US abrasive demand to reach $5.3 billion in 2011
Demand for abrasives in the US is forecast to increase 2.3 percent per annum through 2011 to $5.3 billion, with raw material demand approaching $1.4 billion. Advances will be supported by robust growth in the aerospace sector, as investment in military aircraft continues to expand. Gains will also be aided by the upturn in shipments of electrical and electronic products through 2011, which are expected to recover from the declines of the 2001-2006 period. Motor vehicle production is also projected to recover from its previous declines, spurring demand for abrasives utilized in motor vehicle applications. Demand for abrasives will be somewhat restrained, on the other hand, by a slowdown in shipments of a number of manufactured durable goods through 2011, namely machinery, metalworking and furniture and wood products.
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Additional Information
Electronics, aerospace to support durable goods manufacturing market
The share of the durable goods manufacturing market in total abrasives demand is expected to decrease slightly through 2011, as shipments of a number of these goods are expected to moderate from the 2001-2006 pace. Further declines in this share will be prevented by the continual increase in use of the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process in electronic component production. CMP processes entail the increased use of expensive nanometer-sized abrasive grains, which are required due to the extremely small circuit line widths on semiconductors. Rapid growth in the aerospace and other transportation segment will also benefit demand in the durable goods sector. The cleaning and maintenance market will register above- average growth through 2011, while demand in the other market segment will be buoyed by healthy gains in abrasives utilized in cosmetics and toiletries.
Nonmetallic abrasives to outpace metallic types
Demand for nonmetallic abrasives is expected to significantly outpace that of metallic abrasive products, as demand for the latter is projected to continue the de-clines of the 2001-2006 period. Through 2011, nonmetallic abrasive demand will be bolstered by strong increases in the use of manufactured loose abrasive grains.
Manufactured minerals to be fastest growing material
Abrasive raw material demand will be led by manufactured minerals, as superabrasives such as manufactured diamond and cubic boron nitride continue to be highly utilized. Demand for natural minerals for use in abrasive applications is expected to post slower growth, although these small increases represent a recovery from the declines of the 2001-2006 period.
Study coverage
This new Freedonia industry study, Abrasives, is priced at $4500. It presents historical demand data for 1996, 2001 and 2006 and forecasts for 2011 and 2016 by raw material, product and market. The study also considers market environment factors, evaluates market share and profiles major competitors.
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