Smart PPE Market

Smart PPE Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

Expanding at a high-value CAGR of 14.1% from 2023 to 2033, the global smart PPE market is projected to increase from a value of US$ 3.65 billion in 2023 to US$ 13.7 billion by the end of 2033.

Personal protective equipment that combines the functionality of smart sensors and wearable technology to enhance the safety of the user is termed smart personal protective equipment (PPE). Growing adoption of Industry 4.0 standards in different sectors and surging use of powerful automated machines are projected to influentially augment sales of smart PPE products in the long run.

Advancements in wearable technology, implementation of stringent safety mandates for workers and employers, increasing workplace hazards, and continual efforts to reduce industrial injuries are other aspects that promote market development over the coming years. The growing use of smart textiles and continual innovations in smart sensors are also opening up new avenues of opportunities for established as well as incoming smart PPE companies going forward.

• In April 2021, Iristick, a renowned manufacturer of smart glasses based in Belgium, announced the launch of its new smart glasses for frontline workers. The Iristick.H1 glasses are head-mounted and feature a 3-axis adjustable display for the wearer.

On the contrary, the high cost of connected PPE and smart safety gear is projected to influentially inhibit overall market growth through 2033. The complex nature of smart personal protective equipment and lack of awareness regarding their benefits are other constraints that are limiting the sales of products such as smart helmets, smart vests, smart shoes, etc.

Shortage of personal protective equipment and increasing supply of counterfeit PPE are also projected to be key challenges that manufacturers and distributors will need to overcome in the future.

• In May 2021, Honeywell, a leading multinational conglomerate providing safety solutions, announced the launch of its new authentication technology for its PPE manufactured in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to fight counterfeiting issues in the MEA and African regions. The end users could scan a digital code embedded in the packaging of the product to confirm its authenticity.

Report Attributes	Details
Smart PPE Market Size (2023)	US$ 3.65 Billion
Projected Market Value (2033F)	US$ 13.7 Billion
Global Market Growth Rate (2023 to 2033)	14.1% CAGR
Protective Clothing Market Share (2033F)	~70%
North America Market Share (2023)	~30%
Key Companies Profiled	3M Company Seebo Interactive Ltd. MSA Safety Ansell Vuzix Corporation Intellinium Honeywell International Inc. DuPont de Nemours Inc. Uvex Winter Group Draegerwerk AG & Co.

Should Start-ups Venture Into the Smart PPE Space?

“Growing Focus on Worker Safety Offering Plethora of Opportunities for New Smart PPE Companies”

Inadequate efforts taken to protect workers in different industries have resulted in heavy loss of lives and this is why governments are now pushing employers to take strides in worker safety. Growing awareness regarding worker safety coupled with the high availability of smart safety equipment have created a highly opportune space for incoming connected PPE providers.

• In June 2021, Gales, a California-based footwear company founded in 2020, announced the launch of its first-ever line of smart PPE footwear designed specifically for nurses. The new footwear products are waterproof, antimicrobial, and slip-resistant to provide maximum safety and comfort for medical professionals and caregivers.
• In May 2020, Kenzen, a start-up founded in 2016 and focusing on the prediction and prevention of industrial workforce injuries, announced the launch of a new worker heat monitoring system. The cloud-based system comprises a wearable device that can be worn by workers and offers real-time alerts to them as well as their supervisors when the temperature spikes past safety limits to prevent injuries.
• Flyability, a start-up founded in 2014 and focuses on improving confined workplace safety through drone solutions to reach inaccessible spaces. The need for predictive maintenance as per the new Industry 4.0 norms is what this start-up is addressing with its novel technology and LiDAR.

Know more about other challenges and trends such as local supply, pricing trends, product standards, safety regulations, and new developments from this informative smart PPE market research report compiled by skilled analysts at Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, which gives readers a better understanding of the current and future market scope.

Country-wise Insights

Why Should Smart PPE Manufacturers Target the United States and Canada?

“Rapid Adoption of Advanced Safety Technologies”

Countries in the North American region have been early adopters of several advanced technologies and are home to some of the most prominent industrial establishments and companies in the world. Surging adoption of industrial IoT tech, wearable devices, and smart sensors in the United States and Canada is creating highly attractive demand for smart goggles, wearable PPE, smart masks, remote PPE monitoring, and real-time PPE monitoring in the North American region over the next ten years.

• At present, smart PPE demand in the North American region accounts for around 30% share of the global market.

Efforts of the Canadian government to boost the economic growth of the country are pushing industrialization in the country, which is projected to create a lucrative setting for smart PPE suppliers in the country. The increasing number of fatalities due to industrial accidents in Canada is projected to uplift the adoption of smart PPE over the coming years. The government of Canada is also launching new programs to train and educate workers about workplace safety.

• In May 2023, the Ontario government revealed that they were investing US$ 12.5 million in Ontario’s six different safety and health organizations to provide safety training to businesses and workers.

How Will Smart PPE Companies Fare in China and India?

“Market Driven by Availability of Cheap Raw Materials, Imposition of Strict Worker Safety Norms, and Rapid Industrialization”

China and India are leading manufacturing hubs in the Asia Pacific region and this is projected to stay true for smart PPE companies as well. The presence of supportive government initiatives, low-cost labor, increasing industrial activity, and growing awareness regarding worker safety are other influential prospects that make the aforementioned countries a hotspot for established as well as new smart PPE vendors.

Surging number of industrial accidents claiming the lives of workers in India has attracted attention from different organizations and is pushing the government to launch new laws regarding worker safety for employers and business owners.

• As per Geneva-based IndustriALL Global Union, more than 162 workers lost their lives in industrial accidents in India during the year 2021.

What’s Attracting Smart PPE Companies to Europe?

“Growing Adoption of Industry 4.0-Compliant Safety Standards”

European countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy are home to some of the most prominent manufacturing facilities for industry verticals such as automotive, chemical, healthcare, etc. These facilities are quickly adopting new safety standards as governments in the European region impose strict mandates to ensure worker safety with advanced technologies.

Category-wise Insights

Which Industries Hold Sway Over Smart PPE Demand?

“Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Construction – Sectors of Interest for Smart PPE Suppliers”

The risky work environment of manufacturing, construction, and oil & gas sectors makes them a highly attractive target for smart PPE companies. Increasing awareness regarding industrial accidents and the implementation of advanced worker safety systems by employers are also projected to contribute to high sales of smart PPE products in the aforementioned industry verticals going forward.

The healthcare industry is also estimated to be a major contributor to smart PPE shipments over the next ten years. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 bolstered the importance of personal protective equipment in the healthcare industry like no other event ever did. Frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases and rising awareness regarding hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are forecasted to foster demand for protective clothing and other connected PPE products in the healthcare sector over the coming years.

Competitive Landscape

Top-tier smart PPE manufacturers are focusing on achieving certifications and approvals from regulatory bodies and launching new products to boost their sales potential.

• In January 2023, Intellinium, a renowned name in the smart worker safety space, announced that it had received ATEX product certification under the examination of LCIE Bureau Veritas. The company is revolutionizing the ATEX space with its device that can communicate on various frequencies and protocols such as GNSS, NFC, LoRaWAN, 4G LTE-M, etc.
• In January 2023, German Bionic, a leading European robotics company developing and manufacturing connected exoskeletons and wearables, announced the launch of three new products. One of the products is Smart SafetyVest, which is an advanced PPE product that utilizes sensors to gather information on workplace productivity.

Key Segments of Smart PPE Industry Research

• By Product Type :

  • Protective Clothing
  • Head, Eye, and Face Protection
  • Protective Footwear
  • Hearing Protection
  • Respiratory Protection
  • Hand Protection
  • Others

• By End-use Industry :

  • Oil & Gas
  • Construction
  • Firefighting
  • Manufacturing
  • Healthcare Facilities
  • Mining
  • Others

• By Region :

  • North America
  • Latin America
  • Europe
  • APAC
  • MEA