Abstract
US sales to increase 3.3% per annum through 2013
Sales of decorative laminates in the US are forecast to rise 3.3 percent per
year to 14.3 billion square feet in 2013, valued at $8.9 billion. Gains will
be sparked by increased demand from the flooring industry, where shipments of
laminate flooring are projected to advance about twelve percent per year to
almost three billion square feet in 2013. Increases in shipments of laminate
flooring will continue to be supported by the product' s low cost, ease of
installation and low maintenance requirements. Laminate flooring manufacturers
are expected to continue to increase US production capacity, spurring demand
for laminate materials used in the production of the flooring.
Cabinets are expected to remain the leading market for decorative laminates in
2013, with demand for laminates in cabinets reaching three billion square
feet. Advances will be derived from the rebounding housing market, as
increasing housing completions will spur demand for cabinets in new housing.
However, demand gains will be restrained by rising competition from cabinets
made from other materials, especially solid wood.
Manufacturers of laminates will continue to offer a wide range of product
styles and textures, especially those that resemble natural and exotic woods,
metals and three-dimensional natural stone surfaces. Laminate producers will
continue to offer customers aesthetically pleasing surfacing choices that cost
less than other materials. Despite these advantages, laminates will face
strong competition from other surfacing materials. For example, in the
countertops market, granite, engineered quartz, and solid surfacing materials
are often used instead of laminates.
High-pressure laminates to register most rapid gains
Laminates made from low-pressure overlays, including low-basis weight papers,
saturated papers, decorative foils and vinyl films, are forecast to account
for over three-quarters of decorative laminate sales volume in 2013. Demand
will be driven by increased use of saturated papers in the high-growth
flooring market and continued adoption of low-pressure laminates as low-cost
decorative surfacing products for furniture, cabinets and store fixtures.
However, high-pressure laminates are expected to post the most rapid gains in
demand through 2013. Demand for these laminates will continue to benefit from
their enhanced decorative properties, long-term durability and resistance to
scratches and other types of damage caused by wear and tear. High-pressure
laminates are used in the production of flooring, countertops, cabinets and
other items with horizontal surfaces.
Study coverage
Decorative Laminates, a new Freedonia industry study, presents historical
demand data (1998, 2003, 2008) plus forecasts for 2013 and 2018 by product,
market, raw material and process. The study also considers market environment
factors, evaluates company market share and profiles 39 industry competitors.
Freedonia' s methods involve:
- 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
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