Polypropylene Archives

With nonwovens fabrics providing cost-effective solutions for a slew of end-use applications, nonwoven floor covers market value is slated to surge in the next five years. Nonwoven fabrics are flexible, flat, and have porous sheet structures produced by networks of fibers or interlocking layers or filaments.

Tailwinds such as flame retardancy, resilience, liquid repellency, softness, washability, bacterial barrier, strength, and sterility have augured well for forward-looking companies eyeing to expand their business portfolios. Global Market Insights, Inc., has projected nonwoven floor covers market size to witness substantial gains by 2026.

Industry dynamics and trends which are touted to boost the market outlook are delineated below:

Impact of COVID-19

With the COVID-19 pandemic having a toll on the construction industry, there are reduced opportunities for the purchase of existing housing. Demand for floor covers for kitchen, dining rooms, and commercial spaces may take a hit.

The silver lining is that people are spending more time in enclosures—homes, and offices. Textiles have become a tremendous tool to boost the personification of the living and working environment.

The post-COVID situation is likely to instill confidence among stakeholders as flooring is gradually being replaced in old buildings to create a novel appearance. Penetration of polypropylene material will potentially surge in the next five years.

Traction towards polypropylene to drive growth

Traction for non-woven polypropylene products in a slew of household applications has become more pronounced than ever before for cleaning and aesthetic applications. High-quality polypropylenes have set the trend in living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms as demand for safe, comfortable, hygienic solutions continue to surge.

More importantly, tremendous chemical resistance, low price, low heat resistance, and low physical properties of polypropylene have furthered triggered growth in the market share.

Polypropylene floor covering will witness pressing demand in light of antibacterial potential, tremendous chemical resistance to acids, high abrasion resistance, and insulation abilities. It is worth noting that hydrophobic and low thermal conductivity features make PP a highly sought-after material.

Trends in commercial settings become noticeable

The palpable trend for nonwoven floor covers in both residential and commercial settings has mustered up the confidence of stakeholders. Stakeholders are buoyed by the fact that nonwoven floor covers have good density and high tear strength, making them highly sought-after in commercial spaces.

Traction for nonwoven textiles for commercial coverings in offices will accentuate the growth of floor covers as the textiles help reduce the costs for sound and thermal insulating materials. Not to mention floor coverings are abrasion resistance, stain resistance, and have tear strength.

Impressive demand for nonwovens in commercial spaces will largely depend upon the sustainability factor of the covering. For instance, nonwoven floor covers are fueling the trend in public buildings such as hospitals, offices, and hotels. As they do not reflect light, they are being used for glare reduction in the indoor ambiance in the commercial landscape.

Growth opportunities in North America and Asia Pacificconstr

North America is likely to come up as a happy hunting ground in light of the growing footprint of polypropylene and polyamide floor covers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Bullish demand for nonwoven floor covers has encouraged manufacturers to expand their penetration. Application of nonwoven floor covers made of polyamide and polypropylene may gain considerable grounds in the U.S. landscape.

With a steady rise in construction activities, demand for nonwoven floor coverings in residential and commercial spaces in India and China will fuel APAC nonwoven floor covers market outlook. Recent years have witnessed increased traction towards polypropylene floor coverings, with end-users focusing on noise level reduction.

Fluctuating prices to derail growth

Some of the factors such as fluctuating prices and sense of odors may dent the market size expansion.

Nonwovens will be highly sought-after in home furnishing, bedrooms, dining halls and living rooms, while commercial spaces will also be a major recipient of the floor coverings. With resistance to bacteria, comfortable and lightweight attributes associated with polypropylene, strong demand for PP will spur the market value.

IndexBox has just published a new report: ‘Belgium – Polypropylene In Primary Forms – Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends And Insights’. Here is a summary of the report’s key findings.

The revenue of the polypropylene market in Belgium amounted to $1.8B in 2018, jumping by 8.3% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price).

Production in Belgium

In 2018, the amount of polypropylene in primary forms produced in Belgium amounted to 1.7M tonnes, stabilizing at the previous year. The total output volume increased at an average annual rate of +1.0% from 2012 to 2018; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations over the period under review. The growth pace was the most rapid in 2015 with an increase of 6.1% against the previous year. In that year, polypropylene production reached its peak volume of 1.7M tonnes; afterwards, it flattened through to 2018.

Exports from Belgium

Polypropylene exports from Belgium amounted to 1.1M tonnes in 2018, standing approx. at the previous year. Overall, polypropylene exports, however, continue to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The pace of growth was the most pronounced in 2016 when exports increased by 7.7% year-to-year. Exports peaked at 1.1M tonnes in 2013; afterwards, it flattened through to 2018.

In value terms, polypropylene exports amounted to $1.8B (IndexBox estimates) in 2018.

Exports by Country

Germany (288K tonnes) was the main destination for polypropylene exports from Belgium, with a 27% share of total exports. Moreover, polypropylene exports to Germany exceeded the volume sent to the second major destination, the Netherlands (99K tonnes), threefold. The third position in this ranking was occupied by Italy (98K tonnes), with a 9% share.

From 2012 to 2018, the average annual growth rate of volume to Germany stood at +2.3%. Exports to the other major destinations recorded the following average annual rates of growth: the Netherlands (-1.6% per year) and Italy (-3.1% per year).

In value terms, Germany ($491M) remains the key foreign market for polypropylene exports from Belgium, comprising 28% of total polypropylene exports. The second position in the ranking was occupied by France ($163M), with a 9.3% share of total exports. It was followed by Italy, with a 8.3% share.

Export Prices by Country

The average polypropylene export price stood at $1,618 per tonne in 2018, jumping by 14% against the previous year. Average prices varied somewhat for the major foreign markets. In 2018, the countries with the highest prices were the Czech Republic ($1,876 per tonne) and Spain ($1,826 per tonne), while the average price for exports to Poland ($1,413 per tonne) and the Netherlands ($1,474 per tonne) were amongst the lowest.

From 2012 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was recorded for supplies to the Czech Republic, while the prices for the other major destinations experienced a decline.

Imports into Belgium

In 2018, the imports of polypropylene in primary forms into Belgium totaled 707K tonnes, going down by -5.2% against the previous year. In general, polypropylene imports, however, continue to indicate a relatively flat trend pattern. The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2016 when imports increased by 13% year-to-year. Over the period under review, polypropylene imports attained their maximum at 746K tonnes in 2017, and then declined slightly in the following year.

In value terms, polypropylene imports stood at $966M (IndexBox estimates) in 2018.

Imports by Country

France (145K tonnes), the UK (124K tonnes) and the Netherlands (100K tonnes) were the main suppliers of polypropylene imports to Belgium, with a combined 52% share of total imports. Germany, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, South Korea, Russia, Finland, Austria and the U.S. lagged somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 38%.

From 2012 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of imports, amongst the main suppliers, was attained by Finland, while imports for the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.

In value terms, the largest polypropylene suppliers to Belgium were France ($227M), the UK ($131M) and the Netherlands ($130M), with a combined 50% share of total imports. These countries were followed by Germany, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Brazil, Austria, Russia, Finland and the U.S., which together accounted for a further 39%.

Import Prices by Country

The average polypropylene import price stood at $1,366 per tonne in 2018, jumping by 18% against the previous year.

There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major supplying countries. In 2018, the country with the highest price was Austria ($1,647 per tonne), while the price for the UK ($1,049 per tonne) was amongst the lowest.

From 2012 to 2018, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the U.S., while the prices for the other major suppliers experienced more modest paces of growth.

Source: IndexBox AI Platform

Nonwoven Floor Covers Market to Witness Traction for Polypropylene Materials