Summary

The disinfectant robot market was valued at USD 493 million in 2020 and expected to reach USD 3310.18 million by 2026 registering a CAGR of 36.4% over the forecast period (2021 - 2026). The COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown have severely impacted most of the global industries. However, the robot industry, especially disinfectant robots, has witnessed a massive demand due to its advantage in the current market scenario. The pandemic has expanded and showcased the importance of automation and robotic technology. These technologies have not only helped in overcoming human workforce challenges during the pandemic but are playing a significant role in minimizing the virus effect.

Key Highlights
The need for disinfection robots evolved recently to reduce HAIs without incurring additional labor costs. Since disinfection robots are new to the healthcare market in many countries, processes, such as hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet disinfection, are carried out by physical labor. For more than a decade, UV-C has been used in cleanroom environments by the pharmaceutical industry.​
Moreover, from March 2020, Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA) invested in disinfectant robots and special helmets to help keep passengers safe and prepare for a post-COVID era. They are using a mobile robot that enabled concentrated UV-C light to clean high-traffic flow areas. Other airports, such as Hong Kong and Seattle’s Paine Field, are also utilizing the same technologies.
Service robot manufacturers from the North American and European region occupy a significant market share and play a significant role in even the market studied. European service robot manufacturers mainly dominate in medical robotics, the trend that is also reflecting in the market studied. Many European big companies are also entering the market, especially with an advanced offering.
For instance, in March 2020, Germany-based Siemens and Aucma, with the help of NX software and the TIA portal, developed an intelligent disinfection robot, mainly targeting COVID-19 and other viruses in hospitals.
Although the disinfecting robot technology is costly, there is a direct correlation to reducing infection risk for patients, costs for treating HAIs, and patients' length of stay. According to ECRI Institute's SELECTplus pricing database, Bioquell's Q-10 HPV system has an average price of approximately USD 47,000, the Xenex UV-C system costs approximately USD 81,000, and the TRU-D UV-C system costs USD 125,000.


Key Market Trends

High Incidence Of Hospital Acquired Infections to Drive the Market Growth


Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are a significant and increasing problem in the healthcare industry globally. Every year, millions of patients are infected, and thousands of patients die due to infections acquired during hospitalization. Furthermore, the HAIs result in additional costs for hospitals, owing to extra days spent in bed, readmissions, and reduced operational efficiency.​
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a survey of acute care hospitals found 1 in 25 patients has at least 1 HAI and that 75,000 deaths per year are due to HAIs. Another industrial survey also claimed that between 5 and 10% of hospital patients globally acquire a new infection while in the hospital, and millions of people die from these infections each year. The recent COVID-19 outbreak has further fuelled these possibilities; therefore, most hospitals around the world have started investing in robotic technologies to prevent these infections.
Although the disinfecting robot technology is costly, there is a direct correlation to reducing infection risk for patients, costs for treating HAIs, and patients’ length of stay. According to the ECRI Institute’s SELECTplus pricing database, Bioquell’s Q-10 HPV system has an average price of approximately USD 47,000, the Xenex UV-C system costs approximately USD 81,000, and the TRU-D UV-C system costs USD 125,000.​
Europe-based market vendor, Blue Ocean Robotics has also reported steady growth rate pre-COVID-19 but witnessed massive surge recently in the past few months. The company was mainly targeting HAI applications in the past in Denmark.​ According to the company, in Denmark alone, the problem is so significant that 50,000 patients get a hospital-acquired infection every year, and more than 1,000 patients die as a direct consequence.


North America to Account for Major Market Share


North America accounts for the largest share in revenue, owing to the technological advancements in that region. Moreover, the increasing demand for automated devices in healthcare and industrial facilities drives the growth of the market.
The United States is one of the pioneers in adopting autonomous and advanced technologies for disinfectant solutions. The country's growing concern for HAI helped develop and adopt advanced disinfectant robots many years ago. According to Skytron, each day, about 1 in 31 American patients have at least one infection associated with a hospital, and an estimated 98,000 patients die because of improper sanitation. In September 2019, US-based Augusta University Health added Tru-D SmartUVC, a disinfectant robot for its housekeeping staff, and takes up to 45 minutes to complete a cleaning cycle.
Stringent regulation by the government in this region regarding hygiene is also a significant factor increasing the use of disinfectant robots. Furthermore, these robots help lower labor cost, improve cleaning efficiency, and lower the chances of contagious germs, which have increased their adoption in various sectors of North America.
US-based Germ Falcon is also planning to develop a robot that utilizes a UV platform for disinfecting aircraft, as commercial airlines play a direct role in the way diseases spread globally, according to the company. These instances are likely to boost the market growth.
Canada is also making efforts to be a world leader in developing and producing large scale disinfecting robotics solutions owing to its outstanding advanced manufacturing capabilities. According to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, around 8,000 Canadians die from HAIs each year, and 220,000 others are infected.


Competitive Landscape

The disinfectant robot market is moderately fragmented. The vendors operating in the market are expanding their overall market share by launching new products, offering products with patented technologies, and creating an agreement with end-users. Some of the key developments in the market are:


May 2020 -- Vanora Robots Pvt Ltd, India-based robotics and AI start-up, launched an unmanned robotic platform to disinfect the rooms in hospitals, schools, etc. The robot can disinfect a 140-sq.ft room in 4.6 minutes and gives full visual access to the person controlling it remotely. It also continually cleans the floor it travels on, and AI keeps it safe from wall collision damage. The company has already installed these robotic platforms in two hospitals of Mangalore and Kerala and will soon be installed in the Udupi district. The company is also working on a model that can be used to disinfect schools.
January 2020 - Blue Ocean Robotics expanded to a huge new headquarters in the southern part of the Odense due to tremendous growth in both production volume and number of employees in 2019. According to the company, the company is currently experiencing rapid commercial growth on a global scale with a high and ever-increasing demand for the company’s professional service robots, including UVD Robots.


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