Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membrane Market Forecasts to 2028 – Global Analysis By Material (Thin Film Composite Membranes, Cellulose-Based Membranes), Filter Module (Hollow-Fiber Membranes, Tubular-Shaped Membranes) and By Geography

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membrane Market is accounted for $3.10 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $6.85 billion by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 12.0% during the forecast period. Reverse osmosis is a water purification technology used primarily to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from drinking water. The technology uses a semi-permeable membrane, which is made of cellulose or other material, to remove dissolved salts or organic molecules. RO membranes are used in applications such as desalination of seawater, brackish water treatment, wastewater recovery, and industrial water treatment. It is the most economical and practical method of purification and treatment of water.

Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Increasing demand for clean drinking water

The government regulations and increasing demand for clean processed drinking water are driving the water and wastewater treatment industry. Government of different countries have initiated various programs. They also have emphasized on treating and reusing contaminated water. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set international guidelines for drinking water for all the countries. All these regulations and mandatory water treatment initiatives are expected to drive the market for RO membranes in the near future.

Restraint:

Membrane scaling

Reverse Osmosis membrane continues to increase in demand with the growth of the water treatment sector. However, fouling and scaling are its major drawbacks. Fouling occurs in both cellulose-based and thin-film composite membranes. There are four types of fouling, namely, biological, colloidal, scaling, and organic. The saturation of salts on the surface of the membrane is core reason for scaling in the desalination plants and the fouling results in reduced flux and life span of the membrane. Fouling can be controlled to some extent by using disinfectant, anti-scaling, and other pre-treatment, which add to the cost of operation. The fouling persists and remains a key area for improvement in the quality of the membrane, which has hampered the RO membrane market growth.

Opportunity:

Growing demand from developing economies

The need for water desalination from seas and oceans is likely to increase in the developing countries. Countries in the Middle East and South America are establishing water desalination and brackish water treatment units to deal with water scarcity problems. RO membrane is the leading technology for seawater and brackish water desalination and accounts for a significant portion in all desalination plants, as it consumes less energy compared to other technologies. The surge in demand for RO membranes in water treatment processes, especially in the countries of Asia Pacific and the Middle East & Africa is accounted by the increase in demand for potable water in developing economies for drinking, agriculture, and other industries.

Threat:

Discharge of brine

Brine is generally defined as water with a salt concentration higher than 50 parts per thousand, though some brines can be several times saltier. Producing fresh water in the driest parts of the world by removing the salt from sea water is resulting in a deluge of brine which is a significant challenge, especially in the Middle East and North Africa region. Also, another challenge faced during the development of RO seawater desalination plants is the impingement of marine organisms that are larger than intake screens and the entrainment of small organisms. RO seawater and inland desalination plants discharge dense brine into the ocean, which may cause harmful effects on the marine environment. This challenge has to be overcome through technological advancement and finding a sustainable avenue to manage brine and safeguard the marine environment.

The thin film composite membranes segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

Thin film composite membranes are widely for water & wastewater treatment. Thin film composite membranes are manufactured largely for use in water purification or desalination systems. These membranes have high rejection for unwanted materials such as metal ions and salts, good mechanical strength, and high filtration rate. In addition, these membranes possess good chemical and mechanical stability and portray excellent membrane formability characteristics. Also, these membranes have been recognized to promote water permeation thus, high water recovery and good quality of treated water.
 
The water & wastewater treatment segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Water shortage and improving regulations mandating wastewater treatment and reuse are driving the market for water & wastewater treatment segment. Rising demand for potable water from countries such as China, India, Brazil, African nations, and others have also led to the large market size. In addition, increasing desalination activities in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, India, China, the US, and others are expected to further drive the market for water & wastewater treatment.

Region with largest share:

Asia Pacific is projected to hold the largest market share owing to the rapid growth in the requirement to provide additional potable water to increasing populations and support agricultural needs, mining needs, and electric utility needs among others.

Region with highest CAGR:

Asia Pacific is projected to have the highest CAGR due to the increasing government initiatives in providing water access to all, an increase in the population, and heightened urbanization. China, Japan, and India are the major markets in this region. In addition, expanding industrial activities, residential & commercial sector growth in countries such as Singapore, China, Malaysia, India, and others, are also driving the market growth of water & wastewater treatment in the RO membrane industry.

Key players in the market

Some of the key players profiled in the Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membrane Market include LG Chem, Koch Membrane Systems Inc, LANXESS AG, Toray Industries Inc, Membranium, Vontron, GE Water & Process Technologies, Transfilm, Trisep Corporation, Recsun, Hydranautics, Toyobo Co Ltd, Keensen, Seaps, and Dow Water & Process Solutions.

Key developments:

In November 2020: LG Chem supplied RO membrane to Al Khobar II project, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The plant has production capacity of 600 million liters per day (MLD). The project aims to meet the water quality requirements with low energy consumption.

In October 2020: Koch partnered with Waste 3R Engineering & Solutions. The partnership aims to promote company’s advanced separation technologies for industrial water and wastewater projects across Bangladesh and help to achieve the recycling and reuse by leveraging the company’s membrane products and system.

In December 2019: Toray Industries created a seawater desalination reverse osmosis membrane. This membrane can produce 70% cleaner water than other conventional offerings. This technology helps in the reduction of water production cost and aims to fulfill global demand of clean water.

Materials Covered:
• Thin Film Composite Membranes
• Cellulose-Based Membranes

Filter Modules Covered:
• Hollow-Fiber Membranes
• Tubular-Shaped Membranes (Capillary)
• Spiral-Wound Membranes
• Plate & Frame (PF)

Applications Covered:
• Desalination
• Ingredient Water
• Utility Water Treatment
• Medical Devices and Diagnostics
• Reverse Osmosis Purification System
• Process Water
• Boiler Feed

End Users Covered:
• Industrial Processing
• Water & Wastewater Treatment

Regions Covered:
• North America
o US
o Canada
o Mexico
• Europe
o Germany
o UK
o Italy
o France
o Spain
o Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
o Japan       
o China       
o India       
o Australia 
o New Zealand
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia Pacific   
• South America
o Argentina
o Brazil
o Chile
o Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
o Saudi Arabia
o UAE
o Qatar
o South Africa
o Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:
- Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
- Covers Market data for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2028
- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Free Customization Offerings:
All the customers of this report will be entitled to receive one of the following free customization options:
• Company Profiling
o Comprehensive profiling of additional market players (up to 3)
o SWOT Analysis of key players (up to 3)
• Regional Segmentation
o Market estimations, Forecasts and CAGR of any prominent country as per the client's interest (Note: Depends on feasibility check)
• Competitive Benchmarking
o Benchmarking of key players based on product portfolio, geographical presence, and strategic alliances