Market Trends of Global Hospital Linen Supply And Management Services Industry
Bed Sheet and Pillow Covers Segment is Expected to Witness a Significant Growth During the Forecast Period
The bedsheets and pillow covers segment has a significant share and is expected to increase significantly over the projected period. Flat sheets, fitted sheets, bariatric sheets, hyperbaric sheets, gurney sheets, mortuary sheets, and birthing sheets are some of the bed sheets used in hospitals. Single and double bedsheets in various sizes offer the combined advantages of stain-release properties, maintaining a fresh appearance for longer and reducing maintenance costs. These benefits will further drive the market's growth over the forecast period.
Furthermore, the large number of hospitals is a significant market driver. Emerging healthcare facilities will see an exponential increase in the demand for clean and hygienic linen. Hospitals rely on efficient linen management to maintain sanitary conditions, patient comfort, and regulatory compliance. This surge in demand creates opportunities for specialized linen supply and management service providers to offer cost-effective and reliable solutions. For instance, according to the American Hospital Association, in January 2024, there were 6,120 hospitals; out of that, 5,129 community hospitals, 207 federal government hospitals, and 659 nonfederal psychiatric hospitals. As a result, the market will continue to rise due to the large number of hospitals. Thus, the continuous demand underscores the importance of linen supply and management services in maintaining hospital hygiene and ensuring patient comfort, which will drive the grwoth of the segment in the studied period.
Additionally, the mandate for government hospitals to use color-coded linens for different days of the week significantly drives the growth of this segment in the market. This practice ensures better organization, hygiene, and infection control by helping staff quickly identify and manage linen changes. Consequently, hospitals require a more extensive inventory of various color bed sheets and pillow covers, increasing demand for these products. For instance, in November 2023, The Health Department of Tamil Nadu, India, introduced a new initiative to ensure daily hospital beds have clean linens. Each day of the week will feature a specific colored linen, with an additional color designated for the weekend. This initiative was launched at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).
In December 2023, The Minister of Primary and Secondary Healthcare, India, announced that all District Headquarters Hospitals (DHQ) managed by his department would use bed sheets in three colors. This initiative would also extend to Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospitals. Each bed at the DHQ hospitals would be equipped with seven bedsheets, all in the designated three colors. Furthermore, the minister emphasized that emergency wards utilize disposable bed sheets, ensuring a fresh sheet for every patient. Therefore, the mandates for specific-colored linens in government hospitals drive the demand for bed sheets and pillow covers. This trend highlights the essential role of organized and hygienic linen management in healthcare settings, fostering market growth.
Moreover, partnerships can help through shared investments in technology and infrastructure. This partnership makes high-quality linen products more affordable for hospitals, encouraging them to outsource their supply and management needs. For instance, in March 2023, Toyota Tsusho partnered with Tokai Corp, a Japanese expert in hospital linen supply and medical peripherals, to introduce Valabhi Hospital Services in India. The new venture aimed to transform hospital linen management in India, enhancing hygiene standards in healthcare institutions. Hospital linens included bed linens, pillow covers, blankets, towels, curtains, doctors’ coats, theatre garments, and other materials utilized in outpatient departments, inpatient wards, staff rooms, and offices. Therefore, the initiatives manufacturers make in such a partnership will drive the segment growth over the forecast period.
Hence, owing to the abovementioned factors, such as the rising number of hospitals, increasing government initiatives to implement daily policies about bed sheets and pillow covers, and manufacturers focusing on initiatives such as partnerships, the segment is believed to witness significant growth during the forecast period.
North America Holds Significant Share in the Market and Expected to Grow in Forecast Period
North America is expected to witness significant growth in the market, owing to the rising number of surgeries, the increasing incidence of HAIs and UTIs, and the presence of prominent market participants in this region.
There is an increasing trend of cosmetic procedures across the United States, boosting the market growth as cosmetic procedures involve surgical operations, for which management of line supply in the hospital is necessary. For instance, as per the data from the ISAPS 2023 Survey Report, it was found that there were around 6.1 million surgical procedures performed in the United States during the year 2023. Among those, around 1.7 million were surgical cosmetic procedures. Hence, with this high number of procedures, the market studied is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period.
Additionally, hospitals are compelled to adhere to higher hygiene standards due to the increasing incidence of HAIs and urinary tract infections (UTIs). This requirement mandates more frequent and meticulous linen laundering to prevent infection transmission. For instance, according to a study from BMJ Journal in May 2023, Catheter-associated Urinary Tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common healthcare-related illnesses in the United States. CAUTIs accounted for almost 40% of all hospital-acquired infections and 80% of all nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTIs) 2022. Therefore, the rising burden of hospital-acquired infections is augmenting the region's demand for hospital linen and management services.
Several companies operating in the business are developing new services and making strategic moves to contribute to market growth. For instance, in January 2023, Healthcare Linen Services Group (HLSG) acquired Linen King, based in Oklahoma. As part of York Capital Management’s private equity group, the company provides services in the country’s Midwest and Central parts. In addition, in April 2022, Novo Health Services began processing from its new state-of-the-art healthcare laundry facility, which features the latest innovations in automation, associate ergonomics, safety, infection prevention, and quality. Thus, the key players focusing on acquiring and expanding new laundry facilities are anticipated to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.
Therefore, owing to the abovementioned factors, such as the increasing number of surgical procedures, growing hospital-acquired infections, and manufacturers' rising focus on improving the hospital system, the market studied is believed to witness healthy growth during the forecast period.
