Foam and More: Ceresana Explores the World Market for Polyurethanes

Konstanz, Germany, February 27, 2016 --(PR.com)-- PUR plastics are used in a wide range of applications: for car seats and mattresses, skis and shoe soles, sponges and carpet coatings, elastomeres, paints and coatings, but also for adhesives and sealants. Correspondingly high is the demand: In 2014, a worldwide turnover of US$ 50 billion was achieved with PUR. A new study from the market research company Ceresana expects the sales to rise until 2022 by on average 4.8% p.a. - by that, US$ 74 billion can be reached.

Growth Market Construction Industry

The prime area of application of polyurethane is the construction industry where PUR is mainly used as insulation and assembly foam. Producers of plastic benefit from the recent discussion on climate protection or rather from the increasing importance of energy efficiency and conserving of resources. In several countries measurements of government aid lead to an increase in sales of insulation materials. Ceresana expects the worldwide demand for PUR in the construction segment to increase by 4.6% p.a. in the near future.

Isocyanates: MDI vs. TDI

The characteristics of polyurethane depend on the primary products. In order to create a full transparency of the PUR market, the analysts of Ceresana examined the two most important primary products as well: Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and Toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Application areas of PUR products vary depending on the production either with TDI or MDI. MDI based PUR generated almost 55% of the annual PUR demand in 2014. With its annual growth of 4.2% which is above the one of TDI, MDI will presumably further expand its lead. This is a result of the positive development in the construction industry where mainly MDI based PUR is used. However, a weaker development can be seen in the segment furniture and bedding which is the most important sales market for TDI.

The Study in Brief:

Chapter 1 is a comprehensive description and analysis of the global PUR market. Development of demand, revenues, and production are explained in detail. Demand for PUR will be split by its production with MDI or TDI. This report offers a comprehensive overview over development in the 7 regions of the world Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as in 20 particular countries and over the worldwide market dynamics. The demand for the isocyanates MDI and TDI as well as their present and prospective capacities are also taken into consideration.

Chapter 2 examines the 20 largest countries of the market in more detail: Detailed information is given on demand, revenues, production, and trade of PUR as well as demand for isocyanates. Demand for PUR, MDI, and TDI is analyzed in detail by splitting it by respective application areas.

Chapter 3 analyzes explicitly the various application areas of PUR: Data on the development in the 7 regions of the world as well as sales figures of the 20 most important countries. Construction, furniture, bedding, transportation, paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants, as well as other applications such as rubber, leisure and sports goods, electrics and electronics, textiles, and packaging are considered explicitly.

Chapter 4 provides a useful list of producers that manufacture MDI and TDI, clearly arranged according to contact details, turnover, profit, product range, production sites, profile summary, product-specific information as well as existing and future capacities of individual production sites. Comprehensive profiles are given of 23 producers, e.g. BASF SE, Chemtura Corporation, Sadara Chemical Company, Sumitomo Chemical Co., The Dow Chemical Company, Vencorex Holding SAS, and Wanhua Chemical Group Co.

About Ceresana
Ceresana is a leading international market research and consultancy company for the industrial sector and operates branch offices in Constance, Vienna and Hong Kong. For more than 10 years, Ceresana has been supplying several thousand customers from 60 countries with up-to-date market intelligence. Ceresana's clients profit from implementation-oriented consulting services, tailor-made single-client studies and more than 90 independent multi-client market studies. Ceresana's analysts are experts in the following markets: Chemicals, plastics, additives, commodities, industry, consumer goods, packaging, agriculture, and construction materials.