Cleveland 12/15/2011 12:29:00 AM
News / Business

World Window and Door Demand to Reach $192 Billion in 2015

Global demand for windows and doors is forecast to rise 6.8 percent per year through 2015 to $192 billion, significantly exceeding the pace of growth registered between 2005 and 2010.  Gains will be exaggerated by an extremely weak 2010 base in the developed world, particularly in the US.  Demand for windows and doors in the residential building construction market will outpace demand in the nonresidential building construction market as in most developed countries the residential market was far more adversely impacted by the recession in 2009 and 2010.  Through 2015, demand for energy-efficient windows and doors will rise faster than the overall market because of increasing consumer awareness and government support in the form of tax credits.  Sales of blast-resistant doors will also see above-average gains, especially in the nonresidential market in developed countries due to persisting security concerns. These and other trends, including market share and product segmentation, are presented in World Windows & Doors, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

China, the world’s largest national window and door market, will expand its share of global demand from 27 percent in 2010 to 30 percent in 2015.  Continuing rapid economic growth and industrialization, as well as an increase in the average size of a housing unit in the country, will bolster gains.  Although demand for windows and doors in China will expand at a robust 9.2 percent per year, this will represent a major slowdown in comparison to the performance of the past decade.

The US market for windows and doors will post a strong recovery and expand 7.7 percent per year through 2015, after declining by around 25 percent between 2008 and 2010 when the country experienced a major economic recession that was spurred by the downturn in the housing sector.  Demand in Japan and Western Europe will also post solid recoveries after declines in 2009 and 2010, although neither experienced problems as significant as the US did in those years.

Plastic is projected to be the fastest growing material for window and door products through 2015.  Gains for plastic windows and doors will be supported by continuing demand for vinyl windows because of their low cost, durability, minimal maintenance requirements and superior energy efficiency.  Plastic windows will account for 37 percent of global window demand in 2015.  Fiberglass entry doors will capture market share from wood and steel entry doors. 

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.