Sterilization Equipment Market Growth Fueled by Technological Innovation in Sterilants

Sterilization Equipment Market Size and Forecast 2025 to 2034

The global sterilization equipment market size was calculated at USD 16.98 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase from USD 18.33 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 36.16 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 7.85% from 2025 to 2034. Sterilization equipment helps sanitize, disinfect, and clean. It also helps remove the breeding ground for survival germs, prevent corrosion of delicate and expensive germs, etc.

Sterilization Equipment Market Key Takeaways

• The global sterilization equipment market was valued at USD 16.98 billion in 2024.
• It is projected to reach USD 36.16 billion by 2034.
• The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.85% from 2025 to 2034.
• The North America sterilization equipment market size accounted for USD 5.66 billion in 2024 and is expected to attain around USD 12.17 billion by 2034.
• North America dominated the market with the largest market share of 36% in 2024.
• Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest growing during the forecast period of 2025-2034.
• By product type, the sterilization instruments segment dominated the market in 2024. The segment is observed to sustain the position during the forecast period.
• By technology type, the heat/high-temperature sterilization segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By technology type, the low temperature sterilization segment is anticipated to show considerable growth in the market over the forecast period.
• By end-user type, the hospitals and clinics segment dominated the market in 2024.
• By end-user type, the pharmaceutical companies segment is anticipated to show considerable growth in the market over the forecast period.

AI Integration in the Sterilization Equipment Market

The efficient operation, quality control, and predictive maintenance are being transformed by the AI integration in sterilization equipment. They have supplemented sterilization systems with machine learning algorithms and smart sensors that allow them to automate the checks on their cycle and also, in real time, check the variables (such as pressure and temperature) that define the sterilization process to ensure it is done in the best way possible and without human interaction.

Moreover, traceability and compliance are enhanced with the help of automatically created digital records of sterilization operations that are digital. Hospital and drug facilities can also use AI to optimize their load settings so that the sterilization process is consistent and uses fewer resources and energy. AI is changing the sterilization equipment to be intelligent, connected devices capable of supporting sterilization systems towards safer, efficient, and compliant processes.

U.S. Sterilization Equipment Market Size and Growth 2025 to 2034

The U.S. sterilization equipment market size was exhibited at USD 4.58 billion in 2024 and is projected to be worth around USD 9.85 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 7.96% from 2025 to 2034.

North America dominated the sterilization equipment market in 2024. Increased consumer awareness and government initiatives help to the growth of the market in the North American region. In the North American region, there are careful regulatory policies and well-developed healthcare infrastructure that aim to give high-quality health services. The Food and Drug Administration actively works with medical device manufacturers, government agencies, and other sterilization experts to improve the sterilization of medical devices or equipment, which contributes to the growth of the market. The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides ethylene oxide commercial sterilization facilities.

• Nowadays, in the United States, around 50% of medical devices are sterilized by using ethylene oxide, which kills microorganisms.
• In March 2024, Researchers at the United States Department of the Fermi’s National Accelerator Laboratory developed a prototype electron beam accelerator for sterilization of the medical equipment. It is an efficient accelerator system.

Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period of 2025-2034. The Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control (APSIC) guidelines for sterilization and disinfection of instruments in healthcare facilities for patient safety help the growth of the sterilization equipment market. The Asia Pacific region achieves a high standard in disinfection and sterilization. Increasing awareness about safety and hygiene in clinics and hospitals in the Asia Pacific region helps the growth of the market.

United States

Nowhere in the world is the sterilization equipment market more mature or advanced than in the United States. With strict FDA requirements, a mature healthcare system, and strong focus on infection control, the United States stands as the largest contributor to global revenues. In addition, the increased number of surgical procedures in the United States and the large presence of multinational companies like STERIS Corporation and Getinge AB in the country also contribute to the growth of the market. Additionally, investment in developing new hospitals anticipated to increase, along with emerging projects surrounding HAIs (Healthcare-Associated Infections) prevention will grow demand for modern facilities and, advanced sterilization solutions (i.e. low-temperature sterilizers, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma systems, etc.)

Germany

Several factors contribute to growth in this market such as existing healthcare system, a strong manufacturing base, and the substantial EU regulations regarding medical device reprocessing. Healthcare facilities in Germany are gradually adapting sterilization methods that are environmentally-friendly (i.e. ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization, steam sterilization, etc.) in accordance with sustainability goals. Furthermore, Germany's strong R&D capacity, and investment into automated sterilization systems. Germany has emerging or developing opportunities for hospitals to partner with the sterilization service sector.

India

India is one of the fastest-growing markets for sterilizing equipment in the Asia-Pacific region. The growth in construction of new hospitals, a heightened awareness of hygiene in hospitals post-COVID-19, and a government-led promotional activity of Ayushman Bharat are significant drivers for this growth. India is also witnessing a spurt in medical tourism and an increasing load of infectious diseases, which are pushing for more cost-effective and efficient sterilization options in the public and private sector. India's domestic manufacturers are also increasingly stepping up and providing cost-effective autoclaves and EO sterilizers, while smaller clinics and diagnostic labs in tier-2 and tier-3 cities are stepping up with the demand.

Europe Sterilization Equipment Market Trends

The European sterilization equipment market is expected to account for a substantial market share in 2024. Driven by the strict healthcare food safety codes. Regulatory agencies like the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are intensifying their measures of sterilizing and maintaining hygiene across the region to reduce contamination and maintain the health of the population. Sterilization technologies have become an important aspect of the food and beverage industry to guarantee food hygiene, extend shelf life, and prevent microbial contamination through technologies of food processing and food packaging. Also, the increased patient outcomes of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and surgical site infections (SSIs) have increased the practice of sterilization protocols in medical settings. As consumer awareness increases and the regulatory compliance of companies becomes more stringent, manufacturers are investing in advanced, automated, and energy-efficient sterilization systems.

Middle East and Africa Sterilization Equipment Market Trend

The sterilizing equipment market is witnessing rapid growth across the Middle East and Africa. Encouraged by the growth of the healthcare system, the growth of the medicine manufacturing, and the awareness of food safety. The rapid urbanization, population growth, and the increasing burden of chronic diseases are putting additional pressure on healthcare systems and especially in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

The governments in the region are continually investing in the modernization of hospitals and clinics. Another industry that is stepping up to be an important user of sterilization technologies is the food and beverage industry, to bring about hygiene and also international standard export requirements. Also, the existence of expanding capabilities for pharmaceutical production and the enforcement of enhanced regulation in the region is an indicator of a sustained demand in the market.

Market Overview

The sterilization equipment market refers to the industry that manufactures machinery and devices used to remove all kinds of microorganisms from surfaces and objects. Sterilization is the destruction or complete elimination of all microbial life forms, carried out by various methods using sterilization equipment. The sterilization equipment includes a micro incinerator or bacterial incinerator, which is used in microbiological laboratories; for hazardous waste destruction, incinerators are used; for dry heat sterilization, a hot air oven is used; and for moist heat sterilization, an autoclave is used. For heat-labile sterilization, filters are used, including membrane filters, sintered glass filters, disk filters, and diatomaceous earth filters.

The benefits of sterilization equipment in hospitals include preventing the wear of high-precision and expensive tools that have precise hinges and pivots. It helps to remove the biological load and many non-sterile bacteria living on the surface. Healthcare professionals use the same instrument for the next patient's surgery. In that case, sterilization equipment is used to remove dirt, foreign particles, blood, and pus.

Sterilization Equipment Market Growth Factors

• The sterilization equipment is highly used in hospitals for sterilization purposes. It helps to remove biological load and many other non-sterile bacteria present on the surface.
• Sterilization equipment also helps to prevent the wear of high-precision and expensive tools that have precision hinges and pivots. This helps to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.
• It helps to remove dirt, foreign particles, blood, and pus, which can lead to serious complications for the next patients who have necessary surgeries as the healthcare professionals use the same instrument.
• It helps prevent disease transmission, maintain sterile products, and use them in research and laboratory, microbiological experiments, the pharmaceutical industry, sterile dosage forms, and the food industry. These applications lead to the growth of the market.
• Sterilization equipment has advantages, including penetrating materials, non-corrosive for short instruments and metals, and not harmful to the environment or toxic. This helps to the growth of the market.
• Sterilization equipment is also used in industries such as pharmaceutical, cosmetic, biotechnological, food, and beverages, which helps the growth of the market.

Market Scope

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increased number of surgeries and healthcare-associated infections

In the number of surgeries and healthcare-associated infections, surgical equipment is highly used in the hospitals. Several instruments are used in hospitals for surgeries. Sterilization equipment is used to sterilize those instruments and prevent disease infections, including an autoclave for steam sterilization, dry heat sterilization, chemical sterilization, and plasma heat sterilization. It helps to improve patient care quality, facilitates smooth operations, helps to minimize surgical delays and contaminants, and helps to decrease the risk of surgical site infections. These factors help to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

Increased use in industries

Sterilization equipment is used not only in the healthcare sector but also in other industries like cosmetics, food and beverages, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Increased awareness of consumers about sterilization for product quality and safety has led to the adoption of sterilization equipment in various industries. Different sterilization techniques are used in industrial sterilization, including thermal sterilization, sterile filtration, chemical sterilization, and radiation sterilization techniques. The thermal sterilization method is highly used in the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. These factors help to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

• In February 2024, a new service for disinfection and cleaning business line for pharma was launched by PharmaProcess, an Italy-based cleanroom environment expert. It provides expert consultants in sterilization, disinfection, and cleaning of the laboratory structures and the sterile rooms used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Restraint

Risks of sterilization equipment

The sterilization equipment has some disadvantages, including effectiveness may decrease due to improper processing, fumes must be monitored, which causes potential health hazards, long decontamination and sterilization time, and it needs special handling due to toxicity and flammability, which may be a barrier to the growth of the market. Some of the devices need longer exposure, improper sterilization may lead to healthcare-associated infections or the potential to spread diseases, and the use of an incorrect sterilization process for a piece of equipment or a product may damage the item. Improper sterilization equipment carries risks for person-to-person barriers and also risks associated with breach of host barriers. These factors may restrict the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

Opportunity

Advanced technologies

Sterilization equipment is highly used in the healthcare sector and is a critical aspect, it ensures that the instruments are hazardous or harmful microorganisms. The use of advanced technologies in sterilization equipment helps to make healthcare safer and environmentally friendly. Investments in research and development to improve product quality and advanced technologies. Increasing integration of advanced technologies and adoption of digitalization. Identification of potential areas for development and market expansion and emerging advanced technologies will help the market grow in the future. These factors help to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

• In June 2023, an AI-based ultraviolet irradiation C (UV-C) disinfection solution technology that is safe for humans was launched by Shimadzu and Shyld. This technology is helpful for the patients' rooms to detect risks automatically in real-time, as well as the use of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation to kill pathogens on many surfaces. It is effective in indoor public places for microbial control and is commonly used in water, surface, and air disinfection; it is not hazardous to human health, which makes it a safe and effective disinfectant.

Product Type Insights

The sterilization instruments product type segment dominated the market in 2024, and the segment is also expected to be the fastest growing during the forecast period. The sterilization instruments are the type of sterilization equipment that includes physical agents like radiation, chemical sterilants like formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde solutions, an oven for dry heat sterilization, and an autoclave for moist heat sterilization. These sterilization instruments are helpful for healthcare facilities to ensure infection control and patient safety. Sterilization instruments play an important role in the healthcare sector. Medical devices come in contact with sterile body fluids or tissues, which are critical items.

The items may be sterile when used due to some microbial contamination that can cause disease transmission. These items include surgical instruments, implanted devices, and biopsy forceps. These factors help to grow the sterilization instruments segment and contribute to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

Technology Type Insights

The heat/high-temperature sterilization segment dominated the market in 2024. In the heat/high-temperature sterilization technology, sterile air is used for the sterilization process with a temperature ranging from 260-320°C. The benefits of this heat/high-temperature sterilization equipment technology include its cost-effectiveness, ease of control, effectiveness, and simplicity of use, for example. In the autoclave, water and saturated steam are used at 121°C temperature for 30 minutes, which helps to kill the microorganisms.

In this way, heat/high-temperature sterilization helps kill microorganisms or improves the sterilization process. The autoclave or dry heat sterilization method is always preferred for sterilization over cold chemical sterilization, which is a less effective or significant level of sterilization. These factors help to the growth of the sterilization equipment market.

The low-temperature sterilization segment is expected to grow substantially in the sterilization equipment market. Other technologies like ethylene oxide (EO) and hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer have turned out to be the most desired option to meet the challenge of high levels of efficacy, as well as material preservation. The increasing trend towards minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgical operations has also led to an increase in the use of such sterilizers because the latter guarantee precision equipment to be properly sterilized without compromising its integrity in the process.

The shift is also being facilitated by regulatory compliance and safety considerations, which promote the use of sterilizers that have a very high standard of compliance with operational efficiency. With improved healthcare infrastructure in the world, the low-temperature sterilization technologies will have a significant role in making safe and effective medical practices.

End-user Type Insights

The hospitals and clinics segment dominated the sterilization equipment market in 2024. In hospitals and clinics, sterilization equipment or medical sterilization equipment are highly used due to their various benefits: help to remove breeding grounds for surviving germs, help to prevent corrosion of delicate and expensive tools, help to decrease the bioburden and many non-sterilized bacteria which living on a surface. It also helps to remove dirt, foreign particles, blood, and pus left behind, which can lead to dangerous health conditions for the next patient who requires surgery. Healthcare professionals use the same instrument. These factors help to grow the hospitals and clinics' end-user segment, which contributes to the growth of the market.

The pharmaceutical companies segment is expected to grow substantially in the sterilization equipment market. Sterility and the control of contamination are required in these sectors to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the drugs, vaccines, and biological products. The boom in the field of biopharmaceutical R&D, clinical trials, and manufacturing of complex biologics, including monoclonal antibodies and cell-based therapies, has become a major driver towards the need for high-end sterilization alternatives.

Moreover, the greater regulatory oversight and international GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) have forced pharmaceutical companies to highly automate and validate sterilization procedures. As more global drug manufacturing capacities are built and the products are becoming more complex, they need to have effective, robust, and scalable sterilization facilities.

Recent Developments

• On November 7, 2024, W&H launched its compact Class B rapid sterilizer, the Lexa Mini, in the US and Canada. Designed for high-efficiency dental workflows, it delivers a full sterilization and drying cycle in just 23 minutes, with fresh-water flushing and closed-door drying for dry, traceable loads via USB-based EliTrace documentation.
  (Source- https://www.dentalproductsreport.com)
  
• In May 2023, AquiSense launched a new product, an ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system. It helps reduce pathogens by 4 gallons per minute.
• In July 2023, the Food and Drug Administration recognized a new medical device sterilization standard. It includes the use of low-temperature vaporized hydrogen peroxide for the sterilization of medical devices, sterilization of healthcare products, and requirements for the routine, validation, and development control for the sterilization of medical devices.
• In October 2023, a ready-for-sterilization (RFS) Combiseals was launched by a high-quality system critical elastomer component, Datwyler, to reduce the load for drug manufacturers to prepare packaging components for sterilization.
• In April 2024, a new aseptic spouted pouch-filling system, the SIG Prime 55 In-line Pouch sterilization, was launched by SIG. It improves the cost of sterilized packaged products and removes the need for third-party pre-sterilization of spouted pouches and supply chain complexity.

Sterilization Equipment Market Companies

• Absolute Medical
• Advanced Sterilization Products
• Anderson Products
• Cantel Medical
• Cardinal Health
• Celitron
• Boekel Scientific
• Belimed
• E-BEAM Services Inc.
• Fedegari
• Fortive
• Getinge
• LTE Scientific
• 3M
• STERIS PLC
• Sterigenics U.S. LLC
• Sotera Health
• Stryker

Segments Covered in the Report

By Product Type

• Sterilization Instruments
• Sterilization Accessories
• Sterilization Consumables
• Sterilization Services

By Technology Type

• Heat/High Temperature Sterilization
• Low Temperature Sterilization
• Ionizing Radiation Sterilization
• Filtration Sterilization

By End-user Type

• Hospital & Clinics
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Medical Device Companies
• Food & Beverages Companies
• Other End Users

By Geography

• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East & Africa