The Market for Powder Coatings in Europe, 4th edition

Article Type: Conferences, training and publications From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 56, Issue 2

IRL has recently published a 4th edition of its report, The Market for Powder Coatings in Europe. This latest edition provides an insight into ten Western European markets, as well as four major markets in Eastern Europe.

Epoxy/polyester hybrids account for 47 per cent of the powder coatings market of the economies covered in this report, with pure polyesters accounting for the second largest market share as shown in Figure 1.

The Western European market, which has been stable for some years now, is the most mature market globally, with a growth rate of 1.4 per cent pa. Italy remains the largest market in the region with production standing at over 100,000 tonnes per year and a domestic market being the largest in Western Europe at 85,000 tonnes.

In this region, the automotive sector looks set to drive an increase in the use of clearcoats, but this is an opportunity which will be limited to countries with an automotive industry.

Hope is placed in UV curable systems which offer durable, high-quality finishes that are both energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly. Refinement of powder coatings based on non-hybrid chemistry is also expected.

Investments look likely to hold the key to the future of the powder coatings sector in Europe. These could extend to new techniques for coating a wider range of items, establishment of new or modernisation of production facilities in Eastern Europe or investments into further R&D in new technologies.

Consolidation and some plant closures have left some Western European countries without powder coatings production, placing a greater emphasis on distribution. Consolidation in Eastern Europe has been more prevalent in recent years as the region is an attractive area for acquisitions for those in the west. The Czech Republic, Poland and Russia have all seen powder coatings takeovers since 2006.

As a consequence, Eastern Europe becomes the single most important driver for growth in the European region as a whole, and the market there looks set to grow at a rate seven times greater than that of the Western Europe at 10 per cent pa. The countries showing greatest potential are Russia and Turkey with growth rates of 12 and 10 per cent pa, respectively, over the next five years.

Christopher Flanagan, Analyst at IRL and author of the report says, “With much of the Western European powder coatings market being mature and technology substitution generally reaching saturation point, future growth in the market will come from Eastern European economies where investment and living standards are both rising. If Western European producers want to remain competitive against both Eastern Europe and Asia, they will need to continue to develop technologies and applications to stay ahead of the game”.

The following 14 countries are included in this edition.

In Western Europe: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands,Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the UK; and in Eastern Europe: the Czech Republic,Poland, Russia and Turkey.

The Market for Powder Coatings in Europe, 4th edition has the following contents:

• Foreword.

• Executive summary.

• Technical background.

• Industry review.

• Powder coatings market data.

• Summary of statistical data.

• Market forecast to 2012.

• Directory of powder coatings manufacturers.

The Market for Powder Coatings in Europe, 4th edition, is now available to purchase from IRLs.

For further information please visit the web site: www.informationresearch.co.uk