US demand for reinforced plastics will reach 3.6 billion pounds in 2013. Glass fibers will remain the dominant reinforcement material while carbon fiber and nanomaterial reinforcements grow faster. Reinforced thermosets will remain the largest resin type, with growth slightly outpaced by thermoplastics.
This study analyzes the 3.2 billion pound US reinforced plastics industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 1998, 2003 and 2008, with forecasts for 2013 and 2018 by reinforcement (e.g., glass fibers, carbon fiber), resin (e.g., polyester, epoxy, polypropylene, thermoplastic polyester, nylon, styrenics, polycarbonate) and market (e.g., construction, motor vehicles, producer durable equipment, marine).
The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 44 industry players, including AOC, Ashland and Reichhold.
