Autosampler Market

Market Overview

The global autosampler market size was valued at USD 1.33 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 2.38 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

A typical autosampler is a device connected to an analytical instrument that provides periodic samples for analysis. An autosampler can also be interpreted as a device periodically collecting samples from a large source, like the atmosphere or a lake. Autosamplers facilitate substantial gains in productivity, precision, and accuracy in various analytical scenarios and are therefore utilized extensively in laboratories. Common applications include liquid injection, static and dynamic headspace, purge and capture, and fraction extraction.

Autosamplers are utilized in various clinical and scientific applications by various devices, including water analyzers, liquid and gas chromatography devices, and titrators. Autosamplers facilitate substantial gains in productivity, precision, and accuracy in various analytical scenarios and are therefore utilized extensively in laboratories. These devices have widespread applications in various industries, including the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical, and medical sectors.

Market Dynamics

Global Autosampler Market Drivers

Increasing Number of Research Studies

The development of biological and chemical research has led to an increase in the need for autosamplers. Research studies and innovations are increasing at a high rate to meet the growing demand in industries such as life sciences, food and beverages, and chemicals. Testing new products at a lab scale and transferring them to the manufacturing level concludes research in these industries. In order to meet the surging demand for products and to enable companies to sustain their growth in the market, investments in R&D in the abovementioned industries are increasing.

According to a report from Research America, investments in medical health R&D increased from 2013 to 2016, with a 20.6% growth in overall spending. The U.S. spent USD 171.8 billion on medical and health R&D in 2016. Healthcare service companies, medical technology developers, and biopharmaceutical developers contributed to this R&D spending. Therefore, rising investments in R&D and increasing activities related to R&D are expected to fuel market growth.

Benefits Offered by Autosamplers

The fast use of autosamplers connected to analytical systems has increased lab output. It is now possible for analytical chemists to generate high-quality data without constantly being on-site in the lab. The autosampler provides better reproducibility and high accuracy and minimizes sampling errors. It also can house multiple numbers of sample vials in each sequence, making it convenient to run various samples requiring similar analysis conditions.

Moreover, it is imperative to note that sample preparation holds significant importance within the realm of analytical chemistry. The significance of precision and meticulousness cannot be overstated. Hence, many laboratories are interested in automating the procedures of sample preparations to limit the possibility of human error. Such benefits provided by autosamplers boost global market expansion.

Global Autosampler Market Restraints

Lack of Skill Professionals

There has been a shortage of skilled professionals for gas chromatography procedures. The introduction of technological advancements such as automation has outpaced the manufacturing workforce's ability to adapt. Digitally literate and trained professionals are crucial to leveraging the benefits offered by the latest technologies. Thus, scarcity of skilled workforce is expected to adversely affect this market's growth, innovation, quality, and production capabilities.

The shortage of digitally trained professionals and discrepancies in economic growth and literacy rates worldwide are anticipated to hinder market growth. For instance, according to the American Institutes for Research article, nearly 16% of U.S. adults are digitally illiterate compared to 23% of adults in other nations. This preexisting gap is further widened by the lack of education related to technological advancements in developing countries, thus limiting market growth.

Global Autosampler Market Opportunities

Increasing Use of Automation in the Laboratories

Lab automation systems are gradually used in R&D laboratories for an extensive range of operational applications and purposes. As per a reader survey performed by the editors of R&D Magazine in late 2014, the top three applications include: to improve the accuracy of lab operations (selected by 61% of the readers), to improve lab productivity (58%), to ensure the reliability of the lab operations (48%). Many life scientists (41%) employ autosampler systems in their integrated lab automation environment.

A concept referred to as total lab automation (TLA) is now being developed in a small number of specialty labs (mostly high-volume clinical or biomedical applications) that consist of specimen sorters, automation systems, robotic transporters, and analytical analyzers. These systems can have a large impact on automating the testing and further increasing the lab's productivity by reducing most manual operations. These systems are used in large-scale biorepositories, combinatorial chemistry, high-throughput screening, medical diagnostics, clinical and analytical testing, chemical and materials processing, and many other applications. Therefore, increasing the use of automation in laboratories creates opportunities for market growth.

Regional Analysis

Based on region, the global autosampler market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa.

North America Dominates the Global Market

North America is the most significant global autosampler market shareholder and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period. North America is also projected to lead the market over the forecast period. This is attributed to numerous pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical firms engaged in R&D. Moreover, a rise in grants—such as the National Institute of Health (NIH) to foster research activities—offered by government organizations is also predicted to boost market growth. Local businesses' high caliber and proven success is anticipated to draw further research funding over the next years. In addition, one of the most important contributors to research funding is the biopharmaceutical industry. Many businesses are investing much in sample storage and the creation of promising new leads, generating interest in the goods. The widespread spread of coronavirus has also led to an increase in the number of businesses working on the creation of treatments and vaccines, which has contributed to the expansion of the market.

Europe is predicted to exhibit a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. Europe is the second largest contributor to the autosamplers market globally after North America. Europe's pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries have substantially invested in R&D in the past year due to the rising demand for advanced medicines. This may be attributed to the increasing aging population, chronic diseases, and infectious diseases. The availability of advanced technologies and infrastructure in Europe is also anticipated to boost R&D investments in the region. In addition, the EU has taken initiatives in various projects and is discovering and developing various drugs within the region, including biosimilars and vaccines.

Additionally, Germany highly emphasizes technology innovation, manufacturing, and development of high-quality pharmaceutical and medical device products. The presence of skilled pharmaceutical, medical, and engineering technicians has enabled German companies to develop complex and efficient production processes. This, in turn, has strengthened these companies' capabilities to produce innovative products, which reduce the overall analytical testing time, thereby facilitating market growth in this country.

In Asia-Pacific, healthcare demand is expected to rise due to the region's growing population and the widespread presence of chronic diseases. This is anticipated to accelerate the drug approval process and thereby indirectly facilitate market growth in this region. Moreover, harmonizing the regulatory standards of these regions with the ICH standards is anticipated to fuel market growth. Ongoing studies in drug discovery, private-public collaborations, and government initiatives are other factors likely to propel the growth of the Asian autosamplers market.

Furthermore, the strategic alliances between the various stakeholders are also anticipated to fuel market growth. In August 2015, WuXi Pharma Tech signed a strategic partnership with Lee Pharmaceutical for laboratory testing. The CRO will provide chemistry analytical services, oncology, in-vivo and in-vitro biology, immunology, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics, in-vitro ADME, clinical bioanalysis, and toxicology for its R&D programs. The improved regulatory framework, high-cost savings, many clinical trials being conducted, and a surge in the number of medical device companies are expected to drive market growth.

In Latin America, the market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. Supportive government initiatives in Brazil and an enhanced regulatory framework in Mexico are expected to boost market growth in Latin America. Moreover, the increasing investments of multinational pharmaceutical companies in these regions and a rising number of domestic players are anticipated to boost the market demand.

Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have highly developed healthcare infrastructure, significant R&D expenditure, and high accessibility to healthcare services. The Middle East and African nations are placing more emphasis on innovation now that they are aware of how important it is for gaining a competitive advantage. These countries have also eased the flow of private funding for setting a strong research base. Many key pharma players consider Middle East and African countries as high-opportunity markets and plan to set up R&D facilities owing to greater access to technical talent and proximity to customer insight.

Segmental Analysis

The global autosampler market is segmented by product and end-user.

Based on the product, the global autosampler market is bifurcated into autosampler systems and autosampler accessories. 

The autosampler system segment dominates the global market and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. The autosampler systems were the largest market size and share segment. This is attributed to its advantages over manual injection systems and the growing importance of chromatography in drug approvals. The autosampler provides better reproducibility and high accuracy and minimizes sampling errors. It also can house multiple sample vials in each sequence, making it convenient to run various samples requiring similar analysis conditions.

Furthermore, the autosampler segment is further bifurcated into GC autosamplers and LC autosamplers. The LC autosampler is the largest revenue contributor to this segment. It includes autosamplers for liquid chromatography. They support various sample vessels and work with different machines to execute numerous chemical measurements, such as liquid chromatography and water analyzers (like dissolved inorganic carbon analyzers, nutrient analyzers, and total carbon analyzers). They feature large sample capacity and application versatility. It can look after various applications, including analytical, preparative, IC, UHPLC, LC/MS, etc.

Autosampler closures need to support the use of robotic devices that are used in conjunction with laboratory instruments. It includes various accessories of autosamplers such as vials, syringes and needles, septum, and others comprising sample plates and seals. Accessories are important parts of the autosampler systems as they are vital in running them. The vials may seem insignificant compared to the advanced analytical instruments used in laboratories. However, using the wrong vial, septum, or cap might result in several issues that lower productivity and repeatability.

Additionally, the brand of the autosampler determines the needle, syringe, container, and septum options. Particular accessories go with a particular brand of autosamplers. For instance, Hamilton Company provides different HPLC autosampler syringes such as syringes for Agilent autosampler, syringes for Shimadzu autosampler, syringes for PerkinElmer autosampler, and many more. Hence, it is vital to comply with those standards and select accessories as per the autosamplers' compatibility.

Based on end-users, the global autosampler market is segmented into pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies, chemical industries, research institutes, CROs, and others. 

The pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies segment owns the highest market share and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are anticipated to grow gradually over the forecast period. This is mainly because they are largely involved in the R&D of a product and outsource other services to CROs. As per Investopedia, pharmaceutical companies spend around 17% of their revenues on R&D on average. Pharmaceutical companies heavily rely on R&D as their success is contingent on developing new drugs. As of 2019, a significant proportion of the leading pharmaceutical corporations allocate approximately 20% of their total income into research and development (R&D) endeavors.

Pharmaceutical companies are progressively outsourcing research activities to CROs to stay competitive and flexible in a world of exponentially growing knowledge, gradually sophisticated technologies, and an unstable economic environment. The R&D tasks that the company chooses to outsource include a wide-ranging spectrum of activities from basic research to late-stage development that comprises genetic engineering, assay development, target validation, hit exploration and lead optimization, safety and efficacy tests in animal models, and clinical trials involving humans. The patent expiration and proliferation of generic medications create demand for CROs. The increasing number of biologics is also boosting the market growth.

Recent Developments

• September 2022- HTA announced the release of the HT1200I, the first and only ICP autosampler with closed sample tube support. The support for sealed samples and reagent tubes provides the definitive solution to corrosion and unpleasant odors, which are extremely prevalent problems when working with ICP reagents.
• March 2023- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. TMO introduced the Thermo Scientific iCAP RQplus ICP-MS Analyzer, a new trace elemental analyzer. The analyzer simplifies routine laboratory analyses in environmental, agricultural, pharmaceutical, and industrial settings. The company also introduces the Thermo Scientific iSC-65 Autosampler, which improves the efficiency of the Thermo Scientific iCAP Qnova Series ICP-MS analyzer and the Thermo Scientific iCAP PRO Series ICP-OES.