The personal protective equipment (ppe) market - France (2023)

1.2 A dynamic global market

A sector that has grown strongly in recent years thanks to Covid-**

PPE market size World, **** - *****, US$ billion CAGR: *.* Source: ****

The global PPE market was valued at around US$** billion in ****. Covid-**, which hit the world globally in ****, caused sales of surgical masks and other protective equipment to explode, boosting PPE sales to a market of US$**.* billion in ****. With the end of the pandemic and the decline in demand for protective equipment, global sales - though still much higher than before the pandemic - are expected to decline to US$** billion in ****, with a CAGR of -*.*% per annum (***)

PPE is also actively sought after by employers in customer sectors, as effective protective equipment saves on excess expenditure linked to lost production time, workplace accidents and medical costs.

The market's strong growth since **** has also been boosted by various regulatory directives requiring employers to provide their employees with certified protective equipment. This trend can be seen in different parts of the world. For example, the Occupational Safety And Health Administration (***) and the EU have prompted manufacturers to improve PPE ergonomics, as this should enhance end-consumer dexterity while increasing the effective use of PPE by workers.

According to the US ...

1.3 A growing national market

Estimated market size and growth rate

The sector appears to be buoyant, and has grown strongly over the past ten years: in a report published in ****, Synamap (***) estimated the market at ***.* million euros for ****, and *.* billion euros for ****. [***]

This would give average annual growth of *. *% over the ****-**** period. It should be noted that the Synamap representative evaluated the PPE market as "relatively stable, at over one billion euros" in ****. [***]

PPE market size France, **** - ****, € million CAGR: *.* Source: ****

1.4 Market breakdown by business sector

Business segment estimates

Sales by business segment France, ****, as % of sales Source: ****

Although the data in the previous chart are a decade old (***), they are still relevant and enable us to identify the main segments of the PPE sector. Although PPE encompasses a very large number of products, the bulk of business is carried out in * segments: protective clothing, hand protection, foot protection and respiratory protection. The union did not wish to repeat its study of the various business segments, but despite changes in regulations, industry players reveal that the above orders of magnitude are still relevant today. According to Le Moniteur, the most dynamic segments are hearing protection and respiratory protection. Sales estimates for national companies In order to estimate the fastest-growing markets, it is possible to examine French production in some of these segments. The manufacture of work and safety clothing is grouped under the following codes: NAF **.**Z: Manufacture of work clothing; The business segments that include hand protection and construction helmets are as follows NACE ******** Protective gloves, mittens and mitts for all trades, in leather or composition leather. NACE ******** Protective helmets The manufacture of safety footwear can be assimilated to the NACE codes below: NACE ******** Footwear (***) with ...

1.5 Trade balance for certain PPE

France's trade balance in breathing apparatus and gas masks

Imports and exports of breathing apparatus and gas masks for France France, ****, in millions of euros Source: ****

France's trade balance in safety eyewear

Imports and exports of safety eyewear for France France, ****, in millions of euros Source: UN Comtrade An analysis of France's imports and exports with the rest of the world for two types of PPE - respiratory equipment/gas masks and safety eyewear - reveals that, in the first case, imports are slightly ahead, and in the second case, exports are clearly ahead. France is known for having companies with strong know-how in the PPE sector (***), which could explain the high imports of gas masks.

2.1 Main customer sectors in France

Sales by customer sector France, ****, % of sales Source: ****

Although the data in the previous chart are a decade old (***), they are still relevant and enable us to distinguish the PPE sector's main customer sectors, which are then developed in the rest of this study. The PPE customer sectors are highly concentrated, with construction and industry accounting for around two-thirds of orders. This distribution of sales is also reflected in statistical indicators on the risk of occupational accidents. The industrial and construction sectors account for a large number of fatalities and lost working days, justifying the use of PPE. Number of work-related accident fatalities, by sector France, ****, in % Lost working days by sector France, ****, in millions of days Source: Amélie Although the use and manufacture of PPE is highly regulated in France, with a ratio of *.* occupational accidents per ***,*** employees, the hexagon is the worst performer in Europe (***)[***]

Salaried employment by sector Salaried employment in the industry sector France, ****-****, millions of people Source: Insee Payroll employment in the construction sector France, ****-****, millions of people Source: Insee Salaried jobs in the hotel and catering sector France, ****-****, thousands of people Source: Insee Salaried jobs in the healthcare services sector France, ...

2.2 Impact of COVID on different customer markets

CONSTRUCTION

The sector has been hard hit by the coronavirus crisis (**% drop in activity in the construction sector in March, and a fall in activity ofaccording toINSEE, the construction sector could find itself in a difficult position in the months ahead.

Industry

Industry has also been severely affected by the French confinement: in April ****, INSEE estimated the loss of activity at **%. Exporting companies, which are more closely integrated into the international division of production processes, have been particularly hard hit. According to a survey carried out by Team France Export in March and April ****, **% of industrial companies have halted their export business. The companies surveyed cited a lack of visibility (***), while transport tariffs had jumped by **-**%. [***]

Healthcare, transport & warehousing and hotel & catering services

evolution of production indices in services France, ****, base *** in **** Source: ****

While business support and transport & warehousing activities managed to maintain a relatively high level of activity during the crisis, the accommodation & catering sector suffered particularly badly, with a drop of around **% in its level of activity.

2.3 Types of exposure to physical stress

Main types of physical stress France, ****, proportion of exposed employees Source: ****

The graph above concerns all types of employers (***), with the three recurring types of physical constraints being postural and articular constraints, manual load handling and noise pollution. Postural and joint constraints stand out clearly, and have certainly prompted PPE and office equipment manufacturers to focus on the ergonomics and comfort of their products.

2.4 A growing demand for design and comfort

A renewed offering with greater emphasis on comfort and design

While the younger generation of workers is more aware of safety risks, particularly in the construction industry, it is also more demanding in terms of comfort and design. [***]

Today's products combine attractive design with superior technical features. Manufacturers are selling products that are more adapted and more pleasant, adapted to different morphologies and with a certain level of comfort, which may include anti-transpiration devices, for example.

In addition to these technical improvements, PPE is becoming more elegant, drawing inspiration from the codes of general clothing brands. In the case of footwear, manufacturers are taking inspiration from the codes of sneakers and urban sportswear. This trend has become all the more widespread as generalist brands such as Timberland Pro, Sweden's Blakläder and Puma are also present in this market[***]

According to Valérie Muller, Product Manager at Uvex-Heckel, workwear design now involves designers from the sportswear sector, who are better able to identify trends in the sector. Last but not least, "Employers no longer hesitate to pay a little more for better-designed, better-looking products", points out Stéphane Le Moine, Sales Director France for Belgian company Sioen.

The feminization of ...

3.1 Market value chain

Source: ****

3.2 Distribution channels: the rise of e-commerce

The main distribution channels

Sales by distribution channel France, ****, % of sales Source: ****

An increase in online sales First and foremost,e-commerce is on the rise, and among the main beneficiaries of this trend, pure players like Oxwork have emerged. Based in Corbie, in the Somme region, this company specializing in Internet distribution has posted an annual growth rate of ***% since its creation in ****. [***] The creation of an online sales site also enables incumbent players to address individuals and position themselves in BtC sales. Protective footwear specialist Gaston Mille claims to have created an e-commerce site in order to address "the exponential demand from private individuals".[***]

Major online players in the PPE market France, **** average monthly visits over the first half of **** Source: Similarweb The leader in terms of number of monthly visits is VetementPro.com. Founded in ****, the company offers over **,*** SKUs, which should enable it to achieve sales of €**.* million in ****, with an EBITDA margin of *%[***] This comparison does not, however, include platforms with much larger catalogs, such as Lyreco and Manutan, which are also experiencing strong growth. Nevertheless, the growth of online PPE sales in this BtB market may take some time. According to Marion Carrasco, *M's PPE Marketing ...

3.3 Accelerating consolidation, numerous mergers and acquisitions

The table below lists the main transactions on the French market.

Year **** and ****

Year ****

The objectives of the various acquisitions are diverse. They include classic objectives such as diversifying the customer portfolio. But there are also objectives that are more specific to the market, which is highly segmented. In some cases, the aim is to gain a foothold in a new market segment, or to achieve the critical mass needed to gain a foothold in the market.

In this way, we are witnessing a dilution of the importance of national markets in a general market that is becoming more globalized and concentrated, with the gradual disappearance of single-product national manufacturers, who are the targets of the globalized majors. The competitive landscape is gradually being restructured around international and at least multi-specialist players with a one-stop-shop approach.

Years ****-****: French giant Delta Plus Group multiplies acquisitions to grow externally

The objectives of the various acquisitions are diverse. They include classic objectives such as diversifying the customer portfolio. But there are also objectives to find new growth drivers abroad.

4.1 The different types of products

Personal protective equipment (***)

PPE covers all clothing and accessories used to protect the worker's physical integrity, such as gloves, helmets, etc

PPE can be divided into three main categories according to their degree of protection:

PPE category *: protection against minor risks that may result in superficial injuries. Wearing this PPE has no impact on the user's health: mechanics' outfits, cleaning staff's outfits, etc. PPE category *: protection against major risks that can cause serious injury. They are subject to strict tests and standards: e.g. high-visibility vests or boots. PPE category *: protection against life-threatening risks that can lead to irreversible injury. Their production chain is closely monitored to guarantee the highest quality: firefighters' helmets, firefighters' outfits, etc.

There are nine main PPE families:

Head protection: helmets, balaclavas ; Eye protection: goggles, masks; Eye and face protection; Hearing protection: headbands, earplugs, active or passive ear muffs; Respiratory protection: full-face or half-face masks, breathing apparatus; Body protection: aprons, pants, jackets, welding suits, etc. ; Hand protection (***); Foot protection: shoes, waders, boots;

4.2 Innovative offerings help drive market growth

While PPE today meets the design and comfort requirements of end-users, the market has also been driven by technical innovation, enabling higher levels of protection and new applications. It is this capacity for innovation that has enabled the PPE market to move beyond the simple renewal of old models, and to expect average growth estimated at *% in recent years.

Examples of new "technical" products

Thermal protection: Delta Plus has developed a parka that can work at temperatures of -**° for * hours. Resistance: Victoire has launched a protective cap for individuals and professionals.

The "revolution" of connected objects

Connected shoes: Gaston Mille offers connected models that can warn of falls or crossing dangerous areas. This model was developed using technology from TRAXxs. [***] Connected clothing: Partners at Grenoble's Ideas Laboratory have designed a work suit that contains a connected sleeve: worn on the forearm, this enables workers to be guided and informed in real time in the field. [***]

The connected helmet : Across the Atlantic, the American Guardhat markets a helmet that enables remote guidance, notification of moving objects or dangerous areas, with real-time measurement of environmental toxicity. [***]

The PTI connected insole: equipped with a vibration sensor, this insole will alert workers that the ...

5.1 The new European regulation on the manufacture of PPE and its consequences

New directive, notified bodies and harmonized standards

In ****, a new European regulation on PPE was adopted, to apply from April **, ****. To give manufacturers, notified bodies and EU member states time to adapt to these new requirements, a seven-year transition period has been defined. CE certificates issued before April **, **** on the basis of the old directive **/***/EEC are still valid until April **, ****.

Source: ****

EU Regulation ****/*** of March *, **** is aimed at PPE manufacturers and sets out the conditions for placing PPE on the market, in all EU member countries.

PPE is now divided into * categories. These categories are detailed in the PPE categorization guide. Although this guide has no regulatory value, it does provide consensual indications based on work carried out to monitor Directive **/***/EEC (***).

Source: ****

Category * and * PPE are subject to attestation procedures. They must be checked by notified bodies within the European Union to assess their conformity. The attestation procedure to which the manufacturer is subject is specified in the regulation.

Countries must take the necessary steps to adapt to the new regulations. In France, it is now possible to consult the first specific list of harmonized standards for application of the EU regulation. [***]

Why a new regulation?

While improving health ...

5.2 Labour code, sports code and CE marking: marketing

Labor and Sports Code

Several types of PPE are covered by the provisions of the French Labor Code. These include, of course, those intended for use in the workplace, but also others such as helmets for equestrian sports, diving suits, safety vests, armbands and suits designed to prevent drowning.these include helmets for equestrian sports, diving suits, safety vests, armbands and suits designed to prevent drowning, as well as buoyancy aids similar to life jackets.

Buoyancy aids for swimming lessons, on the other hand, come under the provisions of the French Sports Code, as does PPE for sports or leisure use(***). A pair of sunglasses, for example, is PPE-SL.

The Labor Code and Sport Code have therefore been adapted to the measures of Regulation (***) No. ****/***.[***]

CE marking and marketing of PPE

Manufacturers can indicate that their PPE complies with all the provisions of the PPE regulation by affixing the "CE" mark "CE" MARK. this specifies that the PPE meets the essential safety requirements, as well as the conformity assessment procedure required for the product. This marking is affixed to each PPE item in a visible, legible and indelible manner for the foreseeable life of the item.[***]

PPE subject to ageing, such ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Oxwork
• Vetementpro.com
• Delta Plus
• Cepovett Groupe
• Ansell
• Robur Molinel
• Molinel
• Manulatex (Bobet Groupe)
• Cotral
• Rubix Europe
• Manutan Groupe
• Descours et Cabaud
• Bruneau
• Guide Gloves
• Pro-Wear
• Protechnique
• EPI Center
• Jallatte
• Ejendals France
• MACC
• Coverguard
• Parade Protection (Eram groupe)
• Climbing Technology
• Manikheir (Medicom)
• Béal Cordes
• Dompro
• Dutel Tissage
• Bollé Safety
• RG Safety
• Altela