Abstract
US demand to reach $2.5 billion in 2011
US demand for refractory products is forecast to advance 1.8 percent per annum
to $2.5 billion in 2011, accelerating from the 2001-2006 period. Gains will be
driven by strong growth in shipments of nonmetallic mineral products,
particularly cement, as nonresidential and nonbuilding construction
expenditures are expected to accelerate. Growth will also be supported by the
increasing use of better performing, more expensive refractories, which will
bolster demand in value terms through 2011. Advances will be somewhat
restrained, on the other hand, by slowing steel production growth and a weak
outlook for fabricated metals.
Shipments of refractories are projected to rise 1.3 percent per year, a slower
pace than demand, and the US is expected to slip into a trade deficit in
refractory products by 2011. In volume terms, shipments are expected to
decline, falling to 2.9 billion tons in 2011, as refractory products continue
to become more efficient and thereby longer lasting. Imports will increase
more rapidly than exports, in part the result of recent policy changes in
China that tax the export of raw materials to promote the export of finished
refractories.
Study coverage
It presents historical demand data for the years 1996, 2001 and 2006 and
forecasts for 2011 and 2016 by refractory form, material and market. The study
also considers market environment factors, evaluates company market share and
profiles leading industry competitors.
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