member states earlier. The objective of the simplified registration procedure is to safeguard public health and eliminate misinterpretations and uncertainties about traditional botanical products that existed among the member states and allow the free movement of these products by introducing harmonized rules in the region. This has reverberated in the form of increased sales of herbal supplements and botanicals and many new companies have entered the dietary supplements space.

The vitamins, minerals, and health supplements market is highly fragmented and has immense opportunities for mergers and acquisitions. In recent years, both pharmaceutical companies and makers of consumer packaged goods (CPG) are gearing up to expand their consumer health division, which suggests that acquisitions in this space will continue to happen.

Growth in Paint and Coatings Industry to Bode Well for Global Pigments Market

Pigments are insoluble compounds that have a coloring effect on different substrates. Pigments offer tinting strength, heat stability, and opacity. They are used extensively in paints and coatings, construction materials, printing inks, and plastics industries. According to a research report by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global pigments market was valued at US$22.86 bn in 2014, and is expected to reach US$31.98 bn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 3.8% between 2015 and 2023.

In this blog post, TMR answers three critical questions about the pigments market:

What are the factors impacting the performance of the global pigments market?

The growth in the paints and coatings industry is one of the major drivers for the pigments market. A rise in infrastructural development and various other construction activities will have a positive impact on the pigments industry. The growth in the automotive industry is also benefitting the global pigments market. The use of pigments in the consumer goods sector is encouraging the growth of the market across the globe. Furthermore, the rising consumption and production of plastic, and subsequently the rising demand for pigments, is expected to boost the global pigments market. 

Factors that may impede the growth of the market include the enactment of stringent rules owing to the environmental and health risks associated with the unregulated use of pigments.

The introduction of nanotechnology, however, is expected to create profitable growth opportunities in the pigments market for the coming years.

Are there any new notable developments in the pigments industry?

PicOnyx, a materials technology company, has developed a black pigment by the name of M-tone, to be used across various industries such as plastics, paint and coatings, and adhesives. In comparison to carbon black pigments, this black pigment excels in various aspects, such as improved heat resistance and microwave transparency. M-tone is derived from polymer and is made of oxygen, carbon, and silicon. It improves the hardness and thermal resistance in thermoplastics, along with offering electrical properties, which are currently unattainable with other pigments. M-tone comes in a matte, glossy, and iridescent appearance, and is claimed to have no environmental contaminants.

Huntsman Corporation was recently in the news for having invested over US$172 mn for the development of their new production plant. The new plant is expected to have the capacity to produce 30,000 metric tons of red, yellow, and black iron oxide pigments each year. The pigments developed will be utilized to transform an array of everyday items such as inks, paints, plastics, concrete, cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.


Which region is expected to lead in the pigments market?

Asia Pacific is expected to lead in the pigments market. The region not only dominated the global pigments market in 2014 in terms of volume, but is also expected to grow at the fastest rate in the coming years. The growth in the region is due to the rising population as well as the increasing income of people in the developing countries. A rise in incomes is leading to a higher demand for paints and coatings from the building and construction as well as the automotive industry. Asia Pacific is also expected to be the major producer of plastic, which will increase the demand for pigments in the region from the plastic industry.

Future of Metabolomics Dependent on Biomarker Discovery and Drug Assessment

Metabolomics is a comprehensive study of metabolites within tissues, cells, organisms, and bio fluids. A metabolite is a substance that is either part of a metabolic reaction or is produced by one. Metabolomics is utilized for data mining and for presenting the functional information of an organism’s physiological nature. It comprises the study of products and substrates of metabolism, which are affected by environmental and genetic factors. The demand for metabolomics is predicted to grow, thanks to the increasing application scope of metabolomics. 

Transparency Market Research (TMR), a market intelligence company, answers a series of questions in order to provide a clearer view of the metabolomics market.

Q. What drivers and impeders will have a major impact on the market dynamics by 2024?

The increasing technological advancements in molecular biology and biochemistry have played a major role in the development of the market for metabolomics. In addition, the enhancement in analytical instruments, analysis software, and data processing have also stimulated the growth of the overall metabolomics field. Furthermore, the increasing support from governments and the increasing research funding globally for the commercialization of various products within metabolomics will also create a positive impact on the growth of the market. 

Metabolomics science is also utilized extensively in drug assessment and biomarker discovery. Hence, the swift development of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries is supporting the development of the market for metabolomics. The increasing incidence of chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, particularly in emerging nations will also augment the growth of the market in the coming years.

On the other hand, the absence of skilled professionals within metabolomics science is a major factor impeding the development of the market. In addition, the increasing data complexity and the low adoption rate of metabolomics are also amongst the prime factors that may pose a negative impact on the growth of the market. 

Q. How is the increasing usage of metabolomics in life sciences a key opportunity in the market?

Owing to the increasing application areas of metabolomics such as phenotyping of genetically modified plants, determination of gene function, and monitoring responses to abiotic and biotic factors, metabolomics is sought after globally. Metabolomics is utilized for bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype by providing a complete view of the cell functioning. It also helps in the identification of novel alterations within certain metabolites. 

Metabolomics has gained significance as a tool within life sciences owing to it being a relatively precise and faster technique that can be implemented with either a specific focus or in a general manner for gaining new knowledge about biological systems. 

Browse Research Release:

Q. What is impeding the adoption of metabolomic technologies in big pharma companies? What is the predicted future of this discipline?

A number of big pharma companies are still negligent in adopting metabolomic technologies in comparison with genomic and proteomic research. This is due to the lingering uncertainties of the advantages presented by metabolomics owing to the failed genomics and proteomics research programs. However, some recent advancements have successfully dispelled some of these doubts. The key focus of metabolomics is on 20 to 100 different metabolites. Although, this comprises a very small part in comparison to other field of ‘omics,’ this discipline is still excelling in the discovery of biomarkers. For instance, as per a recent publication by the American Association for Cancer Research on Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, metabolite profiling is being extensively utilized in the study of prostate cancer in order to identify diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. Hence, such growth opportunities will boost the overall growth of the market in forthcoming years.

Monday 30 May 2016

Global Market for Ready to Eat Snacks to be Driven by Convenience and Affordable Costs

In the last few years, ready to eat snacks have been gaining immense popularity among various age groups across the globe. Ready to eat snacks are products of all varieties that are chilled or frozen and can be prepared in minimal time. Ready to eat snacks are mostly prepared by adding water or by frying them. The growing popularity of these products has encouraged several manufacturers to introduce innovative and new products to attract new consumers and gain the competitive advantage in the market. The ready to eat snacks market offers diverse products such as corn specialties, potato specialties, meat specialties, and others.

In this blog, Transparency Market Research has offered answers to several questions concerning the growth factors and opportunities of the global market for ready to eat snacks.

What are the major factors propelling the ready to eat snacks market worldwide?

Ready to eat snacks have been gaining traction in recent years due to the hectic lifestyle of the global population, who often have insufficient time to prepare food at their home. In addition, the increasing number of working women is adding to the demand for ready to eat snacks across the globe. Furthermore, the variety of products available in the global market has been attracting more consumers, fueling the growth of the global market for ready to eat snacks. The unique selling preposition of ready to eat snacks is the convenience they offer.

What are the key strategies adopted by the leading players operating in the global ready to eat snacks market?

The major players engaged in the ready to eat snacks market are spending an enormous amount on marketing and advertising campaigns to boost the sales of their products. Furthermore, some of the leading players, such as Tyson Foods, Blaine Larsen Farms, Inc., McCain Food Limited, and ConAgra Foods, Inc. are taking proactive efforts to introduce innovative products and concentrating on their presentation and packaging. All these strategies are expected to help the players in expanding their horizon and creating a niche for themselves in the global market.


What are the barriers faced by the leading players while operating in the ready to eat snacks market?

Ready to eat snacks offer convenience to the consumers, but at a cost. The nutritional value of these products is quite low, which may affect the health and well-being of the consumer. As a result, the growing awareness regarding healthy lifestyles and diets is one of the key factors projected to hamper the growth of the ready to eat snacks market in the next few years.

What are the major factors on which market players should emphasize in order to tackle the challenges?

Innovation and expansion of the product portfolio are the key factors for companies in the ready to eat snacks market worldwide. The inclusion of healthy foods in ready to eat products and offering baked products instead of deep fried snacks holds potential opportunities for the major players operating in this market.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography Market Spurred by Consumers Looking for Dental Repairs and Rework on Aesthetics

Although not a recent technology, the use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has only been on the rise in the past decade. It is now commonly used in maxillofacial surgeries and other advanced cases in dentistry. CBCT offers several advantages to conventional imaging technologies in dentistry and also over conventional computed tomography.

The global cone beam computed tomography market is currently being driven ahead by a number of reasons. It was recorded at US$407.5 mn in 2014. After displaying a CAGR of 10% within a period from 2015 to 2023, this market is expected to reach US$960.8 mn by the end of 2023. Several aspects of the global CBCT market need to be considered in order to fully gauge this growth rate and the various prospects that this market has to offer. Here are three questions that can help attain a guided view of this market:

Is CBCT an Integral Part of Dentistry Now?

It has become an essential part, if not an irreplaceable part, of dentistry. Cone beam computed tomography has, over the recent past, experienced a wide array of developments for its use as a diagnostic tool. The biggest advantage that the CBCT machines offer is an accurate three-dimensional image of a region. This has created a large scope for the use for CBCT, ranging from forming differential diagnoses of dental abrasions to generating a critical understanding of dental anatomy. 

Cone beam computed technology can even be used in deducing tooth or root locations, or in the examination of endodontic pathology. And most of these utilities have only been completely justified recently. The global CBCT market has been experiencing a higher scale of demand from all the key regions.

Which are the Key Regional Markets for CBCT and Why?

We can divide the global cone beam computed tomography market into five major segments: Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Rest of the World. In 2014, the two foremost regions in the global CBCT market were North America and Europe. Both regions have prevailed owing to advanced healthcare infrastructure, multiple research and development efforts in dentistry and CT technologies, and the presence of key players. 

Both regions also house some of the top players in the global CBCT market, such as Sirona Dental Systems, Planmeca OY, QR s.r.l., and Cefla Group for Europe, and Carestream Health, Prexion, Inc., and Danaher Corporation in North America. There are other companies, such as the South Korean VATECH Global Co. Ltd., that have made their mark on the global CBCT market. While the two developed regions have always enjoyed an advanced dental industry, the developing regions are not too far behind now. Countries in Latin America and Asia Pacific are showing a rapid growth rate in dentistry through large-scale inculcation of modern practices, a large patient pool, and especially in the case of the global CBCT market, the increasing use of advanced computing technologies that allow a smoother and more accurate functioning of CT tech.

Browse Research Release

Does This Mean Most Dentists Will Use CBCT in the Future?

There are two critical parts to this answer. One is the availability of the appropriate machinery and skilled labor. While both advanced machines and skilled labor are available in developing economies, there is still time for patients to avail CBCT solutions outside of urban areas. The other part of this answer lies in the dangers of CBCT itself. Like classical computed tomography, CBCT also implies the exposure of a patient to radiation, which needs to be kept as minimal as possible, according to the FDA. The FDA along with the ADA has appropriated the use of CBCT only when the risk of radiation exposure is lower than the benefits of using the imaging technique.

Global Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Market Dashes to Keep Pace with Growing Number of Patients

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure is a high-priority risk in the U.S. In 2013, over 360,000 American citizens died from complications caused by high blood pressure. At least 7 out of 10 people who have their first heart attack are suffering from high blood pressure. In the U.K., more than 16 mn people have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. These statistics show how serious the problem is. While treatments and diagnostic solutions are showing a rapid rate of increase on a global scale, the global market for blood pressure monitoring devices is also something to be considered on priority for most players associated with the healthcare industry. Following are a few questions that might help an industry player ascertain market development factors.

Is the Current Rate of Development in Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices Sufficient?

That is hard to say for the near future, but currently, the demand is slightly higher than the supply, not because the supply is slow, but it is because the demand itself is accelerating too fast. The global blood pressure monitoring devices market is now ramping up its processes to keep up with these numbers. Even though it is an already established and almost mature market, at least in developing nations, the global blood pressure monitoring devices market continues to progress at a high rate of 7.3% between 2015 and 2023, according to Transparency Market Research. This market was already valued at US$2.0 bn in 2014, and if the current growth rate holds true, it will reach US$3.8 bn by the end of 2023. This is a lot to say about a market that is only based on measurement devices excluding diagnostics and therapeutics.

Are Developed Nations at Higher Risk of High Blood Pressure Issues?

It is a largely known fact that blood pressure issues are collectively one of the largest problems that several public health agencies are facing worldwide. This is especially the case in developed countries, owing to a high consumption rate of convenience foods, lack of physical activity and obesity, and a stressful career-oriented lifestyle. According to the CDC, at least 70 mn American citizens suffer from high blood pressure. That’s about 29% of the population, or 1 out of 3 American adults. Of the total number of high blood pressure patients in the U.S., only about half of them have their blood pressure situation under control. In the meanwhile, about 1 of every 3 adults in the U.S. reportedly has pre-hypertension. This is a condition where the numbers are not high enough to be considered a problem, but are still higher than normal. Owing to all these factors, the U.S. alone spends about US$46 bn on the various blood pressure treatment markets and industries per year.

Browse Research Release: 

How are Masked and White-coat Blood Pressure Issues Influencing this Market?

Both white-coat and masked blood pressure readings are a major reason for inaccurate readings for a large percentage of patients. White-coat hypertension is when a patient shows a spike in blood pressure at the doctor’s office and no place else, while masked hypertension shows a lower blood pressure reading at the doctor’s office than elsewhere. Both situations are caused by an array of reasons, but both are responsible for misdiagnosis and wrong treatment. One of the more agreed upon solutions for this is the use of wearable technology that can allow the monitoring of blood pressure throughout the day. This will allow doctors to take an average reading and also help check the times of day when the blood pressure spikes. Wearable tech can also help diagnosing patients with pre-hypertension conditions.

Friday 27 May 2016

Strengthening National Security and Protecting Marine Life – How Underwater Security Systems and Services Are Straddling Two Needs

The global demand for energy is expected to double in the next 25 years. This surging demand for energy plays a pivotal role in the depletion of existing fossil fuel reserves, thereby encouraging production activities in the offshore gas and oil industries. A new analysis by Transparency Market Research projects that the emerging economies are likely to account for over 75% of the demand for energy derived from the offshore gas and oil industry. The need for underwater security is thus felt to enable offshore rig operators identify and manage assets and ensure the delivery of services without any interferences.

Over the years, underwater security has been deemed imperative for the oil and gas industry. Underwater security solutions allow risk assessment of a small standalone offshore site, taking into account the fluid types produced in the well, well pressure, directional configuration, measured depth, vertical depth, sub-surface safety valve, damage containment, location and others. Furthermore, in response to the demand for remote control centers, the need for constant monitoring and control is also set to increase. Underwater security service providers are increasingly focusing on innovative cyber solutions to help the oil industry adapt to the digitization wave. It is therefore expected that in the coming years, the market for underwater security will report an exponential surge.

Q: How are stringent government regulations boosting demand from global underwater security market?

A: Strict government mandates and the increasing threat from cybercrime are fuelling demand from the global market for underwater security systems and services. The market has been witnessing the rising implementation of cyber security solutions to combat sophisticated threats strewn by professional adversaries. Industries such as energy, aerospace and defense, utilities, and banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), have been extensively adopting cyber security solutions in keeping with regulations enforced to check cybercrimes, which may eventually cause loss of financial and intellectual assets. Such factors have been encouraging leading companies in the oil and gas and other industries to oblige to regulations mandated by the government.

Q: What is India expecting from its recently launched underwater security plan at the harbors of Vishakhapatnam?

A: Recently the Indian Navy launched an integrated underwater harbor defense system and mine warfare data center to improve the Navy’s surveillance skills and response to any potential threat at the naval dockyard located in Vishakhapatnam. This is one of the most recent instances of implementing underwater security and services to tighten the defense capabilities of a region. The multi-sensor system deployed is called IUHDSS. It is capable of identifying, tracking, detecting, and generating warnings for underwater threats.

Q: Are there any recent notable underwater security plans aimed at protecting marine life? How are such developments relevant to the market’s growth?

A: Recently, a Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) Plan has been unveiled by the Pacific island country of Palau. The plan is intended to manage and monitor emergency responses and combat illegal activities in ocean waters protected by a national marine sanctuary established recently. Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography were key contributors to the MCS Plan, launched on May 4, 2016.

The monitoring technology adopted will enable Palau to understand climate and oceanographic forces influencing the marine life, which is at the base of its economy. The data thus obtained will improve Palau’s climate resilience and enhance its access to information pertaining to ocean acidification, sea-level rise, and other phenomena related to climate change.

The growing awareness about the importance of underwater security will therefore boost the market. With emerging nations coming at fore, the market for underwater security witnesses lucrative opportunities for venturing in Asia Pacific

Global WaaS Market to be Driven by Increased Adoption due to the Ease of Deployment it Offers

Workspace-as-a-Service (WaaS) refers to a group of services that are used to provide end users a virtual workspace. These services are mostly used by companies to offer its employees access to business applications and data from any location at any time using any compatible device of their choice. In the last few years, desktop virtualization has turned out to be a mainstream technology owing to the rapidly changing work culture and business environment.

WaaS is considered as an amalgam of desktop applications as a service and desktop-as-a-service, in which the desktop applications as a service is considered as the cloud delivery of applications for the end user devices and DaaS is the private or public cloud delivery of virtual desktops for the users.

In this blog, Transparency Market Research answers some of the important questions related to the workspace-as-a-service, emphasizing on its potential opportunities and growth prospects.

Is Workspace-as-a-Service the apt solution for BYOD-related issues?

The growth of the BYOD trend has benefitted employees substantially; however, it has created several worries for Chief Information Officers (CIOs). These officers need to manage the chaotic IT environment and further manage the proliferation of mobile devices and offer everything along with security to a vast and impatient workforce. Security remains the major concern in the BYOD scenario, owing to the increased mobility and remote working of the workforce.

The numerous access points to the network are estimated to bring an array of security headaches; however, when combined with a WaaS or virtualized desktop environment, it is anticipated to be easier to manage and secure vast end users with integrated management tools.

What are the major growth prospects for the global WaaS market?

WaaS solutions help employees log into the WaaS system, which offers them a virtual workspace and desktop. WaaS solutions further help in increasing the productivity of employees, as they get the opportunity to access all the crucial data and applications regardless of their location. The devices used to access WaaS services are complementing some of the enterprises strategies such as BYOD and BYOA, taking care of all the security concerns.

According to a research study by Transparency Market Research, in 2014, the global WaaS market was worth US$7.5 bn and is projected to reach US$18.4 bn by the end of 2022, registering a 12.10% CAGR between 2015 and 2022. The increasing enterprise mobility and higher adoption in SMBS due to ease of deployment, quick availability, and scalability are some of the major factors expected to drive the global WaaS market.

What is the future of WaaS in the global market?

WaaS is an emerging concept that is being adopted by diverse industries, such as travel and hospitality, government, healthcare, manufacturing, education, IT and telecommunication, BFSI, and retail. The increasing demand for application-specific solutions has positively affected the growth of the global WaaS market, resulting in growing customization and higher service revenues. Companies in diverse sectors are buying workspace technology and solutions to benefit from the increased efficiencies that they provide. Many international IT giants have adopted these solutions so far or are on their way to doing so. A recent example is the technology leader IBM, which recently gave its word to offer Nvidia an accelerator aimed at speeding up WaaS applications.

Does the Future of Smart Devices Market Pose a Threat to Mankind?

More than half a century ago, Kurt Vonnegut described how life would change, and not for the better, with automation taking over manual work processes. His book “Player Piano” foresaw the impact of automation and development of smart devices on the world and stated that it would render a large workforce jobless and useless. Meanwhile, the techno-enthusiasts and technology experts still went on to design self-driving vehicles, self-flying killing machines, and artificial intelligence that seems to be performing at par with the human mind. The smart machines are developing at an unstoppable pace and a clear example of it is the leap of high-end computing devices from desktops to our pockets.

Although these machines have made life easy and it is only tempting to make them do more while we sit back, order around, and get the job done, voices about the potential risks associated with smart machines are only getting louder. It is in this milieu that the global smart machines market’s future will be shaped.

Q. How will smart machines change the future of human resource?

A. According to a research report published by Transparency Market Research, the smart machine era will experience a growth spurt by 2020 as a large number of people are expected to adopt technologies such as smart advisers, personal assistants, and technically advanced industrial systems. The technological advancements in speech recognition technologies, artificial intelligence, and ability to teach machines in order to create high-level automation techniques are poised to form an intelligent robotic workforce in lieu of the human workforce, thereby eliminating room for human error to create seamless work processes.

Q. How will smart machines change lives?

A. From smartwatches to augmented reality glasses the future of smart machines is left to limitless imaginations of engineers and designers. Digital technologies are changing lives one step at a time but at an accelerated pace. These systems are trained to work in tandem with artificial intelligence that learns algorithms to solve day-to-day problems without human intervention. Researchers predict that these disruptions in the world of IT will change our lives in several ways, boosting economies, and truly changing the healthcare sector. Surgeons are already using robots to perform keyhole surgeries for operating with precision and accuracy. The day we have wearable physicians on our wrists won’t be too far at this rate. 

Q. What potential losses could companies in the smart machines market face?

A. Today, the unthinkable thinking machines are no longer a work of literary science fiction, but a reality that’s much closer to home than we think. Though the advancements in technology are leading to incredible products and services, they are also taking a toll on the human workforce by replacing them.

According to a survey conducted by The Associated Press, 1.1 million secretarial jobs were rendered useless in the United States between 2000 and 2010 as employers and bosses were able to manage their meetings and travels by simplified software solutions. Glaring Labor Department Statistics indicate that 64% of the telephone operators dropped in the same time frame along with 63% of word processors and typists, 46% of travel agents, and 26% of bookkeepers.

The rate of progress in the global smart machines market is set to increase dramatically as huge investments are being pumped into research and development. Knowledge-intensive industries, such as healthcare or legal services, will have to work towards reaching out to the masses in reduced time and with efficiency, instead of operating in set physical buildings and conventional setups to retain a competitive edge.

Experts at Transparency Market Research believe that though smart devices will be able to perform incredible jobs, replacing skilled labor, the only way of defeating Vonnegut’s prediction is by managing smart machines to free us from glitches of current technology and errors of manual labor, instead of letting them enslave us.

Europe Raw Milk Vending Machines Market Strongly Governed by Regulatory Compliances

There are plenty of consumers in Europe demanding unpasteurized milk and the region’s acceptance toward raw milk vending machines is not new. Unlike the US, where the government continues to warn consumers about the harmful effects of raw dairy products, Europe has been quite open to the idea. At least most of Europe has.

Q. How big a role does the law play in the success or failure of the Europe raw milk vending machine market?

A. According to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, which lays down specific hygiene-related rules for food of animal origin, milk that has been obtained from farmed animals and has not undergone any treatment or has not been heated at a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius can be consumed by humans. This means that vendors can legally sell raw milk in most European nations. The final decision, however, is up to EU member states, who can decide whether to allow or prohibit the sale of raw milk in their own jurisdictions. In countries such as Slovakia, Czech Republic, the UK, Italy, Austria, Lithuania, and France, the sale of raw milk via vending machines is perfectly legal. However, countries such as Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, and Spain have restricted the sale and use of raw milk vending machines.

Be that as it may, the position of the raw milk vending machines market is likely to change in the years to come as vendors are anticipating certain regulations to be revised in the wake of the rising demand for unpasteurized milk.

Q. Where is the Europe raw milk vending machine market headed in terms of value and volume?

A. The Europe raw milk vending machine market has been carefully studied by researchers at Transparency Market Research, who indicate that this market is anticipated to expand at a 12.5% CAGR from 2016 to 2024 in terms of value to reach US$17.9 bn by 2024. As far as the size of the Europe raw milk vending machine market is concerned, in 2015, the market was pegged at 421 units in the region and this is likely to increase to 1,351 units by 2024. The CAGR registered during this period stands at 13.3%.

Q. Elaborate on the performance of the raw milk vending machines market in different European nations.

A. The raw milk vending machines market in Europe has been divided into CIS, EU7, and Rest of Europe for the purpose of convenience. The EU7 nations – Italy, France, Belgium, the UK, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands – form a strong segment as far as the performance of the raw milk vending machines market goes. The growing adoption of unpasteurized milk in Italy and France is one of the leading factors driving the market in this sub-region. Owing to the surge in milk production, the discontinuation of milk quotas, and the reduction in milk prices, small dairy farmers have been severely affected and they are therefore seeking new ways to get the milk out into local markets. This has also positively influenced the raw milk vending machines market in EU7 countries.

The raw milk vending machines market in countries within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Ukraine – has been witnessing extremely slow growth owing to the minimal demand for unpasteurized milk from the commercial sector.

Rest of Europe, however, is anticipated to emerge as the most rapidly expanding sub-regional segment in the Europe raw milk vending machines market. With a strong CAGR of 15.1% from 2016 to 2024, this segment is likely to be fueled by less stringent regulatory environments.

Thursday 26 May 2016

Growth of Global Nutricosmetics Market to be Steered by Rising Demand for Anti-aging Supplements

An aging population, coupled with the increasing disposable income and awareness about aesthetics worldwide, is expected to boost the valuation of the  nutricosmetics market to US$7.1 bn by the end of 2020. A report published by Transparency Market Research pegs the value of the global nutricosmetics market at US$3.3 bn in 2013. The market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 11.50% between 2014 and 2020.

Nutricosmetics are natural health products consumed orally that have evolved from nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products. These products are composed of targeted nutrients and antioxidants that help in the treatment and prevention of various skin, nail, and hair related problems. Since, natural products potentially have fewer side-effects, experts project the demand for nutricosmetics to surge at an impressive rate over the next few years. Nutricosmetics are available in the market in the form of capsules, tablets, pills, drinks, and jellies. These forms are helping in improving the compliance and ease of use. The market witnesses lucrative opportunities in the developing nations mainly because of the increasing willingness of consumers to spend on beauty and anti-aging products.

Q: What factors fuel demand for nutricosmetics worldwide?

A: Topical skincare is no longer considered a cornerstone of beauty treatments. A healthy lifestyle and wellness are becoming more integrated in ensuring how a person looks or feels. Thus consumers are increasingly focusing on more natural options such as nutricosmetics that will help them build their beauty from within. Additionally, with clinical research around the influences of unbalanced or stressed gut microflora on the appearance of skin having received a lot of attention, the demand for more sophisticated technologies in nutricosmetics is expected to increase.

Q: What product innovations are likely to positively influence the market?

A: As people get keener on keeping themselves youthful for a longer time, the demand for nutricosmetics is likely to surge in response. However, not many consumers are willing to make drastic lifestyle changes to achieve this. Consumers’ reluctance in giving up alcohol, for instance, has prompted companies to formulate products that fit evolving needs.

To cash on such prevailing opportunities, a new gin, called Anti-aGin, which is claimed as being the ‘alcoholic equivalent of facial’ has been launched recently. This alcoholic product is the first of its kind to be created with skin boosting ingredients. As per reports, 40% of the gin is distilled with pure collagen. Anti-aGin contains a mix of skin-healing and antioxidant botanicals such as witch hazel, gotu kola, nettle, and green tea, which can help reduce cellulite and sun damage. The drink is a product of Warner Leisure Hotels, created in collaboration with Bompas & Par, and is currently available for sale across 13 hotel locations in the U.K.

Q: What factors are inhibiting nutricosmetics growth in the beauty and skincare industry?

A: Despite their growing popularity, leading skincare brands in the world such as Neutrogena, Dermologica, and Crème de la Mer do not offer nutricosmetics. The Association of UK Dieticians claims that currently there is very little evidence to support that a collagen supplement can improve skin health. This may hamper the global market for nutricosmetic to some extent.

Hyper-converged Infrastructure to Propel Global Converged Infrastructure Solutions and Services Market

Traditional IT architecture has distinct components that increase the operational complexity of several processes, leading to several interoperability issues, managing extensive data explosion, or failing to meet the new business demands. To tackle these issues and alter data center operations, various organizations presented virtualization and cloud developments. Previously, substantial expertise and resources were required to integrate the mismatched systems, which turned out to be a time-consuming and very expensive process. As a result, data security was jeopardized leading to severe compliance consequences. That is when these organizations went through a transition from traditional to converged infrastructure.

The global converged infrastructure solutions and services market is expected to register an impressive 28.90% CAGR between 2015 and 2022, states a research study by Transparency Market Research. At this rate, the market is projected to reach US$50.5 bn by 2022.
In this blog, TMR offers answers to some of the significant questions related to converged infrastructure solutions and services, focusing on the key opportunities and growth prospects the market holds.

What are the major benefits of implementing converged infrastructure solutions and services?

A converged infrastructure solution offers an innovative IT platform, which is designed, pre-assimilated, and deployed in order to manage extreme workloads. Organizations across the globe are looking for systems and applications that can handle large amounts of data while bearing minimum costs. Converged infrastructure solutions and services help in business acceleration, IT simplification, lowering of costs, and risk minimization, which are some of the key factors driving the global market.

What are the challenges that the global market for converged solutions and services needs to contend with?

The major players engaged in the global market are taking efforts to develop solutions and reduce budgetary pressures created due to economic volatility across the globe. These pressures are considered to be a barrier for the growth of the market. Moreover, IT leaders are coming together to discuss several concerns associated with the implementation of hyper-converged infrastructure solutions and services.

What are the key expectations of IT leaders to enhance their operational efficiency?

IT leaders worldwide are widely adopting converged infrastructure solutions in order to accelerate application delivery and reduce operational complexity. With the adoption of converged infrastructure, these companies are expected to gain private cloud service delivery aptitude, lower overall costs, visibility of assets, and centralized management. In addition, the consolidation of systems and rising resource utilization rates along with simpler and expedited deployment are also projected to be taken care of by converged infrastructure solutions and services.

What are the major opportunities for prominent players operating in the converged infrastructure market?

The introduction of hyper-converged infrastructure is projected to offer enhanced solutions and services for its consumers. Hyper-converged infrastructure is considered to play a vital role in the modernization of data centers. It is one of the greatest opportunities for major players operating in the global market for converged infrastructure solutions and services. Players are making attempts to use the latest technology such as flash storage, services in software, and increased density of cores so as to build a new architecture.

What Should We Really Expect from the Much-hyped About 5G Technology?

Every once in a while, in a decade or so, the telecom industry develops a solution that delivers improvements over its preceding technology. For instance, the 1980s saw the advent of mobile networks, followed by GSMs in 1990s, and 3G as we turned over a new leaf with the new century. In the past few years, the telecom industry has been working exceptionally hard to roll out the best of LTE services with high-end 4G and 5G services in terms of quality. Needless to say, the upcoming 5G technology is estimated to solve the shortcomings of the previous technology and deliver much more that still lies beyond our aspirations.

Q. When is the 5G technology expected to become a reality?

A. The 5th generation technology for cellular systems is expected to materialize by 2020, only to witness deployment thereafter. To begin with, this technology will have the fastest speed ever, introducing its users to a never-seen-before social and economic advantage, creating a ‘hyperconnected society,’ making mobile phones even more important in the near future. However, the 5th generation technology for cellular devices hasn’t been defined yet. Riding high on expectations and a vague outline, the 5G technology market is witnessing a rising number of investments. Reports suggest that South Korea is all set to invest US$1.5 bn for research and development into next-generation 5G networks, which is expected to be about 1,000 times faster than the current networks.

Q. What can we expect from 5G technology?

A. While improved speed and data quality is an obvious expectation, the development of 5G technology is expected to bring in a range of new solutions such as enhanced security and uninterrupted connectivity. With these upgrades, the overall 5G technology market is expected to create a seamless groundwork for a wide range of services in areas of e-health, Internet of Things, connected cars, smart homes, and several others.

The development and deployment of 5G could lead telesurgeries performed by robots with long distance consultation from surgeons a reality. With tremendous speed, 5G technology is expected to eliminate latency and build reliable links for the telemedicine sector to evolve and reach out to remote locations on the planet. The list of consumer expectations also reads the critical contribution of 5G technology in car-to-infrastructure communication, the remote management of self-driving trains, and self-driving cars.

On yet another note, the introduction of 5G also brings in the hope of high-definition video of 4K and 8K along with the ability to watch 3D on portable devices. It also opens a discussion on the addition of realistic features to 3D gaming with new virtual reality experiences at reduced prices. According to a report published by Transparency Market Research,  5G technology is expected to support millimeter wave, M2M/IoT, spectrum sharing, multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and application and device-centric network architectures.

Q. What is the current commercial status of 5G technology?

A. On January 29, 2016, Google announced its plan to design and develop SkyBender, solar-powered drones, which will operate on the 5G network. Project SkyBender is experimenting with high-frequency millimeter wave radio transmissions, which have the capacity to transmit gigabits of data per second at a speed that is 40 times more than today’s 4G LTE systems. The aim of this project is to have several self-flying aircraft at higher altitudes to offer internet access to the world. Meanwhile, the UK government recently revealed its plans to make the UK a world leader in 5G.

What the next incarnation of wireless technology can and cannot do is still left to a lot of anticipation and research and development. However, it is for sure that the demands and needs of the 21st century will need the best of technologies to march ahead into a better tomorrow.

Wind Turbine Inspection Services See Uptick in Demand as More Wind Farms Crop Up Worldwide

The wind energy industry has witnessed rapid development in the last few years. Large economies of scale have thus been achieved by market players. With technological advancements, the competition in the market is increasing and is leading to the emergence of various wind-energy-linked businesses. One of the most attractive and emerging businesses in the wind energy industry is wind turbine inspection. Wind turbine inspection services primarily focus on servicing generators and gearboxes, as they have multiple moving parts that are prone to breakdowns. The installed capacity of wind energy is expected to double between now and 2023, which in turn will trigger growth in the wind turbine inspection services market.

In this blog post, Transparency Market Research (TMR) answers three critical questions about the wind turbine inspection services market:

What impacts the performance of the wind turbine inspection services market?

The wind turbine inspection services market is gaining momentum due to continued wind energy capacity addition across the globe. Since a turbine is a highly crucial component for the wind energy generation industry and is composed of several smaller components such as a generator and gearbox, the wind turbine needs to be inspected and serviced on a regular basis. This ensures optimal performance and efficiency. Thus, wind turbine inspection services are increasingly being adopted by wind farm contractors and operators to ensure the longevity of wind turbines. 


In November 2015, one of the ten Bonus Energy 2.3MW turbines near the Danish island of Samso suffered a catastrophic failure leading to the nacelle and blades breaking off and falling into the sea. Such incidents not only cause downtime but could also prove detrimental to marine life. Such failures have led to a growing awareness about the importance of servicing and inspecting wind turbines, thus boosting the market.


What are the recent trends and developments in the wind turbine inspection services market?

Drones for the inspection of wind turbines are becoming commonplace in the wind turbine inspection services market. Conventionally, a repair man had to climb the massive structure to perform inspection and maintenance, which was a dangerous gig. Now, companies are increasingly using drones to remotely check for faults and then carry out repair and maintenance tasks. Spotting this opportunity, companies such as Aibotix have already begun marketing drones for the wind turbines inspection services industry.

Which regions are expected to contribute significantly to the wind turbine inspection services market?

The Asia Pacific region is expected to be an attractive market for wind turbine inspection services. In the Asia Pacific region, China is expected to lead the offshore wind energy sector, thereby exhibiting a high demand for wind turbine inspection services. Other attractive markets for wind turbine inspection services include the Middle East and Africa and South and Central America. Europe is expected to have a high demand for offshore wind turbine inspection services as the region has been targeting offshore wind energy development. The U.S. will be initially slow in entering the offshore wind energy market, but installations of wind turbines will pick up speed in the future, which in turn is expected to give rise to a demand for offshore wind turbine inspection services.

Smoking Cessation and Nicotine De-addiction Products Market: Rising Popularity of E-Cigarettes behind Rise in Successful Attempts to Quit Smoking

Smoking or nicotine addiction has emerged as a widespread epidemic and is amongst the major causes of deaths globally. At present, the world comprises around 1.1-1.3 billion tobacco users and this is predicted to reach 1.6 billion by the next two decades. This is why almost all major countries around the world have undertaken a number of steps for the eradication of these crisis. The promotion of smoking cessation products, ban on smoking in public, and greater taxes are amongst the many initiatives being implemented across the world. Smoking cessation products have emerged as a good option for tobacco addicts. 

Tobacco comprises nicotine, which results in addiction owing to the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Smoking cessation, also called as nicotine de-addiction, involves enabling the addict to tolerate the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine by the use of a number of products. Transparency Market Research (TMR) studies the market for smoking cessation & nicotine de-addiction products and answers a number of key questions relevant to the market. 

Q. What are the products utilized in the smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction market? Which products amongst them drive the business performance? 

The global smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction products market encompasses nicotine replacement therapy products, drug therapy, and E-cigarettes. Nicotine de-addiction therapy products are further segmented into nicotine gums, nicotine transdermal patches, nicotine lozenges, nicotine sprays, nicotine inhalers, and nicotine sublingual tablets. Drug therapy is further segmented into Zyban and Chantix/Champix. NRT products have always been the first line of treatment. However, the segment of electronic cigarettes is presently the top segment and has the potential to change the entire market dynamics, with a double-digit growth rate expected between 2015 and 2023. 

Q. What are the pipeline products or competitive developments poised to excel in the coming years?

A number of smoking cessation treatments are still in different clinical trial stages. NicVAX plus Varenicline, manufactured by Nabi Biopharmaceuticals with support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has completed 3 trials. A vaccine named TA-NIC is in its development stage and is being produced by Celtic Pharmaceuticals. This vaccine will promote the formation of human anti-nicotine antibodies for destroying nicotine within the human body and preventing it from entering the brain. Furthermore, GSK598809 is under development by GlaxoSmithKline and this drug works by modulating the nicotine ‘reward’.

Browse Research Release: 

Q. What are the factors supporting and restraining the growth of the market?

The market for smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction products is majorly fuelled by the increasing awareness about smoking cessation therapies and the health hazards of smoking. In addition, the launch of a number of new products in the market have made it easier for individuals to quit smoking and has increased the demand for smoking cessation products, hence boosting the growth of the market. Furthermore, governments of numerous nations are emphasizing on stringent regulations for controlling tobacco addiction owing to its hazardous effects on the respiratory and cardiac systems. On the other hand, a number of legal obligations have impeded the growth of numerous smoking cessation products, posing negative impact on the growth of the market.

Increasing Cases of Viral Diseases through Unsafe Injections Fuel Demand for Safety Syringes

The global market for safety syringes has been witnessing an exponential surge since the last few years. The rising cases of viral diseases through unsafe injections and accidental needlestick injuries are fueling the demand for safety syringes extensively across the world. According to the WHO, in 2014, approximately 1.7 million people were reported to be infected with hepatitis B virus, around 0.3 million with hepatitis C virus, and almost 34 thousand individuals with HIV because of unsafe injections.

A research study by Transparency Market Research states that the global safety syringes market stood at US$3.4 bn in 2012. Analysts predict this market to expand at a CAGR of 9.70% between 2013 and 2019 and reach an estimated value of US$6.5 bn by the end of 2019.

How are government initiatives influencing the global safety syringes market?

The increasing initiatives to raise awareness regarding the threats of using unsafe injections and promoting the usage of safety syringes by various governments and NGOs in their respective countries are likely to propel the worldwide market for safety syringes in the forthcoming years. Several countries such as the US, Australia, Nigeria, and Canada have already implemented rules and policies mandating the usage of safety syringes.

Apart from this, the imminent implementation of favorable reimbursement policies in various nations and technical improvement in safety mechanisms of syringes are also expected to drive this market significantly over the next few years.

What are the driving forces behind the growth of the North America safety syringes market?

North America has emerged as the leading regional market for safety syringes in the global market. The shift in preference of patients as well as healthcare professionals from conventional syringes to safety syringes has propelled the North America safety syringes market significantly over the past few years. The market is likely to witness a steady growth in demand in the coming years, owing to the increasing application of prefilled syringes with safety features. 

Browse Research Release:

What are factors propelling the safety syringes market in Asia Pacific and the Rest of the World?

The rising awareness among people regarding the consequences of insecure injection practices, together with a number of immunization programs aided by WHO and UNICEF, is propelling the safety syringes markets in Asia Pacific and the Rest of the World. In addition to this, the growing trend among major market players of shifting their production units in emerging economies, in a bid to reduce their manufacturing costs, is likely to drive the safety syringes market in these regions over the next few years.

Unilife Corp., Terumo Corp., Smiths Medical, Revolutions Medical Corp., Retractable Technologies Inc., Covidien Plc, and Becton, Dickinson & Co., are the major manufacturers of safety syringes across the world.

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Restrictions on VOC Emissions Keep Demand for Conventional High Performance Anti-Corrosion Coatings in Check, Drive Innovations

The market for high performance anti-corrosion coatings comprises a vast array of materials that are used on concrete, metals and other structures to protect their surfaces from the damage that corrosive environments can cause. These enhanced protective coatings are also sometimes called heavy-duty coatings owing to their features such as excellent resistance to moisture and heat, durability, high adhesion on substrates, and good gloss retention. The use of high performance anti-corrosion coatings is indispensable for protecting surfaces that are vulnerable to the effects of corrosion and rust and are prone to deterioration in harsh environments.

High-performance anticorrosion coatings find applications across chemical plants, paper and pulp mills, oil refineries, the marine industry, and many other industries for protection or industrial maintenance of structures such as pipes, tanks, and processing equipment. A recent market research report published by Transparency Market Research examines the global high-performance anticorrosion coatings market and analyzes the factors that are influencing the development of the market. The report states that the market will exhibit a moderate 4.8% CAGR from 2015 through 2023.

Despite the high applicability of these coatings, the key factors holding back the market and how they are changing the market’s growth dynamics are addressed by TMR analysts in this blog post.

Q. What are the major restraints to the market’s growth?

Strict government regulations pertaining to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions is one of the chief factors restraining the expansion of the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market. A majority of the conventional high performance anti-corrosion coatings are made from petrochemical-derived raw materials. Historically, all resin types used in high performance anti-corrosion coatings used petroleum solvents. These solvent-borne coatings have high VOC content and are being scrutinized for the harm they cause to human and environmental health. To comply with the strict emission control guidelines, high performance anti-corrosion coatings manufacturers are focusing on the development of bio-based raw materials and waterborne coatings.

Q. What are the other major trends in the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market?

The high performance anti-corrosion coatings market is also becoming more resistant to the use of heavy metal-based corrosion inhibitors in their products. Until a few years back, heavy metal-based corrosion inhibitors were widely accepted owing to the excellent corrosion protection capability granted by a variety of heavy metal pigments to high performance anti-corrosion coatings. Regulations pertaining to occupational safety of employees are increasingly putting pressure on companies to replace barium, chromium, zinc, and many other heavy metals with eco-friendly alternatives. This has led to a significant rise in research aimed at the development of effective anti-corrosion elements in the high performance anti-corrosion coatings market.


Q. What developments have been observed on the front of bio-based coatings? 

The segment of epoxy resins-based coatings, which currently have a share of nearly 55% of the global high performance anti-corrosion coatings market, is expected to drive shift of the market to bio-based products. Researchers have formulated efficient ways of manufacturing epoxy resins with the help of bio-based raw materials such as natural oils, natural phenol compounds such as lignin and tannin, and carbohydrates. Though most commercially available bio-based resins have only up to a maximum of 50% biodegradable substances, further research will lead to a significant rise in this percentage in the coming years.

Global Nanoparticle Titanium Dioxide Market Driven by Growing Use in Cosmetics, Paints and Coatings

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is commonly used in several substances used all over the world, such as paints and coatings, paper, ceramics, and skincare products. Sunscreens are a major user of nanoscale titanium dioxide. The use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles is fairly recent and supplanted the use of titanium dioxide microparticles. The increased surface area of nanoscale titanium dioxide has boosted the demand for the same massively.

How is the use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles as a UV shield affecting the global market?

Ultraviolet light has several highly beneficial applications, but it is a threat to human health, as constant exposure to UV light has the potential to cause skin cancer. This has led to ultraviolet light blockers/filters being used on a large scale in sunscreens and other cosmetics. Nanoscale titanium dioxide has emerged as the perfect material to be used for the purpose due to the following reasons:

Nanoscale Titanium Dioxide is Harmless to Humans:

Unlike many chemicals used liberally in skincare and other cosmetic products, titanium dioxide nanoparticles do not constitute a health threat to users of the cosmetic products. Their biocompatibility has been of massive help to producers of cosmetic products, who have faced an increasing demand for chemical-free formulations. The usage of nanoscale titanium dioxide has also been boosted by the regulatory approval granted to it in several countries.


Improved Transparence:

The property of titanium dioxide to block UV light has been known to man for a few decades before nanotechnology was conceived. However, using microparticles of titanium dioxide instead of nanoparticles presented several drawbacks. Micro-scale titanium dioxide is fairly opaque, which led to creams and lotions containing the same leaving conspicuous marks on the skin of the user. Moreover, the larger size of titanium dioxide microparticles also led to cosmetic products adopting a sticky formulation. The high transparence of nanoscale titanium dioxide not only allows for a clear and smooth formulation of cosmetic products, but also prevents the formation of visible marks on the skin.

What are some of the other major application segments of the nanoparticle titanium dioxide market?

Due to the increasing preference for leisure tourism, sales of high-SPF sunscreen lotions have increased in the last few decades. International as well as domestic travel to seaside locations has, in particular, increased massively, leading to a corresponding increase in the demand for effective sun protection products. This will remain an influential factor in the trajectory of the global titanium dioxide nanoparticles market in the near future.

Paints and coatings are another major application segment of the global titanium dioxide nanoparticles market. Paints and coatings are also degraded by constant exposure to UV light, which has made the inclusion of anti-UV particles in paint formulations common. Due to the increasing use in paints and coatings applications, the ongoing construction industry boom in the developing world has benefitted the nanoparticle titanium dioxide market.

What are some of the threats to the nanoparticle titanium dioxide market?

The results of an independent analysis by Friends of the Earth, which found that nanoparticles of titanium dioxide, hydroxyapatite, and silicon dioxide are present in some baby formula brands sold in the U.S., could result in negative PR for the nanoscale titanium dioxide industry. Criticism of this occurrence is backed by the scientific consensus that nanoparticles can cause significant damage in the human body due to their high surface area. Though this wouldn’t affect the demand for nanoscale titanium dioxide from paints and coatings and other industrial applications, the use of titanium dioxide in cosmetics could take a minor hit.

Global Membrane Technology Market Gains Significantly from Rise in Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, and Biopharmaceutical Industries

The global membrane technology market is experiencing a significant rise in its valuation. The increasing research and development activities in membrane technology and the growth of several industries such as life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biopharmaceutical in terms of production volume are propelling this market substantially across the world. North America has been leading this market since the last few years. However, Asia Pacific is likely to emerge as the fastest growing membrane technology market across the world.

A research study by Transparency Market Research (TMR) has stated that the worldwide market for membrane technology stood at US$6.4 bn in 2013. Analysts estimate this market to expand at a CAGR of 9.10% between 2014 and 2019 and reach a value of US$10.8 bn by the end of 2019.

What are the key factors driving the global membrane technology market?

The introduction of single-use disposable technology for biopharmaceutical products is the main driving force behind the robust growth of this market. Other than this, the implementation of stringent regulations regarding sterilizing drugs and medications during production is fueling the demand for membrane filtration, adding significantly to the market’s rise. 

The continual advances introduced in the membrane technology are also boosting the market for membrane technology considerably across the world.

What are the major challenges faced by this market?

The global membrane technology market faces severe challenges from membrane fouling. In various processes such as membrane bioreactor, solutions or particles get deposited on the surface of the membrane, degrading its performance, thereby hindering the filtration process.

Apart from this, the high capital investment and operational cost associated with membrane technology also restrict companies to venture into this market, impeding its growth.

Browse Research Release:

What are the key strategies adopted by players operating in this for business expansion?

Most of the participants in the global membrane technology market are focusing on research and innovation as well as advancement of existing products to gain competitiveness in the market. One of the leading market players, the US-based GE Healthcare Life Sciences, has recently introduced a new ultrafiltration membrane technology for water treatment, named ZeeWeed 700B to be used in the offshore oil and gas market. This new horizontal-designed, inside-out UF membrane provides removal of solids in oil and gas applications and pre-treatment for seawater used for injection.

In May 2015, the company launched a novel nanofiltration membrane for seawater sulfate removal, specially designed for the upstream oil and gas market.

Mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships have also been popular among market players looking for strengthening their positions by expanding their product portfolios. Advantec MFS, Amazon Filters, Trisep Corp., Novasep, Koch Membrane System, Merck Millipore, 3M Co., and Sartorius are some of the other major enterprises operating in the worldwide membrane technology market.