Consumer Water Purification and Air Cleaning Systems Demand to Reach $1.5 Billion

Demand for consumer water purification and air cleaning systems is projected to increase 4.4 percent per year to $1.5 billion in 2012.  Gains will be driven by consumer concerns about the quality of the air and water in the home, and greater awareness of the healthful and aesthetic benefits of these systems.  The aftermarket plays an important role in the industry with sales of replacement filters and membranes forecast to grow 4.8 percent annually through 2012.  These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in Consumer Water Purification & Air Cleaning Systems, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Water purification systems that feature conventional filtration media accounted for the majority of demand for water systems in 2007, with 61 percent of sales value.  However, faster growth will be registered by higher value reverse osmosis and distillation systems, although from significantly smaller bases.  These systems can process a broader range of contaminants compared to conventional filters.  In general, growth is largely dependent on the quality -- or the perceived quality -- of local tap water supplies.     

Among air cleaners, conventional filtration systems accounted for the largest share of value demand with 47 percent in 2007, because they offer thorough air cleaning and minimal to no ozone production.  However, electrostatic air cleaners are projected to achieve slightly faster gains through 2012 because they offer improved efficiency, quieter functioning and low operating costs.  Many consumers have shifted away from ionic air cleaners and ozone generators out of concern regarding the amount of ozone -- a lung irritant -- these systems generate. 

In 2007, water purification and air cleaning system demand was dominated by equipment intended for use in a limited area of the house.  Point-of-use (POU) water purification systems, which are installed at a single outlet, had the larger share of demand for water systems in 2007.  Similarly, portable air cleaners, which are designed to treat the air in a single room, accounted for the larger share of sales of air cleaners in 2007.  Both POU water purification systems and portable air cleaners are expected to post faster growth through 2012 compared to their whole-house counterparts.

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.