Air starter market seen reaching $726.5 million by 2035

The air starter market is projected to rise from $467.7 million in 2026 to $726.5 million by 2035, according to MRFR, as safety rules, LNG growth and autonomous mining spending boost demand. The market’s next phase is also being shaped by gear-reduced designs, remote-start features and predictive maintenance tools.

Why it matters: - Air starters are used in hazardous environments where electrical spark risks are unacceptable, including oil and gas sites, marine vessels, mining operations and power plants. - The market’s growth ties directly to compliance spending, equipment retrofits and automation upgrades across industrial fleets. - The forecast points to sustained demand for ignition-free starting systems through 2035.

What happened: - MRFR projects the air starter market will grow from $467.70 million in 2026 to $726.50 million by 2035. - The forecast implies a 5.02% compound annual growth rate across 2026 to 2035. - A sample report is available here. - The full market report is available here.

The details: - Air starters use compressed air to crank internal combustion engines and gas turbines without electrical spark risk. - The systems are designed for ATEX and IECEx compliance in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas. - Vane air starters held about 49.70% of market revenue in 2025. - Turbine air starters totaled $98.40 million in 2025. - Gear-reduced air starters are projected to grow at a 7.10% CAGR through 2035. - The up-to-100 HP segment accounted for 79.90% of unit volume in 2025. - The 100-to-300 HP segment is the fastest-growing engine class, with a 5.30% CAGR. - The above-300 HP segment was valued at $24.60 million in 2025. - Oil and gas held roughly 39.20% of market share in 2025. - Marine applications generated $53.70 million in 2025. - North America led with a 36.70% revenue share in 2025. - Europe followed with about 26.30% of revenue share. - Asia-Pacific is forecast to expand at a 7.25% CAGR, the fastest among regions. - South America and the Middle East & Africa were valued at $30.30 million and $25.40 million, respectively. - The top five players accounted for an estimated 52% to 58% of global revenue. - Key players include Ingersoll Rand, TDI, IPU Group, Gali International, Voith Group, Parker Hannifin, Honeywell, Atlas Copco, Hilliard Corporation and Maradyne Corporation.

Between the lines: - Regulatory pressure is a major demand driver, with tighter ATEX and IECEx mandates forcing operators to replace legacy electric starters in hazardous zones. - The market is shifting from legacy vane systems toward higher-torque, lower-air-consumption gear-reduced and hybrid designs. - Predictive-analytics software and IoT-enabled hardware are turning starter maintenance into a planned service model instead of a break-fix activity. - Autonomous mining, LNG-fueled marine fleets and hydrogen-ready power projects are expanding the addressable market beyond traditional oilfield use. - Electric starters remain cheaper in some Zone 2 applications, so pricing pressure remains a competitive risk.

What's next: - Asia-Pacific growth will likely be driven by LNG bunkering infrastructure and coal-to-gas power transitions. - Hydrogen-ready power plants in Germany, Japan and Australia could create demand for higher-pressure starter systems. - Dual-fuel marine retrofits and autonomous mining fleets are expected to add new replacement and aftermarket demand. - More service models will likely bundle starter hardware with remote monitoring and condition-based maintenance.

The bottom line: - Air starters are moving from a niche safety component to a broader automation and compliance market, with growth anchored in hazardous-industry upgrades and fleet modernization.