Abstract
Demand to rise more than 6% annually through 2011
World demand for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) is forecast to rise 6.4
percent per annum through 2011 to 3.5 million metric tons. Value gains will
expand an even stronger 7.8 percent annually to $13.7 billion over the same
period, due to the increasing number of applications that require costlier
types of TPEs and sustained high energy prices that will raise TPE production
costs. China will expand its share of the world market from 31 percent in 2006
to 35 percent in 2011, although the US will remain the world' s largest
manufacturer of some products such as olefinic based TPEs.
China to expand position as largest volume producer
Through 2011, China' s TPE market (the world' s largest market in metric tons)
will expand and diversify rapidly based on the country' s key positions in the
production of many of the key products made with TPE parts and components.
Currently, a large portion of TPE demand in China is devoted to the country' s
massive footwear industry. Nevertheless, with the notable exception of China,
global TPE sales will remain concentrated in the developed markets of the US,
Western Europe and Japan, particularly for higher performance materials such
as copolyester elastomers (COPEs) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs).
Growth prospects through 2011, however, will be strongest in developing
countries. Most developing markets have initially focused on low-cost styrenic
block copolymers (SBCs) due to their existing positions in styrene-butadiene
and polybutadiene rubber (which also helps domestic production of SBCs), but
some such as China are also significantly diversifying into compounded
thermoplastic polyolefins (TPOs) and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs)..
Study coverage
It presents historical demand data (1996, 2001, 2006) plus forecasts (2011,
2016) by market and TPE type, as well as supply and demand data for 6 regions
and 14 countries. This study also considers market environment factors,
evaluates company market shares and profiles 48 participants in the global TPE
industry.
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