Abstract
Global demand to rise 4% annually through 2011
World rubber consumption is forecast to increase 4.0 percent annually to 26.5
million metric tons in 2011. Gains will directly benefit from solid growth in
world motor vehicle production, as well as a strong global economy. The US,
China and Japan dominate global rubber consumption, and will continue to do
so, collectively accounting for more than half of the market in 2011. China
has become the leading consumer of rubber worldwide, following more than a
decade of strong growth in motor vehicle production and industrial goods
manufacturing. The country overtook Japan as the second largest rubber market
in the late 1990s and by 2001 had essentially caught up to the US as the
world' s leading consumer. While China will continue to extend that lead, the
US and Japan will remain leading markets worldwide, because of their extensive
motor vehicle and tire industries.
Chinese market to slow yet remain fastest growing
The strongest gains are forecast for China, though the double digit annual
gains that characterized China' s rubber market from 2001 to 2006 are forecast
to slow significantly as its domestic market matures and motor vehicle
production decelerates. The Chinese market will be sustained primarily by
expanding demand for industrial rubber products such as hoses, belts and
gaskets, offsetting slower, though still solid, growth for tire rubber.
Above-average gains also are forecast for most of the rest of the Asia/
Pacific, excluding Japan, which will benefit from strong economic growth and
rising motor vehicle production. In addition, the growing tire industries in
these nations will support demand for rubber.
Among the major developed regions, the large North American, West European and
Japanese markets will all see gains below the global average. Each of these
regions will suffer from a weak outlook for the regional motor vehicle
industry and competition from nations with lower labor or raw material costs.
Study coverage
It presents historical demand data for the years 1996, 2001 and 2006 and
forecasts for 2011 and 2016 by product (tires, natural rubber, synthetic
rubber), world region and for 30 national markets. The study also considers
market environment factors, assesses global industry structure, evaluates
company market share and profiles 48 industry competitors worldwide.
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