Industry Trends

North America Protective Face Masks Market Size was valued at USD 141.9 million in 2019 and is expected to witness -11.9% CAGR from 2020 to 2026.

Protective face masks are used by medical professionals and individuals to prevent the spread of infections. The layers of face masks trap the pathogens, preventing their contact with the respiratory system. This helps prevent the spread of infections to healthy individuals. Protective masks are of different types such as procedure or exam masks and surgical masks.

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The growing number of COVID-19 cases across the continent will drive the demand for protective face masks. North America has been significantly affected by the pandemic, with almost a million cases in the U.S. alone. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have prescribed the use of masks to prevent the spread of infection. These factors will serve to increase the awareness regarding the benefits of masks in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, thus driving product demand. Furthermore, shortages experienced by the government during the pandemic will push the state and federal governments into increasing the national stockpiles. This will further boost the demand for protective face masks and propel the regional industry expansion.

Rising number of surgeries in the region will augment the industry expansion. Face masks are predominantly used by medical professionals during procedures and check-ups to maintain sterility and avoid spread of infection. Growing number of surgeries in the region will drive the demand for protective face masks from caregivers, positively impacting the market growth. Increasing cases of chronic diseases such as cardiac ailments, and diabetes due to unhealthy lifestyle choices will boost the number of surgeries. Thus, there will be a positive impact on the North America protective face masks market.

 North America Market Share, By Product

By product, the market is segmented into procedure masks, surgical masks, N95 respirators and face shields. The N95 respirators segment was valued at nearly USD 245 million in 2019 and is expected to register significant growth during the forecast timeframe. N95 respirators prevent the entry of 95% of particles greater than 0.3 microns in size. These are particularly effective at preventing the spread of the COVID-19 infection and thus have experienced great demand during the pandemic. The efficacy of prevention of infection, coupled with a sharp rise in production will propel the segment growth.

N95 respirators are further segmented as N95 respirators with valves and without valves. N95 respirators with valves segment is forecasted to exceed USD 34 million by 2026. The rise in demand can be attributed to the increased comfort of these masks. The presence of the valves makes exhalation easier, improving comfort. These factors will propel the market growth during the forecast period.

North America Market Size, By Distribution Channel

Distributors dominated the market with nearly 46% share in 2019, and it is expected to show similar trend during the forecast period. The high growth can be attributed to the preference of hospitals and clinics to buy products in bulk from distributors. Availability of multiple brands and wholesale prices offered by distributors attribute to this preference. A growing demand from hospitals and clinics for protective face masks, due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic and rising number of surgeries will boost the segment growth.

North America Market Growth, By End-use

Protective face masks are used in hospitals & clinics, ambulatory surgical centres, long term care centres, research institutes, by individuals and others. The individuals segment was valued at more than USD 18 million in 2019 and will witness growth of more than 400% between 2019 and 2020. The high growth can be attributed to the growing awareness of protective benefits of masks coupled with increasing COVID cases. Furthermore, it is expected that masks will become the new norm due to mandated use of masks by governments. These factors will augment the segment expansion during the forecast period.

North America Market Trends, By Country

U.S. protective face masks market is poised to exceed USD 290 million by 2026. The high growth is due to the growing demand for protective masks from general public due to the corona virus pandemic. U.S. has been significantly affected by the pandemic, with nearly a million cases. Furthermore, due to supply shortages experienced by the governments, there has been increased demand for masks from the government. This is expected to propel the local protective face masks market in the future.

Competitive Market Share

Some of the major industry players involved in North America protective face masks market include 3M, Honeywell, Prestige Ameritech, Crosstex, Fisher Scientific, Dentsply Sirona, and Henry Schein. Market players are focusing on ramping up their production capacity in order to meet the growing demand for protective masks in the region. For instance, in March 2020, 3M announced that they will be doubling their production of face masks by end of 2020. This will allow them to cater to customer demand and increase their revenue from the face masks segment. 

Industry Background

Protective face masks are essential in preventing the airborne transmission of infectious diseases. They are primarily used by doctors and surgeons during routine examinations and surgeries to maintain sterility and reduce the risk of infection. Protective face masks were first worn in the early 20^th century and the usage increased after the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. In the 20^th, century protective face masks were made of cotton or linen. Now, these products are made of non-woven fabric, usually polypropylene. Individual use of masks is limited to flu season or to prevent respiratory illness due to pollution. As the COVID-19 pandemic increases, there is greater demand for masks from the general public, driving the industry expansion.