According to Cleveland-based industrial researchers, Freedonia Group, the U.S. sterile medical packaging market will expand 5.4% annually to $2.1 billion in 2008, almost 12 billion units.
The impetus, according to Freedonia, is an aging population with acute and chronic medical conditions, increasingly stringent infection-control standards, and expanding efforts to reduce medical errors.
Thermoformed trays and sterile pouches will continue to dominate the market, but prefillable syringes will have the fastest growth, according to the researchers.
And what industries are using such packaging? Pharmaceuticals will be the biggest buyers, followed medical supply and device companies, according to Freedonia, which outlined its conclusions in the report, Sterile Medical Packaging.