Significant Insulation Market Growth Potential Exists in India & Other Developing Countries

The sizable stock of substandard housing units in the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions – which together account for over 75% of the world’s population – presents a significant growth opportunity for the global insulation market, according to a new Freedonia Group analysis. Governments in a number of developing countries in these areas are working to improve housing quality, including through the adoption of minimum insulation requirements.

India Will Be World’s Largest Fast-Growing Insulation Market Through 2025

Demand for insulation in India is expected to grow at one of the fastest rates of increase of any country worldwide through 2025. Once vaccination levels in the country reach a level to limit new COVID-19 infections, the robust pre-COVID levels of economic growth are expected to resume in the country. Through 2025, insulation market growth in India will be robust, expanding at a double-digit pace, due to:

• robust growth in building construction, especially as the amount of insulation installed per building will also rise as energy efficiency gains in importance
• strong rebounds in in HVAC, transportation equipment, and appliance production, coupled with use of more insulation per product to improve their quality and better compete on the global market
• recovery in industrial equipment production

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Global Insulation analyzes global supply of and demand for insulation (including thermal and acoustic). Historical data (2010, 2015, and 2020) and forecasts for 2025 and 2030 are provided for insulation demand by material (in dollars and metric tons) and market (in dollars and square meters R-1), net exports (in dollars), and production (in dollars) on a country-by-country basis.

Materials broken out include:

• foamed plastic
• fiberglass
• mineral wool (granulated mineral wool used in ceiling tiles is excluded)
• other materials (e.g., aerogels, cellulose, reflective insulation, radiant barriers, perlite, vermiculite, and all other insulation materials)

The major market segments analyzed are:

• residential buildings (e.g., single-family, including manufactured homes, and multifamily)
• nonresidential buildings (including, office, retail and lodging, institutional, and industrial buildings)
• industrial and plant equipment (e.g., power generation, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemicals, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals)
• HVAC/air distribution equipment (including residential, commercial, and heating and air ducts)
• appliances (e.g., refrigerators, freezers, ovens, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers)
• transportation equipment (e.g., motor vehicles, aerospace equipment, ships and boats, railroad equipment)
• other insulation markets, including nonbuilding construction, packaging, furniture, bedding, clothing, and off-road equipment