Abstract
Highlights:
This report:
- Provides an overview of the flexible hose and tubing industry in the U.S.
- Supplies a market analysis by physical volume in pounds by hose and tubing
material
- Provides a market analysis by some of the most important applications,
including automotive, hydraulic, industrial, and consumer markets
- Describes the coverage of hose and tubing technology and manufacture
- Analyzes the structure and some competitive factors and trends in the
industry
- Discusses regulatory, environmental, and public issues
- Profiles the most important major suppliers in this large industry.
SCOPE of report
This BCC Research study covers in depth many of the most important economic,
technological, political, regulatory, and environmental considerations in U.S.
markets for materials used in manufacture of flexible hose and tubing, as well
as those for the resulting hose and tubing products.
Such products are made from several different polymers, natural and synthetic,
both elastomeric and non-elastomeric, to produce a number of different types
of hose and tubing. We focus on thermosetting elastomers, both natural and
synthetic rubbers, and on thermoplastic hose and tubing materials; the latter
group includes both plastic resins and thermoplastic elastomers.
Our study includes older and newer key technologies, the markets, and key
player companies which make up the U.S. hose and tubing industry in all its
ramifications. This is primarily a study of activities and markets in the
United States, but because of the global nature of most industries these days,
it touches on some noteworthy international activities. These are primarily
those which can have an impact on the U.S. business and markets, primarily the
activities of foreign-based companies in U.S. markets.
Demand data are estimated for base year 2007 and forecast for 5 years to 2012.
Markets are all analyzed and projected in volumes in pounds of materials used.
Five year growth rates are all compounded (signified as compounded annual
growth rates or CAGRs). All final market figures are rounded to the nearest
million pounds. For breakdown markets in which some individual material usages
are small, we estimate to the nearest tenth of a million. Because of this
rounding, some growth rates may not agree exactly with figures in the market
tables, especially for very small markets of less than a million pounds.
This report is segmented into 10 sections, of which this is the first.
The summary is next and encapsulates our findings and conclusions, including a
summary market table. It is the place where busy executives can find the major
findings of the study in summary format.
Next is an overview to the flexible hose and tubing industry. We start with
some historical background and perspective on hose and tubing and define and
describe the major markets for hose and tubing in the United States.
Next is the first of our market analysis sections, this one devoted to market
analysis by physical volume in pounds by hose and tubing material.
The next section looks at hose and tubing markets by some of the most
important applications. These include automotive, hydraulic, industrial, and
consumer markets; the latter includes the important healthcare tubing market.
We break out several important types of hose and tubing for expanded
discussion and analysis.
Next is a section devoted to hose and tubing technology, with special emphasis
on manufacture of hose and tubing materials and products. We cover the basic
technologies of rubber and polymer manufacture as well as hose and tubing
fabrication and process economics. We also include a discussion of some
technical innovations in hose and tubing.
Next we look at the structure and some competitive factors and trends in the
U.S. flexible hose and tubing industry. We discuss competition among materials
and note some international aspects that affect the U.S. industry.
The next section is devoted to a discussion of regulatory, environmental, and
public issues which affect the hose and tubing industry. These include (1)
important standards for hose and tubing manufacture which are designed to
protect the public, (2) regulatory issues, and (3) some ongoing environmental
issues.
The final narrative section is devoted to information about some of the most
important major suppliers to this large industry, with profiles of these
suppliers.
We end with a glossary of some important terms, abbreviations, acronyms, etc.
used in the hose and tubing industry and related technologies.
Some topics and materials covered in the text of this report are not included
in our market forecast tables. We include these topics and materials for
completeness; however, they are either really outside the scope of this study
(such as discussion of international activities and markets) or may be too new
to have yet developed a measurable commercial market.
As noted as the beginning of this section, this is a study of flexible hose
and tubing produced from polymeric materials. We do not cover either rigid
plastic pipe/tubing or metal tubing; these subjects, such as the important
markets for metal (e.g. aluminum and copper) and rigid plastic tubing, are
covered, as noted, in detail in a companion BCC Research report, The
Competitive Pipe Industry, (MFG012H).
We also do not include tubes and tubing that are not usually considered part
of the traditional industry for hose and tubing that transport fluids and
other materials. Other uses for tubes and tubing include such products as core
tubes for paper towel and tissue products, fiber tube packaging for juice
concentrates and other food/beverage products, toothpaste and other product
packaging tubes, drinking straws, and the like. Structural and other
fabrication tubing, as well as decorative tubes, is also outside our scope.
Thus this report is devoted exclusively to flexible hose and tubing used for
materials transport.
METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES
Extensive searches were made of the literature and the Internet, including
many of the leading trade publications, as well as technical compendia,
government publications, and information from trade and other associations.
Much product and market information was obtained from the principals involved
in the industry. The information for our company profiles was obtained
primarily from the companies themselves, especially the larger publicly owned
firms. Other sources included directories, articles, and Internet sites.
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