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The antimicrobial technology market has received significant attention from governments, industry, and even consumers over the past year (2020) due to the technology’s potential to address transmission of COVID-19, with some companies experiencing triple- and quadruple-digit growth, according to a recent market research report. 

Created by IDTechEx, the “Antimicrobial Technology Market 2021–2031” report also found that antimicrobial film and antimicrobial face masks are two of the best-selling product types during the pandemic. The entire report covers additives and coating that imbue surfaces and products with the ability to remove microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, and fungi.

Antimicrobial technologies continuously remove (deactivate or destroy) microorganisms with little if any human intervention. Microorganisms that are targeted by these technologies can cause serious harm to human health and damage to property. The limitation is that antimicrobial surfaces do not replace the need for frequent cleaning.

IDTechEx have identified over 100 companies that have developed antimicrobial technologies, including over 60 companies focusing entirely on antimicrobial product development. Though the antimicrobial properties of materials such as silver and copper have been known for centuries, it is only recently that the commercialization of these technologies has increased significantly.

Aside from fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobial technologies are utilized in healthcare, food, agriculture, transport, construction, marine, and textiles industries. Antimicrobial technologies have a wide range of applications, from saving lives by preventing nosocomial infection to prolonging the lifetime of outdoor furniture to improving indoor air quality.

With high demand and awareness of antimicrobial technologies, companies should strike while the iron is still hot, said IDTechEx in the press release. Though vaccination efforts will allow the world to move on from COVID-19, the key lesson to be learned is that the groundwork needs to be laid down today in order for the world to be ready for the next pandemic.

The entire report can be accessed here.