Market Dynamics
The GCC protective clothing market is projected to be a highly competitive and innovative market in 2018 and beyond. With the emergence of high-tech materials and technologies, there is an increasing demand for protective clothing to provide protection against hazardous chemicals, radiation, and extreme temperatures. This demand is driven by increases in safety regulations and compliance standards for the protection of workers across the GCC region. Moreover, the growing industrialization across the region and the expansion of the oil and gas industries are key factors projected to fuel the market growth in the coming years. In terms of product types, the GCC protective clothing market can be segmented into chemical protective suits, coveralls, aprons, lab coats, and others. Protective suits are widely used across laboratory settings as well as for workers in the chemical processing, petroleum refining, and medical research sectors. Coveralls are mostly used for a variety of hazardous and non-hazardous working settings while aprons and lab coats protect the skin from spills and debris. The GCC protective clothing market can also be classified according to fabric type into disposable, coated fabrics, breathable fabrics, and non-breathable fabrics.
Disposable protective clothing is most commonly used in healthcare settings as a form of patient protection. Coated fabrics are more suitable for heavy duty and hazardous environments such as welding, chemical processing, and refineries. Breathable fabrics, on the other hand, are best suited for settings where the risk of exposure to hazardous elements is relatively lower. In terms of end-use industries, the GCC protective clothing market can be classified into oil and gas, healthcare, manufacturing, chemical processing, construction, food and beverage, and others. Oil and gas and healthcare are expected to be the two most important segments driving market demand in the coming years. This is primarily attributed to the increasing need for workers in these industries to adhere to stringent safety standards. Furthermore, various regulatory bodies are encouraging the use of protective clothing across various industries in the Gulf region. These initiatives are projected to result in increased usage of protective clothing, thus further driving the market for protective clothing.
