Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) Hazmat Suit Market Research Report: Forecast (2022-27)

Market Definition

Hazardous material suits, abbreviate as HAZMAT, are designed to assure the user has complete protection while undergoing activities that involve interaction with hazardous material like radioactive material, chemicals, etc. Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) suits are the specialized variety of such costumes that consist of a protection jacket & a trouser worn directly above the garments. The unique property of these suits is their permeability & breathability & their specific design to protect users. These protection layers have compatibility to sustain for extended periods, as in the case of war.

However, today, they are popularly worn by workers in chemical manufacturing units, exploration, mining, military wars, etc. The suit has three layers, where the outer-most layer is fabricated with chemical & fire retardant fibers (inherently retardant), the middle layer has active charcoal treated non-woven, & the inner-most layer has cotton fabric.

Market Insights

The Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of around 7.25% in terms of revenue during the forecast period, i.e., 2022-27.  The mounting awareness among industrialists & governments worldwide about various health risks associated with corrosive chemicals, bacteria, & radioactive waves from nuclear power plants has spurred the demand for NBC/Hazmat suits across the construction, food processing, oil & gas, mining industries, etc. The increasing accidents & injuries at such workplaces due to the lack of awareness among industrialists & workers for adopting personal safety & health products has increased the significance of equipping factory personnel with NBC protective suits.

Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 compelled the global healthcare workers to exercise strict regulations for workers' safety. Due to this, the growth of the NBC/Hazmat suits market hovered above 50% since various countries implemented strict regulations for healthcare workers to wear biological suits in order to avoid contact with the contagious virus. For instance:

• According to the World Bank production of Biological Suits, during 2020 significantly increased from 0 units in March 2020 to 4.5 million units in May 2020.

With the rapidly booming refining, automotive, & metal manufacturing activities, along with various ongoing territorial conflicts worldwide, the demand for protective suits is expected to rise significantly in the future.

Key Trends in the Market: Strict Government Mandates for Worker Safety & Security in Industries

Rising fatality rates due to the burgeoning chemical, nuclear, or fire hazards at workplaces have derived awareness among the regional governments & industrial units to mandate the use of NBC suits for minimizing health risks globally. In addition, the chemical attacks in Syria in 2015 alerted the defense forces of Russia, the US, and other neighboring countries regarding the existence of potential threats. Therefore, the region witnessed an increase in the orders for NBC suits during 2016-19.

Further, the demand for biological suits in 2020 grew at an alarming rate, with the US & China remaining the top exporters of NBC/Hazmat suits. Additionally, the fear of the shortage of suits in various countries worldwide led to increasing investments in the PPE manufacturing firms. However, the NBC/Hazmat suit market witnessed a shortfall in the demand for nuclear & chemical suits during the first quarter of 2020, due to a slowdown in economic activities such as construction, exploration, etc. which limited the use of NBC/Hazmat suits in 2020.

Market Segmentation

Based on Level of Protection,

• Level A
• Level B
• Level C
• Level D

Of them all, Level A suites dominated the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market during 2017-21. These suits, often used by firefighters, medical crews, medical researchers, mining workers, etc., provide total encapsulation and a high level of protection against direct & airborne chemical contact. The rise in construction activities, growing investments in mining & oil exploration operations in the Middle East, the US, Asia Pacific, and Europe, coupled with the imposition of the industrial mandate for protective suits to provide workers safety, has accelerated the demand for these suits worldwide. However, as industrialists are learning the limitations of Level A suits of withstanding onto 20 minutes of extreme work hours, their demand suits might decline during 2022-27.

Based on Application:

• Biological
• Chemical
• Nuclear
• Fire/High Temperature

Of them all, the Nuclear Protective Suits in the Global NBC/Hazmat suits market is expected to acquire a considerable share during 2022-27, owing to increasing international tensions between nuclear-armed countries. The growing national conflicts among China, the US, India, Russia, and several other countries are leading to the increasing deployment of nuclear warheads in their respective armed force weapons to sustain the wars & protect their national boundaries against getting occupied by the rival countries. For instance:

5. In February 2021, the US announced to build of a new nuclear weapon for mass destruction. This new missile will be able to travel some 6000 miles carrying a warhead more than 20 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on the Hiroshima incident.
5. Additionally, In January 2022, the Government of China announced to have around 700 deliverable nuclear warheads by 2027.

However, the mounting use of nuclear-based weapons in armed forces globally is contributing to an increased risk for workers in the area. Thermal waves, radiation, & radioactive wastes generated by nuclear power plants are prominent concerns for human health & the environment. It owes to the creation of radioactive wastes like uranium mill tailings, used reactor fuel, & other radioactive wastes generated by nuclear explosions that have short & long-term devastating effects on human bodies.

Based on End User:

• Defense
• Oil & Gas
• Healthcare
• Manufacturing
• Mining & Metallurgy
• Others (Fire Fighting, Construction, etc.)

Among all, the Oil & Gas sector in the Global NBC/Hazmat suits market is expected to flourish during 2022-27 due to massive investments in oil & gas exploration activities globally. According to the International Energy Agency, the upstream oil & gas investment rose by 10% in 2021 as companies recovered from the financial shock in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Further, the workers in this sector are exposed to severe life-threatening hazards like burns, falls, respiratory issues, etc., during exploration activities, mainly due to oil spills, the release of hydrogen sulfide & formaldehyde pose a threat to human health, etc. Hence, they require protective suits that help elevate the health risks during exploration. Moreover, the increasing exploration activities in the oil & gas sector is another crucial aspect expected to contribute to the surging demand for NBC/Hazmat suits in the forthcoming years.

Regional Projection

Geographically, the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market expands across:

• North America
• South America
• Europe
• the Middle East & Africa
• Asia-Pacific

Globally, of all regions, North America recorded an astonishing market growth during 2017-21. It owes to the surging number of nuclear plants, pharmaceutical industries, & biotechnology industries across North America that require utmost safety & security of workers since these industries are exposed to severe chemical & radioactive waves & waste products.

According to the World Nuclear Association, North America has the world's largest nuclear production capacity with the US being the world’s largest producer of nuclear power accounting for more than 30% of global nuclear power generation capacity. Another, according to the US Energy Information Administration, as of June 2019, there were 59 commercially operating nuclear power plants with 97 nuclear reactors in 29 states of the US, contributing to an increased demand for NBC/Hazmat suits in the region.

Additionally, with the rapidly booming refining, automotive, and metal manufacturing activities in the region, the demand for protective suits is expected to rise during the forecast period. Furthermore, various initiatives by US-based manufacturers and organizations like FDA for developing effective NBC suits owing to the mounting demand for products offering comfort & style with increased safety across industries have extensively contributed to a demand surge for NBC suits in the region.

Recent Developments in the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market

• In February 2020, the Dupont announced expanding the global capacity of its protective wear brand ‘Nomex’ through a joint venture with Nippon Paper Papliya, located in Yufutsu, Japan. Next, in the same year, it excelled its production of NBC suits to tap the growing opportunities in the healthcare industry brought forward globally by the Covid-19 pandemic.
• In July 2021, the key player, Glen Raven Inc. announced to expand customs fabric operations used for manufacturing NBC/Hazmat suits in Warren County, the US, with an investment of over USD 82million.
• In September 2021, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation announced its expansion plan of Meta-xylenediamine (MXDA) with a capacity of 25000MTA scheduled to start its operation in 2024.
• In October 2021, Gain, an Indian state-owned petrochemicals producer announced to build a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant at Usar, in Maharashtra by 2024.
• In November 2021, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) announced its plan to invest USD 495.22 million to set up a maleic anhydride unit for manufacturing high-value specialty chemicals in Haryana.
• Defence Research Development Establishment (DRDE) Gwalior developed a national standard for qualitative and quantitative method of determining breakthrough and permeation of Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) permeable protective clothing.

Market Dynamics

• Key Driver: Escalating Chemical Construction Activities

Chemical industries worldwide immensely contribute to a country's economic growth. However, it involves several risky operations, such as trenching, digging, blasting, metal fabrication, etc., which causes several health risks, including cancer, vision loss, & skin irritation, among many others.

It has led to an increase in fatality rates due to the worker’s exposure to chemicals & harmful radiation at workplaces. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US recorded over 4,764 fatal work injuries during 2019 and over 672 worker fatalities in 2020 due to exposure to harmful substances in workplaces. It has derived awareness among regional governments & industrial units to mandate using protective suits during working hours, which, in turn, is driving the demand for NBC/ Hazmat Suits globally.

Additionally, various initiatives & massive investments in the construction & expansion of chemical industries by state-owned & private chemical manufacturing units in Europe & North America have also contributed significantly to the surging demand for protective suits worldwide.

Furthermore, the rising fatality rates due to the burgeoning chemical, nuclear, or fire hazards in workplaces has derived awareness among the regional governments and industrial units to mandate the use of Protective suits during working hours. Therefore, driving the demand for NBC/ Hazmat suits globally during the forecast period.

• Possible Restraint: Heightening Distribution of Low Price Counterfeit NBC Products Globally

With the rapidly increasing industrialization & massive investments in utility, healthcare, construction industries, etc., due to the ease of availability of resources in specific locations, the demand for safety suits is expected to boom significantly in the coming years. However, a lack of awareness among consumers regarding product quality & workplace safety contributed to the sales of substandard & lower quality NBC (protective) suits globally.

Besides, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the restriction on movement imposed by the governments to curb the spread of the virus led to the emergence of trafficking of substandard & falsified medical products, including the sales of PPE kits globally. International organizations such as Interpol, and the World Customs Organization (WCO), reported an increase in the seizure of falsified medical suits & other medical products during March 2020.

Furthermore, the growing number of death-causing diseases such as Coronavirus, Tuberculosis, Cholera, etc., globally have initiated the need for health workers to wear protective suits to save themselves from getting transmitted with the diseases. However, the lack of stringent policies & regulations in the production & sales of NBC Protective suits in the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Markets has supported the sales of counterfeit products with reduced quality & safety. Thereby hindering the market penetration of certified NBS/Hazmat suits globally.

• Growth Opportunities: Increasing Government Focus on Developing Nuclear War Protective Capabilities

Various countries worldwide have increased their spending on developing nuclear protective capabilities. As a result, a considerable amount is also dedicated towards manufacturing or procuring NBC suits for citizens, military & law enforcement agencies. In 2021, besides the leading economies like the US, Russia, & China, India became the fourth country to develop end-to-end capabilities in manufacturing NBC suites for its citizens & defense personnel.

 Key Questions Answered in the Market Research Report:

1. What are the overall statistics or estimates (Overview, Size- By Value, Forecast Numbers, Segmentation, Shares) of the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market?
2. What are the region-wise industry size, growth drivers, and challenges?
3. What are the key innovations, opportunities, current & future trends, and regulations in the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market?
4. Who are the key competitors, their key strengths & weaknesses, and how do they perform in the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market based on the competitive benchmarking matrix?
5. What are the key results derived from surveys conducted during the Global Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC)/Hazmat Suits Market study?