Italy is one of the largest of regional markets for personal protective equipment (PPE) in Western Europe. The manufacturing sector in Italy is growing, and unemployment is decreasing, albeit slowly, which drives the use of PPE. Market participants are mainly global manufacturers but also include a large number of local competitors. This report provides an insight into this regional market for PPE. Top end-user industries and regional market trends are discussed. Revenue estimates and forecasts are provided for the different types of PPE, such as above-the-neck protection, respiratory protection, disposable and non-disposable hand protection, protective apparel, foot protection, fall protection and gas detectors. Specific growth opportunities in the Italian PPE market are also discussed.

Within the Italian manufacturing sector, certain segments drive the use more greatly than others. Automotive, transportation, and general manufacturing are both major parts of the manufacturing sector and large users of personal protection equipment, such as hand protection, foot protection, hearing protection, safety helmets, eye protection and protective apparel. Investments into infrastructure are increasing, which is leading to greater use of all types of personal protection equipment, including fall protection for the construction and telecommunications industry. Following the 2009 EU directive, Italy has made strides in increasing the use of renewable energy. However, the 2020 targets have already been achieved, so short-term growth will be limited compared to other Western European countries. Greater growth will be expected once new targets are established after 2020. Gas detection is growing the fastest in the Italian PPE market, but hand protection is a much larger market segment due to its prevalence in all industries that require any PPE. Other industries that require personal protection equipment, like oil and gas and mining, do not make up a large portion of the manufacturing sector.

The safety standards in Italy have followed European Union directives and have been developed locally by the National Information System for Prevention at Workplaces (SINP). Currently, these standards are changing slightly due to recent European Union regulations (2016/425) that will apply all in the EU. Discussion of these new standards and their impact on Italy are in this report. The shift toward certain PPE (e.g., hearing protection) will have an impact on certain industries like construction.

The distribution of personal protection equipment in Italy is not fragmented like other European countries (e.g., Germany). Large companies are able to address all of Italy and still provide solutions well suited to each customer’s needs. End users expect all PPE to meet safety standards, as Italy is a safety-conscious country. One-stop shopping is growing for commodity versions of PPE, while PPE is preferred in high-risk safety scenarios. Customized products are also preferred in Italy. Italian end users have a preference for European products, especially those made in Italy due to a perceived improvement in product quality.

The greatest growth opportunities within the Italian PPE market are detailed in this report. These business opportunities are based on analysis of the Italian market in terms of the use of PPE, the growth of certain manufacturing sectors, the growth of certain PPE market segments, distribution trends in Italy, and upcoming innovations in the PPE. Capitalizing on these growth opportunities should lead to substantial short-term and long-term growth.