Global growth driven by shift towards environmentally safe products and rising fire-related incidents

The global firefighting foam market is expected to grow from $756 million in 2021 to $913 million by 2026, according to a recent study from MarketsandMarkets.

This translates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.8% during the forecast period.

Firefighting foams are extensively used across several industries including aerospace & defence, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, marine, industrial, mining, and others.

The substantial impact on market growth is expected to be driven by an increasing shift towards environmentally safe products and a rise in fire-related accidents resulting in casualties and property loss.

Covid-19 impact on the firefighting foam market

The Covid-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on the value chain of the firefighting foam market, especially in 2020.

The pandemic caused severe effects on the global economy and the oil & gas industry, leading to a steep decline in revenues during the lockdown period.

The shutdown of manufacturing units, an acute shortage of raw materials and lack of potential manpower contributed to this decline.

It is inferred from the current pandemic-induced situations that the production and supply chain activities have faced considerable challenges.

Increased investment in fire protection fuels the firefighting foam market

According to the report, the rise in investments by global firms in fire protection for their facilities has increased the installation of fire protection systems.

These systems utilise automatic suppression systems due to the presence of stringent regulations.

The NFPA is extending the use of its standards beyond the US, which is expected to have global applicability.

This initiative educates facility managers, business leaders, and fire professionals on the NFPA standards and other best practices in diverse locations such as the Middle East, China, and countries in the European Union (EU), and South.

In recent years, traditional AFFF foam concentrates and older fluoro-protein foams are being replaced with SOLBERG RE-HEALING foam concentrates.

These concentrates use a tested and authorised high-performance synthetic foam technology.

Additionally, ACAF Systems have partnered with the LASTFIRE group to understand new generation foams and demonstrate their efficiency in CAF applications.

Existing lawsuits and litigations pose a challenge for the firefighting foam market

Several manufacturers face lawsuits and litigations, posing a challenge for the industry.

For instance, in January 2019, Ohio, US, filed a lawsuit against manufacturers, including affiliates of the 3M company, over PFOS and PFOA contamination allegedly caused by the use of firefighting foams at various locations throughout Ohio.

Firefighting foam market segmentation

By type, the market is divided into AFFF, AR-AFFF, PF, synthetic detergent foam, and others.

Due to its extensive use by the oil & gas industry, the demand for AFFF was the highest in 2020.

Based on the end-use industry, the market is classified into oil & gas, aviation, marine, mining, and others.

The oil & gas industry, being a major consumer of firefighting foam, was the largest market in 2020.

The high demand can be attributed to the high risk of fire accidents and the efficiency of firefighting foam in combatting such fires.

By region, the market is segregated into APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

APAC was the largest market for firefighting foam in 2020.

Key findings and future trends in the firefighting foam market

Key findings from the study suggest that synthetic detergent foam is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The marine segment, under end-use, is also predicted to experience the highest growth during the same period.

Furthermore, research and development activities by manufacturers to develop innovative firefighting foams are expected to contribute to the growth of the market.

The measures to reduce longer chain, like C8 or greater, perfluorinated chemicals and PFOA emissions provide opportunities for the market.

IFSJ Comment

Understanding the projected growth of the firefighting foam market offers invaluable insight into future safety standards and practices.

As an industry, we can use this information to anticipate needs, align with environmentally-friendly products, and ensure the best protection systems are in place across all sectors.