Abstract
US demand to grow 4.8% annually through 2010
Demand for specialty films is forecast to advance 4.8 percent per year to $7.3
billion in 2010. Gains will be driven by increasing performance requirements
in a number of markets, necessitating the use of higher-value specialty
materials in films. Additionally, new technologies such as modified atmosphere
and case-ready packaging will fuel advances, as will improved processing
methods in film coating and metallization. Demand will also benefit from
emerging products and markets for specialty films, such as biodegradable trash
bags and soluble oral delivery products. However, further gains will be
inhibited by market maturity or weak demand in a number of specialty film
applications, including PVC decorative films, breathable films for personal
care products and interlayer films for motor vehicle windows.
Barrier films to remain dominant application
Barrier films are the largest segment of the specialty films industry,
accounting for half of total demand in 2005. Growth will be driven by the
rapid rise of caseready technology in meat packaging, which require barrier
films to maintain an optimum atmosphere inside the package. These
opportunities will spur advances for plastic films such as ethylene vinyl
alcohol, nylon and polyvinylidene chloride, which are used in the construction
of barrier films. Additionally, improvements in metallization technologies are
allowing metallized films to become a cost-effective replacement for film/foil
and film/paper laminates in a number of food packaging applications. Demand
for conductive films will rise at a strong pace through 2010, fueled by a
resurgent US electronics industry. In particular, the market for flexible
printed circuit boards is expected to rebound from declines posted during the
2000-2005 period, which will benefit demand for polyimide and polyester films
used in their manufacture. In addition, demand for conductive and other films
used in electronics will benefit from the increasing move from conventional
cathode ray tube displays to flat panel technologies, that utilize a variety
of polarizing, optical enhancement and protective films.
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