In 2016, North American aftermarket demand for automotive batteries totaled US$4.5 billion, more than three times larger than the next largest product category. Automotive batteries accounted for 54% of total regional demand for automotive batteries and ignition system components in 2016.

Demand for raw frac sand is forecast to increase over 4% per year to nearly 100 billion pounds in 2021. In value terms, raw frac sand is expected to grow 10% per year to over US$3 billion in 2021, reflecting substantial gains in average prices as well as volume growth.

PET film demand in the packaging market is forecast to expand 2.4% annually to 322 million pounds in 2021, faster than any of the major packaging film resins. Growth will be driven by rising barrier requirements, particularly in food packaging.

Public bus operators in the US have begun to invest in environmentally friendly models. On July 27, 2017, for example, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to gradually replace its fleet of 2,200 natural gas transit buses with fully electric models in order to reduce air pollution and address climate change.

Demand for personal emergency response systems (PERS) and related alarms is expected to expand 7.3% annually through 2021 to $220 million. Growth will be driven primarily by an above average increase in the number of people over the age of 65, which is the demographic most likely to utilize these devices.

“One of the biggest impacts this could have on the industry is on pricing,” according to Freedonia analyst Kyle Peters. “Major appliance retailers have not had to face significant competition from Amazon in the past. Traditional retailers will need to lower prices to compete with Amazon, which will have an impact on profit margins.”

Demand for toilet fixtures, including water closet bowls, flush tanks, and urinals, is expected to rise 3.8% annually through 2021 to $1.2 billion. Rising building construction activity will fuel demand growth.

Demand for paving asphalt used in highways and streets is forecast to advance 3.3% per annum to 13.7 million tons in 2021, aided by increases in government funding and rising highway and street construction activity. Demand for paving asphalt products in these applications is primarily driven by government funding for highway and street construction, which accounts for 97% of nonbuilding paving asphalt demand.

Demand for HVAC equipment in commercial buildings is projected to advance 3.3% per year through 2021 to $12.3 billion with 58% of all HVAC equipment sales. Although larger than the residential market, commercial demand gains will increase at a slower rate due to an expected slowdown in commercial construction activity.

In 2016, global demand for water treatment chemicals totaled $25.4 billion which is forecast to rise 5.3% per year to $32.9 billion in 2021. The best opportunities for growth in this market are expected in developing regions of the world, particularly in large, rapidly industrializing countries such as India and China and in regions with significant infrastructural development such as Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Central and South America.