FLUOROPOLYMERS
US demand to grow by nearly 10% per year to 2019 / Rebound in construction and electronics sector to fuel growth / Freedonia report
US demand for fluoropolymers is forecast to rise by 9.9% annually to reach USD 2.2 bn in 2019, with volumes totalling more than 86,000 t, according to market researcher Freedonia (Cleveland, Ohio / USA; www.freedoniagroup.com). The group said in its new “Fluoropolymers” study that growth would be spurred by continued economic expansion, which will drive industrial output and boost construction activity.
PTFE will remain the leading fluoropolymer, both in terms of volume and value. It will benefit from widespread use in industrial processing as well as increasing opportunities in emerging applications such as chemical processing and industrial filtration. Industrial processing will remain the largest outlet, aided by tighter performance requirements as more advanced materials are required to withstand increasingly harsh operating conditions.
The largest gains in demand will be seen for PVF and PVDF. PVF demand will rise rapidly from a fairly small base, boosted by very strong growth in photovoltaic modules as interest in alternative energy grows, and despite competition from less expensive alternatives.
PVDF will control a greater share of the total fluoropolymer market, advancing strongly through 2019 from rebounding growth in the architectural coatings segment. This view is based on a more optimistic outlook for building construction as well as PVDF’s superior performance characteristics compared with competing materials. PVDF will also see increased use in the electrical and electronics sector, which will be fuelled by a recovery in overall product output, particularly in wire and cable production.
Regarding applications, coatings and liners will remain the largest, mostly because of their expansive use in protecting wires and cables as well as construction materials. Films will post the fastest growth, boosted by demand in photovoltaic modules, healthcare packaging and industrial filtration materials. Foam applications will also see above-average growth potential due to the material's versatility as insulation.
PTFE will remain the leading fluoropolymer, both in terms of volume and value. It will benefit from widespread use in industrial processing as well as increasing opportunities in emerging applications such as chemical processing and industrial filtration. Industrial processing will remain the largest outlet, aided by tighter performance requirements as more advanced materials are required to withstand increasingly harsh operating conditions.
The largest gains in demand will be seen for PVF and PVDF. PVF demand will rise rapidly from a fairly small base, boosted by very strong growth in photovoltaic modules as interest in alternative energy grows, and despite competition from less expensive alternatives.
PVDF will control a greater share of the total fluoropolymer market, advancing strongly through 2019 from rebounding growth in the architectural coatings segment. This view is based on a more optimistic outlook for building construction as well as PVDF’s superior performance characteristics compared with competing materials. PVDF will also see increased use in the electrical and electronics sector, which will be fuelled by a recovery in overall product output, particularly in wire and cable production.
Regarding applications, coatings and liners will remain the largest, mostly because of their expansive use in protecting wires and cables as well as construction materials. Films will post the fastest growth, boosted by demand in photovoltaic modules, healthcare packaging and industrial filtration materials. Foam applications will also see above-average growth potential due to the material's versatility as insulation.
10.06.2015 Plasteurope.com [231374-0]
Published on 10.06.2015
German version of this article...