Global polyurethane market to reach $68 billion by 2021

London, U.K. – The global polyurethane market should reach $68 billion by 2021 from $49.8 billion in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4 percent from 2016 to 2021, according to the latest report from Trends Market Research.

Polyurethane is the most commonly used material in various applications for the automotive, furniture and bedding, electronics, construction and building, and footwear industries. Major players like BASF, Dow Chemical, Bayer and Huntsman are expected to provide revolutionary polyurethane-based products and technologies in the near future. Dow Chemical is expected to provide reactive PU plasticizers, which are considered to be useful for polyurethane moisture curing adhesives used in automotive glass bonding. BASF will boost the polyurethane market through new generation vehicles made from PU material. Various 3D printing start-ups and intermediate players are exploring the polyurethane market and offering innovative solutions, from artificial organs to fabric or complex 3D models of machines. In addition, increased adoption of biodegradable polyurethane material is also creating buzz in the health care sector. For example, biodegradable polyurethane elastomers are expected to contribute to cartilage tissue engineering applications in the near future.

Moreover, significant expansion from Bayer and Dow Chemical in APAC will help expand the scope for polyurethanes. APAC is the largest consumer and producer of polyurethanes, and holds 36 percent of the global polyurethane market. It is also the biggest exporter of polyurethanes. North America is the second-largest global market for polyurethanes, with the U.S. as the dominant market followed by Canada. The U.S. and E.U. regions are projected to increasingly consume polyurethane applications in the construction and building sector for energy-efficient insulation in residential buildings.

Moreover, adoption of new technologies and applications in the global furniture and bedding, building and construction and automobile markets are expected to boost polyurethane demand in the near future. The major geographic regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, APAC and the rest of world (RoW). In addition, this report provides a country-specific breakdown of polyurethane consumption based on total revenue generated. Major countries included the U.S., Canada, Germany, U.K., Spain, Italy, France, China, Japan and India.

There are various stakeholders that contribute to the growth of polyurethanes. The value chain of the polyurethane market consists of a large number of players including raw material suppliers, polyurethane manufacturers, distributors, end-user industries, distributors of finished goods, and consumers. Manufacturers are the main players in this value chain and control the market. Major players from the chemical industry include BASF, Bayer, Wanhua Chemical, Huntsman, Dow Chemical, and Mitsui Chemical. BASF is the largest manufacturer of polyurethane with a global market share of 20 percent in 2015. The top five companies in the market control over 50 percent of the total global market. Joint ventures and innovations are key strategies of leading players in the industry.