Liquid Handling Systems Market Size, Share, and Trends 2024 to 2033

Liquid Handling Systems Market Size and Growth 2024 to 2033

The global liquid handling systems market size was valued at USD 3.77 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach around USD 6.59 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 5.73% from 2024 to 2033. The market is growing because of new technologies that make it easier to handle liquids, like robots, precision dispensing, and software solutions that work with other systems

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Liquid Handling Systems Market Key Takeaways

• The North America liquid handling systems market size was calculated at USD 1.66 billion in 2023 and is estimated to cross around USD 2.93 billion by 2033.
• North America led the liquid market with the largest market share of 44% in 2023.
• Asia Pacific is predicted to grow rapidly over the projected period in the global market.
• By type, the manual liquid handling segment dominated the market in 2023.
• By type, the electronic segment is expected to show the fastest growth over the forecast period.
• By product, in 2023, the automated workstation segment dominated the market and is projected to grow significantly throughout the forecast period.
• By application, the drug discovery segment has held the largest market share of 40% in 2023.
• By application, the cancer and genomics research segment is predicted to grow rapidly over the projected period.

Liquid Handling Systems Market Size in the U.S. 2024 to 2033

The U.S. liquid handling systems market size was estimated at USD 1.16 billion in 2023 and is predicted to be worth around USD 2.05 billion by 2033 with a CAGR of 5.85% from 2024 to 2033.

North America dominated the liquid handling systems market in 2023. The United States is a key region in research and development spending across life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and analytical chemistry. It's also a major hub for drug manufacturing, using liquid handling systems extensively in the process. Liquid handling systems are vital in drug discovery, cancer research, and clinical diagnostics, and the growth of these industries is expected to have a positive impact on the market. Furthermore, factors like investments from big companies, a rise in infectious and chronic diseases, and an increase in product launches by market players are all contributing to the market's growth.

Asia Pacific is predicted to grow rapidly over the projected period in the global liquid handling systems market. This is because the region is making big strides in improving its healthcare facilities, investing more in research and development, and embracing lab automation technologies. Countries like China, Japan, and India are seeing substantial growth in their biotech and pharmaceutical industries, driven by a growing interest in personalized medicine and genomics-based diagnostics. Hence, there's a rising demand for liquid handling systems in this region.

• As per the news published by PR News in August 2023, the Asia Pacific pharmacy automation industry is poised to undergo a transformative evolution worth $763 million, driven by rapid technological advancements and growing healthcare demands. With an increasing emphasis on efficient medication management and patient safety

Liquid Handling Systems Market in the Asia Pacific 2023 to 2033

The Asia Pacific liquid handling systems market size accounted for USD 830 million in 2023 and is expected to rake around USD 1,480 million by 2033 with a CAGR of 5.95% from 2024 to 2033.

Liquid Handling Systems Market Overview

Automated liquid handling systems are becoming increasingly popular in drug discovery, with many major players in the market shifting towards these systems. This trend is fueled by the growing investment in research and drug development. The demand for high-throughput screening is also on the rise and can further drive market growth. Technological advancements in automated liquid handling systems are contributing to this growth as well.

Liquid-handling instruments offer several advantages. They simplify sample preparation with consistently high accuracy, allowing laboratories to handle more samples while maintaining reproducibility. Additionally, they help laboratories address sample preparation needs for various applications, including proteins, metabolites, genomics, and NGS, thereby reducing setup times and protocol development efforts.

Liquid Handling Systems Market Growth Factors

• The growing investment in drug discovery and research is anticipated to increase the demand for liquid handling systems.
• Rising demand for high-throughput screening can fuel the market growth further in the near future.
• Technological developments in automated liquid handling systems can boost market growth shortly.
• Advancements in automation and robotics are expected to propel the liquid handling systems market’s growth during the forecast period.
• Rising demand from pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies can drive market growth.

Liquid Handling Systems Market Scope

Liquid Handling Systems Market Dynamics

Driver: Increasing demand for high-throughput screening

High-throughput screening (HTS) is an automated process used in drug discovery to quickly identify active compounds, antibodies, or genes. It helps researchers find potential treatments for chronic conditions like cancer, HIV, and heart disease by screening large numbers of drug-like compounds. As the prevalence of these diseases increases globally, there is a growing demand for HTS products to aid in drug development. HTS technology enables rapid assessment of the biological or biochemical activity of compounds, facilitating the detection of molecules that interact with specific targets such as receptors, enzymes, or ion channels.

• In December 2023, Piramal Pharma launched a high-throughput screening facility at its drug discovery services site in Ahmedabad, India. It will add to the current in vitro biology capabilities along with the primary and secondary screening capabilities of compound manufacturers at the Indian site.

Restraint: Cross-contamination issues

In high-throughput environments, liquid handling systems are at risk of contamination or cross-contamination between samples or reagents. To mitigate these risks, laboratories must adhere to strict protocols and implement quality control measures. Additionally, there is a need for greater awareness of career opportunities in the medical field, especially in developing countries, where many people may not be aware of the diverse career options available. These factors hinder the growth of the liquid handling systems market.

Opportunity: Integration of robotics with liquid handling systems

The liquid handling systems market has traditionally relied on manual, labor-intensive processes for tasks such as fluid transfer, dispensing, and pipetting. Recent advancements in robotics offer the potential to automate these repetitive tasks by integrating robots with liquid handling equipment. Robotics can enhance precision, accuracy, and output while reducing errors in high-volume dispensing and sample screening. Researchers are developing affordable robots with advanced vision capabilities to seamlessly coordinate with existing liquid handlers, creating a fully automated workflow. This integration also can significantly increase lab productivity and efficiency.

• In June 2023, Becton, Dickinson, and Company, a leading global medical technology company, announced the worldwide commercial launch of a new automated instrument that prepares samples for clinical diagnostics using flow cytometry, enabling a complete "walkaway" workflow solution designed to improve standardization and reproducibility in cellular diagnostics.

Type Insights

The manual liquid handling segment dominated the liquid handling systems market in 2023. The growth is linked to the low cost and deduction in time required for sample processing offered by manual liquid handling systems in research institutions, biotech firms, etc. Moreover, rising R&D investments have made various pharma companies focus on drug development.

The electronic segment is expected to show the fastest growth over the forecast period. The growth of this segment is mainly fueled by the rising investment in research and development by pharmaceutical and biotech firms. Also, there's a growing demand for dependable liquid handling systems in diagnostic labs. The COVID-19 pandemic has further boosted the need for electronic liquid handling systems. With the necessity for extensive testing and vaccine development, there's been a sharp increase in demand for automated liquid handling instruments. This segment is poised for significant growth in the foreseeable future.

Product Insights

The automated workstation segment dominated the liquid handling systems market in 2023 and is projected to grow significantly throughout the forecast period. In labs, automated workstations are becoming more common to improve efficiency and output. By automating tasks that scientists typically perform, like experimental procedures, labs can boost reproducibility and throughput. Robotic control ensures consistent movements, which reduces the variability that can occur with manual techniques. Modular workstations offer flexibility, allowing customization for specific applications such as sample preparation for genomics, proteomics, and cellular analysis.

• In February 2024, Opentrons Labworks, Inc., a leader in lab automation and makers of accessible lab robotics, announced the launch of its new protocol library, offering plug-and-play protocols for all Opentrons robots, including the Opentrons Flex. Opentrons is building a first-of-its-kind ecosystem for simplifying and scaling lab automation, which comprises the protocol library along with generative AI tools for protocol development.

Application Insights

The drug discovery segment dominated the liquid handling systems market in 2023. Liquid handling systems are making a big impact in drug discovery, particularly in the pharmaceutical field. They're essential in the initial phases of drug development, ensuring precise and efficient handling of various substances and samples. These systems are key in high-throughput screening, where researchers can quickly test thousands or even millions of compounds to find potential treatments. Given the growing demand for new drugs to tackle challenging diseases, the drug discovery sector is driving significant demand for liquid handling systems by pushing the market forward.

In the liquid handling systems market, the cancer and genomics research segment is predicted to grow rapidly over the projected period. Genomics research has become increasingly important, providing valuable insights into how genes work and interact, which is crucial for understanding genetic diseases and specific treatments for individuals. With the rapid progress in genomics, especially with next-generation sequencing technologies, the need for liquid handling systems in genomics research is expected to rise significantly.

• In July 2023, UNSW Sydney’s Centre for Molecular Oncology partnered with not-for-profit cancer genomics leader Omico to deliver the national precision oncology program PrOSPeCT.

Liquid Handling Systems Market Recent Developments

• In August 2023, Starlab International developed and manufactures high-quality pipette tips, pipettes, gloves, and other laboratory products for research and development; acquired the remaining shares of Life Systems Design, a distributor of products for research laboratories. Life Systems Design is one of the world's leading manufacturers of liquid handling laboratory products.
• In July 2023, Revvity (formerly PerkinElmer, Inc.) a company that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and marketing measurement devices and analytical instruments for the healthcare, environmental, scientific research, industry, and food sectors, launched the Fontus Automated Liquid Handling Workstation, a next-generation liquid handler incorporating the best technologies from Revvity’s existing platforms, that is designed to deliver easier and faster workflows which enable better results for next generation sequencing (NGS) and diagnostic research applications
•  In June 2023, Biosero, a company developing automation solutions for laboratories, and Analytik Jena, a provider of analytical, bioanalytical, and optical systems for industrial and scientific applications, entered a comarketing agreement to promote applications of their combined laboratory automation technologies. Analytik Jena offers innovative laboratory instrumentation for numerous scientific applications. The CyBioFeliX platform allows liquid handling in automated laboratory setups and is suitable for several applications.
• In November 2022, Mike McMullen and Bob McMahon presented at the 5th Annual Evercore ISI HealthCONx conference, according to a recent announcement from Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A).

Liquid Handling Systems Market Companies

• Qiagen N.V.
• Danaher Corporation
• PerkinElmer, Inc.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
• Eppendorf AG
• Sartorius AG
• Merck KGaA
• Agilent Technologies.
• Biosero
• Starlab International
• DISPENDIX
• Tecan Group Ltd
• Hamilton Company
• Agilent Technologies
• Aurora Biomed
• BioTek Instruments

Segments Covered in the Report

By Type

• Manual Liquid Handling
• Electronic Liquid Handling
• Automated Liquid Handling
• Semi-automated Liquid Handling

By Product

• Automated Workstations
• Pipettes
• Dispensers
• Burettes
• Other Products

By Application

• Drug Discovery
• Cancer and Genomics Research
• Clinical Diagnostics
• Other 

By End-user

• Diagnostic Centers
• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry
• Contract Research Organization
• Academic Institutes
• Other

By Geography

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa