Mortuary Refrigerator Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Walk-in Refrigerators, Body Box Refrigerators, and Others), By Temperature Type (Positive Temperature Fridges and Negative Temperature Fridges), By End User (Hospitals, Forensic Labs, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

The global mortuary refrigerator market is increasing significantly due to the increasing death rates globally. The rising death rate can be attributed to the globally mounting geriatric population and increasing prevalence of chronic disorders, among other factors. Along with this, the growing demand for automation in the mortuary procedures drives the global market growth. A mortuary refrigerator isolates and preserves the deceased from the external environment. This ensures the safeguarding of the deceased that enables further forensic examination.

• According to a 2022 article published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22% between 2015 and 2050.

Mortuary Refrigerator Market Driver

Increasing Death Rates Globally to Drive Demand for Mortuary Refrigerators

There has been a notable increase in the incidence of non-communicable diseases, accidents, and injuries, contributing to a rise in the mortality. The increasing prevalence of life-threatening conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and others is another prominent factor contributing to the rising death rate amongst the population. The growing awareness regarding the importance of the proper cadaver storage is also fueling the equipment demand in the market.

• According to a 2023 report published by the World Heart Foundation, there are more than a half billion people affected by cardiovascular diseases globally that accounted for more than 20.5 million deaths in 2021.

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According to 2023 data published by the Our World in Data, there were 11.68 million deaths in China in 2023, rising by 6.2% compared to 2022.

Mortuary Refrigerator Market Restraint

High Costs Associated with Mortuary Refrigerator to Hamper Product Adoption

The high costs of mortuary refrigerators along with other expenses associated with the installment of the equipment, maintenance, and operating costs also poses a financial constraint to the healthcare facilities in emerging countries. Furthermore, the rigid build-up of the equipment makes the installment challenging in facilities with a space constraint and is expected to hamper the product adoption in the market.

• According to the AmericanWalkinCoolers, the average cost of a mini mortuary cooler can range between USD 6,000 to USD 9,500. Nearly 20% of increase in operational costs can be seen with a 70% of refrigerant charge, contributing to the high overall cost.

Mortuary Refrigerator Market Opportunity

Rising Technological Advancements to Create Opportunities for Industry Expansion

Several technological advancements are being introduced in the mortuary refrigerators and coolers by  key companies operating in the market to increase the durability, efficiency, and reduce the costs of operation and maintenance for healthcare facilities. These transformations in the equipment are expected to create an opportunity among low-resource settings. Along with this, the improving healthcare infrastructure in developed as well as low and middle-income countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India, and others will present a chance to expand the morgue capacity with more equipment.

• In January 2024, the Cleveland Clinic requested additional funding from county for Medina Hospital morgue renovation project. The project is aimed toward an increase the morgue capacity of the hospital.

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Statistics on Death Rates, By Key Countries/Regions, 2023
• Overview: Technological Advancements in Mortuary Refrigerators
• New Product Launches, By Key Players
• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships)
• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

Segmentation

Analysis by Product Type

In terms of product type, the market is divided into walk-in refrigerators, body box refrigerators, and others.

The walk-in refrigerators, offer various benefits, such as being sized and fitted with various types of cadaver racks to suit the smallest to the largest facilities. Units can be fabricated with a variety of metal finishes, door types, alarm systems, refrigeration controls, and dehumidifier systems. These benefits result in the rising adoption of these types of refrigerators among healthcare facilities in the market.

• According to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), it commissioned the newly constructed walk-in mortuary refrigerator and refurbished autopsy room on 17^th June, 2022.

Analysis by Temperature Type

In terms of the temperature type, the market is segmented into positive temperature fridges and negative temperature fridges.

The negative temperature fridges, accounted for a significant proportion of the global market. In the negative temperatures of cold chambers, the dead bodies are stored at temperatures ranging from -10°C to -50 °C. These types of refrigerators are generally used in forensic institutes. The low temperature ensures that the body reaches the frozen state and the rate of decomposition is very low. The increasing number of crime rates globally along with growing focus of the forensic labs to store the cadaver for research purposes is expected to boost the segmental expansion.

• In 2022, According to the House of Commons Library, the U.K. and Northern Ireland had the highest rate of homicide at 12.6 offences per million population. The crime rate in England and Wales stood at 11.7, with Scotland closely behind at 9.5 offenses per million.

Analysis by End User

On the basis of end user, the market is fragmented into hospitals, forensic labs, and others.

The hospitals segment accounted for a substantial share of the global mortuary refrigerator market in 2023. The increasing number of hospital admissions for chronic conditions such as cancer and trauma injuries is leading to a higher number of inpatient death rates. The growing number of hospitals in countries such as the U.S., U.K., and others and the rising focus of expansion of the capacity and equipment in hospitals are some of the other factors contributing to the segment growth.

• According to 2022 data published by the American Hospital Association, there were around 6,129 hospitals in the U.S. in 2021 compared to 6,093 hospitals in 2020, witnessing a growth of around 0.6%.

Regional Analysis

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Based on region, the market has been studied across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America accounted for the largest share of the global mortuary refrigerator market in 2023. The market growth in the region is attributed to the rising death rate in countries such as the U.S. and Canada. The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and others is resulting in increasing death rates in the region, further leading to high demand for these equipment.

• According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2022, the U.S. had a death rate of 984.1 deaths per 100,000 population.

In recent years, Europe has experienced a rise in mortality rates and the rising efforts of government bodies and organizations to increase the investment for healthcare infrastructure improvement is expected to fuel the demand for hospital equipment including morgue refrigerators in the region.

• In October 2020, the NHS government granted USD 4.60 billion for building 40 hospitals by 2030 across England. Further, the government announced that 20 hospitals in the country will receive USD 1.86 million to upgrade the outdated facilities and equipment including morgue equipment.

The Asia Pacific market is also witnessing growth due to rising number of patients with chronic health conditions and increase in mortality rate. Additionally, the strong presence of market players such as Bionics Scientific, Shenyang Roundfin Technology Co., Ltd., Yatherm Scientific, and others have also been fueling the regional market growth.

• Cancer is the second leading cause of death after CVD in the Asia Pacific region. Cancer was the cause of an estimated 5 million deaths (or 24% of total NCD deaths) in Asia Pacific in 2019.

Key Players Covered

The mortuary refrigerator market demonstrates a fragmented competitive landscape, with several players offering a wide range of products. The growing R&D activities by emerging companies are expected to help grow the market share of several emerging companies.

The report includes the profiles of the following key players:

• Bionics Scientific (India)
• Mercurial Funeral & Mortuary Equipment (South Africa)
• Mortech Manufacturing (U.S.)
• Shenyang Roundfin Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
• PRESTON REFRIGERATION CO., INC. (U.S.)
• Focus Technology Co., Ltd. (China)
• Fiocchetti Scientific (Italy)
• Thalheimer Kühlung (Europe)
• Yatherm Scientific (India)

Key Industry Developments

• In March 2023, Lira University Teaching Hospital acquired a modern morgue refrigerator for use at its mortuary to preserve dead bodies.
• In September 2021, Lakeland Regional Health hospital procured a mortuary cooler with an aim to expand its morgue capacity.