Jan 29 2008
Plastics Information Direct, the technical publishing division of Applied Market Information Ltd., has just published a unique techno-economic study entitled Polyurethane in China Market Report. Commissioned and published in their Expert Witness Series, this entirely new report has been written by local staff of PU World, the leading Chinese provider of electronic information on the polyurethane industry.
China is already the biggest polyurethane market in the world, and forecast to grow at a remarkable 10% per year for the next 12 years, with downstream customer industries growing at similar rates. However, in spite of its scale, the industry is still relatively immature and supply chains are incomplete. The first feedstock plant was constructed in China in the 1950s, but development of the industry was slow until the 1980s and 1990s. Recent economic advances have created huge markets for PU in areas such as vehicles, domestic appliances and furnishings, and there are clearly many opportunities for local and overseas firms to flourish.
Many firms are looking for opportunities to work with Chinese partners or access Chinese markets. However, it can be difficult to find reliable information about the structure of an industry and the key players within it. Investment decisions are based on many factors, and the polyurethane industry is particularly complex. Local knowledge is particularly valuable, which is why Plastics Information Direct commissioned Shanghai-based PU World to write this report.
The authors have examined and explain the structure of the complete industry, from the isocyanate and polyol feedstocks and their precursors to the major end-user markets. The industry is partially dependent on imports of feedstocks, but global suppliers are constructing plants within China, and there are also local producers. There are also many intermediate traders supplying feedstocks, and both the manufacturers and traders are listed in the report.
Industry outputs are classified as flexible, semi-rigid and rigid foams, as well as coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers, and the major manufacturers are also listed. End user industries are analysed in terms of the materials they consume and their future prospects. Factors such as the requirement to reduce energy consumption will have significant impacts on markets like construction, where large volumes of insulation will be required in coming years.
This detailed report combines trade statistics, price information, production capacities and company listings with local intelligence, analysis and forecasting, to provide a unique insight into a complex industry with many opportunities.