WORLD PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPES (Industry forecasts for 2012 & 2017)

Abstract

World demand for pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA, self-adhesive) tapes is forecast to expand 4.9 percent per year through 2012, in the process surpassing 35 billion square meters. In value terms, tape sales will rise a slower 4.0 percent annually to around $30 billion, as raw material costs stabilize following the 2004-2007 run-up. Projected growth in tape production will generate demand for around three billion kilograms of raw materials in 2012, including adhesives and various backing substrates.

Corrugated carton sealing tapes will remain by far the most widely used tape type, accounting for two-thirds of demand in 2012. Nevertheless, gains in this market will decline relative to the performance of the 2002-2007 period due to a deceleration in overall global food and beverage spending growth.

Masking tapes, the second largest product type, will continue to register slowest gains, with growth hindered by weak housing and motor vehicle markets (particularly in 2008 and 2009) and shifts toward less tape-intensive industrial coating technologies. Among the other tape types, the best opportunities exist for double-sided tapes, with medical and other specialty tapes also performing favorably.

The US accounts for one-fifth of global demand, although its share of the world market will continue to decline due to decelerating economic growth and mature key tape consuming industries such as food and beverage and construction. The same can be said for most other developed countries in Western Europe and the Asia/Pacific regions, where annual tape demand growth will average 2.0 percent per year through 2012. By contrast, there is substantial room for additional market penetration in the world' s developing countries, with China, India, and Eastern Europe in particular enjoying favorable prospects. China is expected to expand its share of the world tape market from 28 percent in 2007 to 32 percent in 2012, with gains driven by strong (albeit decelerating) economic growth and the massive tape requirements of China' s vast and continually expanding export-oriented manufacturing complex.

Study coverage

This new Freedonia industry study, World Pressure Sensitive Tapes, presents historical demand data (1997, 2002 and 2007) plus forecasts for 2012 and 2017 by tape type, backing material, raw material, world region and for 22 major countries. The study also considers market environment factors, evaluates company market share and profiles more than 35 industry competitors.

• Establishing consistent economic and market forecasts
• Using input/output ratios, flow charts and other economic methods to quantify data
• Employing in-house analysts who meet stringent quality standards
• Interviewing key industry participants, experts and end users
• Researching a proprietary database that includes trade publications, government reports and corporate literature