Global Geosynthetics

Report Overview

Featuring 175 tables and 104 figures

What will boost demand for geomembranes?

• Environmental Regulations

Global demand for geosynthetics is forecast to rise 3.3% annually through 2028 to 9.0 billion square meters. Governmental commitments to improve infrastructure by various developing nations will boost demand for geosynthetics globally, with expanding environmental regulations throughout the world that focus on preventing harmful materials from contaminating soil and groundwater supplies supporting gains.

Market value is expected to increase 4.8% annually to $26.8 billion, a deceleration from the 2018-2023 period, when pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and high raw material costs caused prices to rise sharply during the latter part of that period. Market value gains will result from a shift in the product mix to higher value products such as geomembranes.

China’s Performance & India’s Rapid Growth Will Boost Demand for Geosynthetics

The Asia/Pacific region is forecast to account for 74% of global gains through 2028, due primarily to sizable increases in the massive Chinese market and rapid demand growth in India:

• China is the largest national geosynthetics market in the world – representing nearly half of global demand in 2023 – and the country saw rapid growth in geosynthetic adoption during the previous decade. China is expected to account for 58% of global absolute gains in 2028 as the country continues to modernize its infrastructure through road construction and repair, in addition to better regulated waste services and landfills.

• India is expected to grow at the fastest rate of any major market as this rapidly developing country improves its building and road construction techniques through the use of geosynthetics.

Environmental Regulations Will Boost Demand for Geomembranes

Geomembranes – which had the highest average pricing of all geosynthetics in 2023 – are expected to see the fastest rate of growth for any discrete product, due to regulatory activity in the high-income countries of North America and Europe. As these countries look to reduce their emissions, it means that many coal-fired power plants will need to be shut down to meet greenhouse gas emission requirements. Geomembranes can assist in the proper storage of hazardous materials at inactive power plants, as they require membrane liners with a very low permeability in order to prevent leakage.

Historical Market Trends & Growth Factors

Geosynthetics are commonly used for applications such as reinforcing the ground, controlling erosion, lining landfills and waste ponds, and lining heap leach mining (the process by which precious metals are extracted from ore through chemical reactions) areas. As a result, the global geosynthetics market is influenced by a wide variety of factors, including not only broad macroeconomic and construction patterns but also trends in specific end use markets.

The geosynthetics market is particularly dependent on the health of the nonbuilding construction sector in a country. Geosynthetics are frequently used in the construction of infrastructure such as roads and highways, dams, and landfills.

Other factors impacting real demand for geosynthetics worldwide include:

• spending on pollution control

• agricultural land development

• mining output and activity, especially construction of new mines or mine renovation

• the availability and cost of competitive materials, such as compacted clay liners

• sustainability initiatives

• environmental regulations, including those mandating greater protection of groundwater supplies

Growth in market value for geosynthetics depends on real growth patterns as well as changes in average prices for products and shifts in product mix toward lower or higher value materials.

Demand by Product

Geosynthetics are selected for a wide range of stabilization and separation projects because of their low cost, durability, and low maintenance requirements. In some instances, geosynthetics have an outright lower cost than competing geotechnical solutions. More often though, geosynthetics are an added expense during installation, and cost savings are realized in the future as the geosynthetics serve to increase the lifespan of the structure in which they are used.

The intensity of geosynthetics demand relative construction spending – which measures how frequently geosynthetics are used in construction projects – varies significantly among regions and countries:

• In general, countries with sophisticated building stocks and stringent building codes and regulatory schemes have the highest intensity of geosynthetics demand, while those with weak infrastructure and poorly enforced/nonexistent regulatory standards have the lowest.

• However, even in countries where geosynthetics demand intensity is currently among the highest – such as the United States – the market is not mature, and there is significant room for growth in the use of geosynthetics in a variety of applications.

Global demand for geosynthetics is forecast to increase 3.3% annually to 9.0 billion square meters in 2028. Demand will be driven by a long-term increase in global construction activity and the increased usage of geosynthetics in construction projects due to government regulations and a growing acceptance of the benefits provided by the products.

Geotextiles represented the largest share of geosynthetics demand by area in 2023.

• Global demand for geotextiles will rise as the product sees increased use as stabilization, filtration, and drainage layers in roads, highways, landfills, fresh and wastewater holding areas, and construction sites.

• Geotextiles are typically less expensive than other geosynthetics and are often the first type of geosynthetics incorporated into construction projects in developing areas of the world.

The remaining types of geosynthetics include geomembranes, geogrids, geonets, and various niche products.

• Demand for geogrids will be driven by increased market penetration in transportation infrastructure projects, where geogrids improve soil stability and prevent erosion and land-, rock-, and mudslides.

• The fastest growth is expected for geomembranes, spurred by rising global interest in environmental control, as these products can be used in containment and separation applications to provide a high degree of protection against contamination caused by leaks, spills, emissions, and leaching.

• Use of geonets will be supported from their increased use as liquid and gas collectors in landfills and mining projects, although these products face competition from other geosynthetics and have a narrower range of applications.

Pricing & Inflation

Geosynthetics prices vary widely depending on the type, as well as the thickness and complexity of the particular products. Prices range from a few cents per square meter for thin, basic, nonwoven geotextiles to over $8 or more per square meter for geomembranes.

The variation in price among the different types of geosynthetics (e.g., geotextiles, geomembranes, geogrids, geonets, etc.) reflects differences in performance features, lifespan, raw material costs, and other factors. Prices can also vary from country to country due to differences in domestic demand and raw material availability. Geosynthetics prices are also impacted by trends in underlying raw material costs, particularly in polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester.

Average manufacturers’ price increases will be driven by a shift in the product mix toward higher value products such as geomembranes, and rising material prices.

The usage of recycled raw materials in geosynthetics may impact pricing for some products. For example, HUESKER’s ecoLine geotextiles are made from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate. However, a widespread adoption of recycled raw material used in geosynthetics is not expected in the near term, particularly as the cost of recycled raw materials exceeded that of virgin plastic in many countries in 2023.

Report Details

This study analyzes the global market for geosynthetics, including:

• synthetic geotextiles

• geomembranes

• geogrids

• geonets

• small volume or niche geosynthetics, such as geocells, geofoams, geosynthetic clay liners, preformed geocomposites, erosion control blankets, fabric formed revetments, and turbidity curtains

Unless stated otherwise, “geotextiles” refers only to synthetic geotextiles, as natural fiber geotextiles are not included in the scope of this study. Plastic geopipes are also excluded.

Markets include:

• transportation infrastructure (including paved – both asphalt and concrete – and unpaved roads, bridges, railways, and airport runways

• building construction:

  • residential buildings (single-family, multifamily, manufactured homes)

  • nonresidential buildings (including offices, retail, and wholesale, lodging, education, healthcare, religious, industrial, and transportation buildings)

• landfills (solid waste management)

• liquid containment (including potable water reservoirs; decorative ponds; irrigation channels; canals; and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste ponds)

• mining

• other markets (including agriculture, coal combustion product containment, and oil and gas sites)

Historical data for 2013, 2018, and 2023 and forecasts for 2028 and 2033 are provided for demand in dollars and square meters, Annual data for 2020-2027 are also presented.