Abstract
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
The North American fiber-reinforced plastic/composite market is estimated at
2.7 billion pounds in 2010 and is expected to increase to about 3.1 billion by
2015, reflecting a 2.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Construction/infrastructure and automotive products are the key applications
of this market since they comprise about 60% of total volume. This sector is
valued at 836 million pounds in 2010 and is expected to reach 963 million
pounds in 2015, a 2.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR). The largest growth
will be experienced by the very low volume aerospace market led by the
introduction of composite commercial aircraft exterior parts such as fuselages
and wings. This sector is estimated at 20 million pounds in 2010 and should
increase at a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach 28 million pounds
in 2015.
SUMMARY FIGURE
NORTH AMERICAN FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC MARKET BY APPLICATION, 2009-2015
(MILLION POUNDS)
REPORT SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
The emergence of new technologies and markets warrants a reappraisal of the
reinforced plastics market, often called "composites." Nanocomposites and
long-fiber reinforced thermoplastics are the two most prominent and
potentially commercially important examples that have begun to impact this
market.
In addition, a review of reinforced plastics is needed with a view towards
appropriately segmenting the major components of this market into its resin,
technology, and applications components. Fillers and reinforcements need to be
carefully defined when it comes to their principal functions and effects on
properties of substrate resins since many terms and market estimates used
within this industry are not clear cut.
Another important reason for undertaking this report is to assess the current
and future scenario of this market in terms of the current financial
recession, which has had an enormous impact on two of the largest applications
of reinforced plastics, namely construction and automotive.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This report covers usage of both thermosets and thermoplastics that use
fillers and reinforcements to increase their respective property profiles.
Fillers will be differentiated from reinforcements, which in turn, will
include both fibrous and non-fibrous variants.
The term "fillers/reinforcements" will be used when generally referring to
these materials as in most literature references, mainly because many
nontechnical sources often do not distinguish fillers from reinforcements. For
the purposes of this report, the following are defined as fillers and not
reinforcements: aluminum trihydrate (ATH), barium sulfate, calcium carbonate,
and kaolins. Talcs, mica, silicas, and wollastonite are treated as non-fibrous
reinforcements. Fibrous reinforcements will include all glass fiber variants,
carbon, boron, ceramic, aramid, and stainless steel fibers, and so forth. The
major exception will be nanocomposites, which are based on fillers and will be
included in the study. There have been quite a few lengthy reports based
solely on composites.
A basic premise in distinguishing between a "filler" and a "reinforcement" is
whether the primary function of the material is used to enhance property
profiles of substrate resins. If the answer is "yes," then it can be
considered a "reinforcement." This definition is, of course, arbitrary,
especially since in many cases mineral "fillers" are used in conjunction with
fibrous materials, most notably glass.
Another source of confusion is the constant overlapping of the terms
"reinforced plastics" and "composites." One distinction between these two
terms, cited by some within the industry, is that the latter refers to those
reinforced resins that can "support a load" or are "structurally reinforced."
This definition is also arbitrary.
Therefore, in this report, the terms "reinforced plastics" and "composites"
will be used interchangeably unless specifically designated by suppliers or in
the trade literature as one or the other. In other instances, the term
"reinforced plastics/composites" will be used.
Current and forecasted quantitative market estimates will be provided for all
appropriate thermoset and thermoplastic fiber-reinforced resins by
application, along with detailed descriptions of the major types of
reinforcements. Fillers will be discussed in detail as well, but will not be
considered in the quantitative analysis of reinforced plastics/composites. It
should also be pointed out that many compounded resin formulations contain
both fillers and reinforcements and many glass fiber reinforced resins contain
other fibrous and non-fibrous minerals.
Furthermore, the volumes of product shown in the tables refer only to the
estimated weight of the resins and exclude weights of reinforcements. The
quantitative information contained in all data tables refers to the North
American market, although there will be a great deal of information provided
for the global market.
Applications covered will include: automotive; construction/infrastructure
including anti-corrosion and panel products; marine markets; aerospace;
electronic parts/components; appliances; consumer products (sport and leisure,
lawn/garden products, etc.); and a miscellaneous category including the power
market, wind energy products, medical, and others.
METHODOLOGY
Both primary and secondary research methodologies were used in preparing this
study. A comprehensive review and analysis was undertaken of literature
related to this industry, which is known by several names (e.g., reinforced
plastics, composites, etc.). This analysis included resins, applications,
markets, technology, producers and suppliers, trade named products, new
developments, environmental issues, and so forth. Follow up calls were made to
key contacts within the industry to clarify and/or expand on key issues
pertinent to the reinforced plastics/composites industry.
Table of Contents
Chapter- 1: INTRODUCTION - Complimentary
- REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
- SCOPE OF THE STUDY
- METHODOLOGY
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- RELATED BCC REPORTS
- BCC ONLINE SERVICES
- DISCLAIMER
Chapter- 2: SUMMARY
Chapter- 3: FILLERS AND REINFORCEMENTS
- BACKGROUND
- PROPERTY PROFILES
- CHARACTERISTICS OF FILLERS/REINFORCEMENTS
- FILLER/REINFORCEMENT USAGE WITH SPECIFIC RESINS
- FILLERS
- REINFORCEMENTS
- NANOCOMPOSITES
- CARBON NANOTUBES
Chapter- 4: REINFORCED PLASTICS
- BACKGROUND
- THERMOSETS
- THERMOPLASTICS
Chapter- 5: OTHER IMPORTANT GROUPINGS OF REINFORCED PLASTICS
- OVERVIEW
- GLASS MAT THERMOPLASTICS (GMTS)
- LONG-FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTICS (LFRTS)
- THERMOSET RESINS
Chapter- 6: APPLICATIONS
Chapter- 7: CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTRUCTURE
- BACKGROUND
- CONSTRUCTION MARKET OVERVIEW
- MARINE MARKETS
- ELECTRONICS
- CONSUMER PRODUCTS
- APPLIANCES
- AEROSPACE
- MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS
- SUMMARY OF FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTICS APPLICATIONS MARKET
- Table 76 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTICS
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2015
Chapter- 8: COMPOSITE MARKET GROWTH IN ASIA MOVES FORWARD
- OVERVIEW
- AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS
- OTHER NOTEWORTHY NEWS
Chapter- 9: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
- Hide Details
- BACKGROUND
- STYRENE EMISSION PROBLEM
Chapter- 10: RECYCLING 4 $108
- OVERVIEW
- SPECIAL CONCERNS
- DO COMPOSITES REQUIRE A BETTER SOLUTION FOR THEIR END-LIFE?
- EFFORTS IN THERMOSET RECYCLING
- NEW EURPOEAN EFFORTS
Chapter- 11: RECENT CORPORATE DEVELOPMENTS/PRODUCTS WITHIN THE REINFORCED PLASTIC/COMPOSITE MARKET
- AZDEL SOLD TO KOREAN FIRM
- SABIC IP PURCHASES RHE MAX LINE
- DUPONT MOVING AHEAD WITH LONG FIBER AND NANOCOMPOSITES
- NEW VINYL ESTERS
- SIKA' S NEW EPOXY RESIN FOR AVIATION USES
- VICTREX ST POLYMERS
- TICONA ACQUIRES LFT BUSINESS IN GERMANY
- ACY DEVELOPS FIBERS FOR IMPLANTS
- DECOMA INTERNATIONAL PURCHASED MERIDIAN COMPOSITE PLANTS
- FERRO ADDS NEW FIBERGLAS-REINFORCED COMPOUNDS
- A NEW REINFORCING AGENT FROM MILLIKEN CHEMICAL
- RTP DEVELOPS LFTPS WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE RESINS
- HEXION TO MERGE ITS OPERATIONS
- COMPANY PROFILES
Chapter- 12: APPENDIX ONE: ACRONYMS
Chapter- 13: APPENDIX TWO: GLOSSARY OF TERMS
List of Tables
- Summary Table : NORTH AMERICAN FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC MARKET BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 1 : PROFILE OF CHARACTERISTICS OF FILLERS/REINFORCEMENTS
- Table 10 : SELECTED KEY SMC PRODUCERS
- Table 11 : SPECIFIC SMC AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS
- Table 12 : U.S. MARKET SHARES OF LEADING GLOBAL POLYPROPYLENE PRODUCERS
- Table 13 : KEY FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE PRODUCTS
- Table 14 : SELECTED MAJOR GLOBAL HDPE PRODUCERS AND CAPACITIES
- Table 15 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED COMMODITY
THERMOPLASTICS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 16 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYETHYLENE BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 17 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 18 : NORTH AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED
POLYPROPYLENE, THROUGH 2015
- Table 19 : FABRICATION METHODS AND USES FOR POLYSTYRENE
- Table 2 : OVERVIEW OF CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATIONS OF
FILLERS/REINFORCEMENTS
- Table 20 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYSTYRENE MARKET
BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 21 : ESTIMATES OF SELECTED ABS PRODUCERS AND CAPACITIES
- Table 22 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED ABS BY APPLICATION,
- Table 23 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED SMA BY APPLICATION,
THROUGH 2015
- Table 24 : NYLON PRODUCERS AND CAPACITIES
- Table 25 : SELECTED EXAMPLES OF COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT FIBER REINFORCED
NYLONS
- Table 26 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED NYLON BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 27 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED NYLON IN THE
AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 28 : GLOBAL PBT PRODUCERS AND CAPACITIES
- Table 29 : EXAMPLES OF REINFORCED PBT PRODUCTS
- Table 3 : FILLER/REINFRORCEMENT USAGE WITH SPECIFIC RESINS
- Table 30 : REINFORCED PET PRODUCTS
- Table 31 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC
POLYESTER BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 32 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC
POLYESTER IN THE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 33 : NORTH AMERICAN POLYCARBONATE PRODUCERS AND CAPACITIES
- Table 34 : SELECTED EXAMPLES OF COMMERICALLY IMPORTANT REINFORCED
POLYCARBONATES
- Table 35 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYCARBONATE BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 36 : SELECTED REINFORCED POLYPHENYLENE SULFIDE PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIERS
- Table 37 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPHENYLENE
SULFIDE, BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 38 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYIMIDE, BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 39 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER
ALLOYS/BLENDS, BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 4 : ADVANTAGES OF SOLID GLASS MICROSPHERES
- Table 40 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR MISCELLANEOUS FIBER-REINFORCED
THERMOPLASTICS, BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 41 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR TOTAL FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC,
THROUGH 2015
- Table 42 : GLOBAL LFTP DEMAND
- Table 43 : FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOSET PROPERTIES AND MANUFACTURING
PROCESSES
- Table 44 : INGREDIENTS OF UNSATURATED POLYESTER RESIN FORMULATIONS IN
DESCENDING ORDER OF COMMERCIAL USE
- Table 45 : KEY COMMERCIAL REINFORCED UNSATURATED POLYESTERS
- Table 46 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED UNSATURATED
POLYESTERS BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 47 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED UNSATURATED
POLYESTER IN THE CONSTRUCTION MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 48 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED UNSATURATED
POLYESTER AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 49 : KEY COMMERCIAL REINFORCED VINYL ESTERS
- Table 5 : GLASS FIBER SUPPLIERS
- Table 50 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED VINYL ESTERS, BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 51 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXIES BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 52 : KEY COMMERCIAL FIBER-REINFORCED PHENOLIC RESINS
- Table 53 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PHENOLIC RESINS BY
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 54 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYURETHANES, BY
APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 55 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED POLYURETHANE IN THE
AUTOMOTIVE MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 56 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED MISCELLANEOUS
THERMOSETS BY APPLICATION, THROUGH 2015
- Table 57 : MARKET SUMMARY OF FIBER-REINFORCED THERMOSETS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 58 : HISTORICAL, CURRENT, AND PROJECTED U.S. AUTOMOTIVE SALES,
THROUGH 2015
- Table 59 : ESTIMATED HYBRID AUTO SALES FOR THE U.S., THROUGH 2015
- Table 6 : GLOBAL PRODUCTION OF SELECTED NATURAL FIBERS
- Table 60 : SELECTED AUTOMOTIVE UNDER-THE-HOOD FIBER-REINFORCED RESINS BY
PART
- Table 61 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC AUTOMOTIVE
UNDER-THE-HOOD MARKET BY RESIN, THROUGH 2015
- Table 62 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTICS IN
AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 63 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTICS AUTOMOTIVE
EXTERIOR MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 64 : U.S. HOUSING STARTS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, 1982-2009
- Table 65 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC
CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTRUCTURE BY RESIN, THROUGH 2015
- Table 66 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC
CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTRUCTURE BY SEGMENT THROUGH 2015
- Table 67 : NORTH AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET FOR
FIBER-REINFORCED UNSATURATED POLYESTER BY SEGMENT, THROUGH 2015
- Table 68 : NORTH AMERICAN CONSTRUCTION/INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET FOR
FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXY BY SEGMENT, THROUGH 2015
- Table 69 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC MARINE
PRODUCTS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 7 : SELECTED NANOCOMPOSITE SUPPLIERS
- Table 70 : IMPORTANT TECHNICAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN SELECTING PCB
SUBSTRATE MATERIALS
- Table 71 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC ELECTRONICS,
THROUGH 2015
- Table 72 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC CONSUMER
PRODUCTS MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 73 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC APPLIANCE
MARKET, THROUGH 2015
- Table 74 : NORTH AMERICAN AEROSPACE MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTIC,
THROUGH 2015
- Table 75 : NORTH AMERICAN MISCELLANEOUS MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED
PLASTICS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 76 : NORTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR FIBER-REINFORCED PLASTICS
APPLICATIONS, THROUGH 2015
- Table 8 : SELECTED PROPERTIES AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES OF REINFORCED
THERMOSETS
- Table 9 : TYPICAL SMC FORMULATION
List of Figures
- Summary Figure : NORTH AMERICAN FIBER REINFORCED PLASTIC MARKET BY
APPLICATION, 2009-2015
