Oct 7 2010
Fiberglass is the preferred material for insulation and reinforcement purposes in the construction industry.
Glass fiber’s versatile performance and low cost has made it a leading reinforcement fiber in the manufacture of plastic products. The global glass fiber industry is closely interlinked with construction, transportation, and automotive industries. With the transportation and construction industries on a downward slide, particularly in North America and Europe, the glass fiber industry was also adversely affected. The slowdown in housing market eroded the demand for insulation materials. Hampered by slowing demand and growing inventory, manufacturers across the world resorted to temporary shutdowns of production lines. The fiberglass industry faces challenges due to enhanced capacity, apart from stiff competition from other insulation materials such as rock wool, cellulose, and foam insulation that are widely replacing fiberglass in various residential and commercial applications.
The United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific dominate the global glass fiber landscape accounting for a lion’s share of the world market, as stated by the new market research report on Glass Fibers. Though the recession engulfed the entire world, developing nations led by the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) were able to cope with the recession in a better way. Spurred by the huge infrastructure investments by the governments in these nations, the construction industry is set to surge at impressive growth rates. The vast potential of Asian markets, particularly China, is expected to foster future growth in glass fibers market. With Asia becoming the focus of glass fiber demand, global manufacturers are intensifying operations to benefit from the region’s emerging opportunities.
Textile glass fibers find application in reinforced as well as non-reinforced materials owing to its corrosion resistant, versatile and low price characteristics. The textile glass fibers market is being driven by increased usage in electronic products such as LCD screens, development of new markets such as blades for wind turbines and the shift towards fiberglass by conventional concrete and steel users in the construction industry. On the other hand, the insulation-grade fiberglass market is being fostered by growing concerns over environment and the resultant activism and infrastructure upgradation, which is likely to boost demand for glass fibers in general, and composite fiber glass, in particular. Government efforts for reducing energy consumption and recovery in the construction sector are expected to provide a fillip to the insulation grade fiber glass market.
Major players profiled in the report include Advanced Glassfiber Yarns, Asahi Fiber Glass Co., Ltd., Guardian Fiberglass Inc., Johns Manville Corporation, Jushi Group Co., Ltd., Knauf, Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd., Owens Corning Inc., Paroc Group, PPG Industries Inc., Rockwool International A/S, Taishan Fiberglass, Inc. and the Uralita Group.
The report titled "Glass Fibers: A Global Strategic Business Report" announced by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., analyzes past, current and future market prospects over the 2000-2015 period by both product segment and end-use industries. Key product segments analyzed include Glass Wool Insulation and Textile Glass Fibers. End-use segments analyzed in the study include Construction, Motor Vehicles, Electrical and Electronic Equipment, Consumer Goods, and Others. Latent demand patterns are quantified across the geographic markets including United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan), Middle East, and Latin America.