Freedonia Market Research Analyzes Solid Surface Materials Industry

Demand for cast polymers is forecast to increase 3.6 percent annually to 265 million square feet in 2012.  Demand will be driven by increasing consumer desire for engineered stone, which is projected to advance 7.0 percent annually to 84 million square feet in 2012.  Homeowners are attracted to the material because of its performance and aesthetic qualities.  The performance qualities of engineered stone, such as resistance to stains, impacts, moisture and other damage caused by wear and tear, as well as its minimal maintenance requirements, make it ideal for consumers who want a durable surfacing material.  These and other trends, including market share and company profiles, are presented in Solid Surface Materials & Other Cast Polymers, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Solid surface materials will continue to account for the largest share of demand for cast polymers, with 42 percent of the total in 2012.  However, these materials are forecast to have the lowest growth rate of all cast polymers.  Gains will lag because of increased competition from such surfacing materials as engineered and natural stone, which are seen as more high-end materials, and competition from such less expensive materials as decorative laminates and tile.  Solid surface demand will benefit from increased use of the material in nonresidential applications, such as schools, hospitals and other institutional facilities.  Increasing recognition of solid surface as a durable material highly resistant to biological contaminants will drive advances.

Countertops will continue to account for the largest share of cast polymer demand in 2012, comprising 84 percent of the total.  In residential countertop applications, homeowners will increasingly select cast polymers over other materials for their countertops, vanity tops and other surfaces because of cast polymers’ consistent performance qualities and a growing perception that they are aesthetically superior to more common materials such as laminates.  In nonresidential applications, demand will grow more slowly, due to concerns over the high cost of cast polymers compared to other surfacing options.

Imports will account for nearly 30 percent of cast polymer demand in 2012, up from 21 percent in 2007.  Many producers, especially those based in Asia, will take advantage of that region’s low cost structure to produce solid surface and engineered quartz for export to the US market.  Moreover, limits on domestic engineered quartz production will create additional opportunities for offshore producers.

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.