Macrofiltration Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Granular Micro Filter, Leaf Tubular and Press Filter, Filter Press Filter, Belt Filter Press, Bag Filter, Auto Backwash Filters, Others), By Industry Verticals (Water and Wastewater, Chemical and Pharmaceutical, Mining and Metal, Food and Beverage, Paper and Pulp, Others) and By Region(North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, LATAM) Forecasts, 2023-2031

Market Overview

The global macrofiltration market size was valued at USD 7,361.42 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 12,436.47 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

Macrofiltration is the process of removing non-solute solid particles larger than 1.0 microns from water. By passing through a porous medium or membrane, the particles are filtered. Solid particles are suspended in hard and dirty water. The filter membranes catch the contaminants. Ion exchange membrane units similarly capture the resin and carbon particles. The efficiency of the filters that maintain and catch naturally occurring particles can be improved. There are distinct product lines of mesh screens and filters designed to satisfy the requirements of macrofiltration.

The technique of macrofiltration is widely employed in water and wastewater treatment facilities. The macrofiltration technique includes filter presses with large-gauge pores and dead-end type filters. This method of harvesting is ideal for this particular type of filamentous algae due to its size and resistance to clogging membrane screens and flowing through holes. The procedure is quick, effective, low-cost, and retains the most algal biomass possible. The macrofiltration process can be more effective using filter aids like diatomaceous earth.

Highlights

• Granular micro filter dominates the product segment
• Water and wastewater dominate the industry vertical segment
• North America is the highest shareholder in the global market

Market Dynamics

Global Macrofiltration Market Drivers:

Stringent Environment Regulations

The government is taking strict actions to preserve biodiversity and sustain the environment due to the rise in concerns about environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. In addition, the government is worried about the quality of the water. As a result, it concentrates on several policies that contribute to the environment's safety. One of these includes using Macrofiltration, which helps to remove pathogens in the water, thus purifying the water. This helps reduce the concerns related to water pollution. Similarly, using macrofiltration membranes to purify the water is one of the stringent regulations imposed by the governments of countries such as China, India, Korea, and Africa, among others, to help save the environment from industrial wastewater discharge. Consequently, this boosts the demand and the growth of the macrofiltration market.

Rising Population in Water-Stressed Areas and Rise in Pollution

There is an increase in the demand for freshwater in the water-stressed areas in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and other Middle Eastern countries due to the rise in population and rapid urbanization. Macrofiltration membranes help purify water and deliver fresh water to the end-users. Therefore, these are being increasingly adopted by most consumers in these countries, which fuels the growth of the market.

Additionally, there is an increase in the quantity of industrial waste due to a rise in industrial activities across emerging economies. This industrial waste contains hazardous metal ions that can percolate in the soil, water reserves, and rainwater. In order to overcome this, landfill leachate is widely used to dump industrial waste. Macrofiltration membranes are used in the treatment of discharge. This factor drives the growth of the macrofiltration membrane market.

Global Macrofiltration Market Restraint:

High Cost of Backwash Filter 

The high cost of backwash filters is possessing a threat to the global market. During regular use, the backwash filter becomes contaminated with organic matter. Also, bacteria of water stick into the filter, which emits a foul smell. This produces an off-taste or odor in the water. In addition, periodic cleaning is required to keep the water treatment filters functional. Few filters may require disinfection after installation. Hence, ineffective backwashing is one of the primary reasons why water treatment filters fail, hindering the macrofiltration market's growth.

Global Macrofiltration Market Opportunities:

Increasing Use of Chemical-Free Water Treatment and Advancement in Filtration Technologies

The introduction of chemical-free water treatment with the utilization of macrofiltration membranes makes way for an excellent opportunity for the market due to increased regulations associated with using chemicals in water treatment. This provides easy access to clean and safe water by fueling the adoption of these membranes for purification. The market is expected to rise throughout the forecast period due to this increase in adoption. In addition, introducing various technologies in the water treatment systems, such as portable water filtration devices, leads to lower operation costs, energy costs, and flux rates. These factors provide lucrative opportunities for manufacturers in the market. Moreover, a rise in awareness regarding fresh and clean water and the introduction of chemical-free filtration processes are significant factors providing numerous opportunities in the market.

Regional Analysis

North America Dominates the Global Market

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

North America is the most significant shareholder in the global market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. North America is one of the leading markets for microfiltration due to the number of sewage treatment facilities and industrial manufacturing facilities. This is projected to increase demand for the belt filter press industry. Stringent regulations about water quality standards, increased use of treated water for industrial processes, and population growth are significant factors driving North America's market growth. Furthermore, macrofiltration treatments are essential in the water treatment process; therefore, development in their design is expected to boost the market growth. North America is expanding due to the presence of key countries like the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The U.S. dominates the regional market due to the presence of leading food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and mining industries. Further, the chemical industry in the U.S. is one of its largest manufacturing industries. This has positioned the U.S. as a leading consumer of macrofiltration products.

Asia-Pacific is estimated to rise at a CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is one of the significant markets for microfiltration, owing to the construction of large numbers of sewage treatment plants, which boosts the demand for the belt filter press segment. The belt filter press is increasingly utilized for wastewater treatment. An increase in industrialization and water treatment of municipal wastewater majorly fuels the growth of the Asia-Pacific macrofiltration market. In addition, the enormous expansion of the chemical sector across India, China, and Japan is anticipated to increase the need for macrofiltration. The 13th Five-Year Plan in China is expected to improve sewage treatment demand significantly. Furthermore, according to National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) statistics, around 32.5% of China's seven major river systems and 29.2% of China's significant basins must meet the prevailing water quality standards (grade III and below). Hence, with the target to increase wastewater treatment, the demand for belt filter presses is expected to increase significantly. This factor is projected to propel the market growth.

Europe comprises all the end-use industries consuming macrofiltration products, such as chemicals, mining, paper and pulp, and food and beverage. Further, most European countries have developed wastewater management infrastructure to meet water quality demands. Countries in Europe, such as Germany, the UK, France, Sweden, Italy, and Spain, lead the demand for macro filters. Investments in wastewater treatment and government regulations for water management offer opportunities for the growth of the market in these regions.

Water purification technology still requires investment in Middle East countries. Few regions in the Middle East face water scarcity due to irregular rainfall, irrigation, and a rise in population. In several countries, poor waste management, a lack of resources, and inefficient purification methods have led to insufficient or unsafe drinking water for the public. As water treatment methods are expected to develop, macrofiltration treatment is anticipated to boost the market majorly. Industrial expansion and the rise in population propel the demand for better water treatment technology, providing opportunities for the growth of the macrofiltration technology market. In addition, continuous R&D activities in nanotechnology regarding water filtration, such as the development of ceramic membranes, are anticipated to drive the expansion of the market.

South Africa is home to around 40% of the world's population that lives in small rural villages and scattered settlements. Access to potable water and decent sanitation is a governmental objective in South Africa. Hence, the government has set a 100% potable water supply coverage target. However, most South Africans reside in rural areas and need a reliable source of safe drinking water. This results in risks of acquiring water-borne diseases with negative financial effects on the government. As governments set a target for improving the condition of water, the demand for macrofiltration to provide safe drinking water is anticipated to increase soon.

Segmental Analysis

The global macrofiltration market is segmented by product and industry verticals.

Based on product, the global market is divided into granular micro filters, leaf tubular and press filters, filter press filters, belt filter press, bag filters, auto backwash filters, and others. 

The granular micro filter segment is responsible for the largest market share and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% over the forecast period. The granular microfilter filters water through granular material (regularly sand) while suspended solids (sand, clay, iron, and aluminum flocs) are retained. Sand, gravel, diatomaceous earth, coal, and other minerals are used in granular microfiltration. There are several plans and scales (sizes) of granular microfilters. Some examples are roughing filters, bucket filters, barrel or drum filters, and bucket filters. Granular media are used for household and community water treatment. However, a granular microfilter also has several disadvantages. It is ineffective in removing chemicals that do not attract carbon, such as sodium, nitrates, heavy metals, and fluoride. In addition, it is not effective against a few pathogenic bacteria and viruses. However, this issue can be resolved by adding trace amounts of silver to slow down bacterial growth.

Auto Backwash type self-cleaning filters work on a flow direction of outside to inside. Auto backwash filters are used in various applications such as juice, beer, sugar, vinegar, edible oil, wine, vegetable oil, electrolyte, electro galvanizing solution, lithium processing, etc. These filters require high maintenance. Moreover, as the scarcity of high-quality potable water sources increases, non-potable fresh water, such as well water, is increasingly utilized. These water sources contain clogging factors such as clay particles, sand, silt, and organic matter. These contaminants build up on the inner surface of the filter screen and cause a filter cake to develop. If the cake is not cleaned, it may become thick enough to clog the filter. This results in reduced performance of the filter and clogged emitters, which is one of the significant challenges of this filter. The market is growing because of the rising demand for filtered water in the food and beverage industry and the residential sector to ensure product safety.

Based on industry verticals, the global market is segmented into water and wastewater, mining and metal, chemical and pharmaceutical, food and beverage, paper and pulp, and others. 

The water and wastewater segment owns the highest market share and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period. Applying macrofiltration in water and wastewater treatment includes wastewater treatment, reuse, and desalination. Filters that are used in water treatment are pressure sand filters (PSF), disc filters (DF), and mesh filters (MF). Urbanization and industrialization in Asia-Pacific have led to more freshwater consumption. In addition, oil and grease, radioactive, iron and steel, chemical, and other industrial waste are released straight into the ocean or rivers because industrialization needs more water. This discharged waste is harmful to aquatic life as well as to human health. The effluents are separated, and both filtration and disinfection are done simultaneously, which removes the extra cost of the chemical's dosage.

The paper and pulp industry is the highest water-using sector. The process consists of two steps such as pulping and bleaching. First is pulping, in which wood chips are used as a raw material that is treated to remove lignin and improve fibers for papermaking. Bleaching is the last process that aims to whiten and brighten the pulp. All these processes require fresh water during the processing of each step, which also uses macrofiltration for the filtration process. In addition, paper and pulp wastewater usually contains organic compounds and fibers that produce high concentrations of chemicals such as sodium sulfide, bisulfites, sodium carbonate elemental chlorine or chlorine dioxide, and sodium hydroxide. It also includes biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and suspended solids. These organic compounds and fibers can hamper aquatic and human health when released into the water. Therefore, to reduce this, membrane filters are used that are projected to increase the demand for the macrofiltration market automatically.

Recent Developments

• November 2022- Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions wintroduced the ZeeWeed 500EV, a next-generation wastewater treatment technology. This novel arrangement enables major towns to address the urgent demand for capacity expansion while reducing membrane tank footprint by up to 50 percent and energy expenses by 20 percent.

• July 2022- ZeeLung* Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) and E.C.O.Film* technologies from SUEZ: Water Technologies & Solutions (SUEZ WTS) were named Top Product of the Year in the 2022 Environment + Energy Leader Awards for their success in assisting customers in reducing overall costs and achieving sustainability goals.