Abstract
US demand to rise 3.1% annually through 2012
Demand for engineering plastics will rise 3.1 percent per year to 5.4 billion
pounds in 2012, valued at $10.7 billion. Gains will represent a notable
acceleration from performance during the 1997-2007 decade, in which a slowdown
in motor vehicle and electronics output resulted in sluggish growth in
engineering plastics demand. Advances will be driven by a continued trend
toward the replacement of metal parts with high-performance plastic resins,
which feature advantages such as reduced weight, lower costs and increased
durability.
ABS, polycarbonate, nylon to remain top three resins
ABS, polycarbonate and nylon will continue to be the three largest volume
engineering plastics, accounting for over three-quarters of total demand in
2012. Of these, the most rapid advances are expected for polycarbonate resins,
driven by opportunities in motor vehicles and medical products. ABS demand, on
the other hand, will grow at a pace well below the overall average, restrained
by market maturity and competition from commodity resins such as
polypropylene. Smaller-volume specialty plastics to see fastest gains The
fastest gains among engineering resins will be seen in smaller-volume
specialty plastics such as polysulfones, polyphenylene sulfide and polyimides.
Gains for these resins will be fueled by the increasing need for
high-temperature performance and corrosion resistance in electronic and
automotive markets, particularly as electrical components become further
miniaturized. Fluoropolymers will also see growing opportunities in wire and
cable coatings and industrial components.
Motor vehicle, medical applications among best market opportunities
Electrical and electronic products and motor vehicles were the leading markets
for engineering plastics in 2007, combining to account for nearly 60 percent
of total volume demand. Motor vehicle markets will see above-average gains as
automotive production rebounds from a depressed 2007 base. Additionally,
engineering plastics will increase their penetration into motor vehicle
components, as the volume of resin used per vehicle is expected to rise twelve
pounds by 2012. Fastest growth in engineering plastics demand, however, is
forecast for the consumer and institutional market, driven by the expanding
use of highperformance resins in medical product applications.
Study coverage
This new Freedonia industry study, Engineering Plastics presents historical
demand data (1997, 2002 and 2007) plus forecasts for 2012 and 2017 by
engineering plastic resin and market. The study also considers market
environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market
share and profiles leading competitors.
| 
View Cart
