US Rubber Demand to Increase 2.7% Per Year in Nominal Terms to 2023

Cleveland, OH, October 9, 2019 — US rubber demand is forecast to rise 2.7% per year in nominal terms through 2023, according to Rubber: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Suppliers will benefit from growth in domestic production of tires, belts, hoses, and other rubber parts for motor vehicles, machinery, and equipment. Rubber will remain a material of choice in these applications for its abrasion, chemical, heat, and oil resistance and resilience. The use of natural gas feedstocks in US ethylene production, of which butadiene is a byproduct, will continue to negatively impact synthetic rubber suppliers, as butadiene yields from natural gas feedstocks are lower relative to petroleum feedstocks.

In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, rubber demand is projected to expand nearly 1.1% annually to 2023, driven by rising output of rubber products, with expected yearly shipment growth of 1.1% in real terms. Imports will restrict faster gains in domestic rubber product output, limiting stronger growth in real rubber consumption.

These and other key insights are featured in Rubber: United States. This report forecasts to 2023 US rubber demand in nominal and real (inflation-adjusted) terms and synthetic rubber shipments in nominal terms at the manufacturer level. Total demand in nominal terms is segmented by product in terms of:

• styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
• natural rubber
• polybutadiene rubber (BR)
• ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM)
• polychloroprene (CR); isobutylene isoprene, or butyl, rubber (IIR); polyisoprene rubber (IR); and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR)
• other synthetic rubbers such as acrylic and fluoroelastomers

To illustrate historical trends, total demand, total shipments, the various segments, and trade are provided in annual series from 2008 to 2018.

The scope of this report is defined as thermoset elastomers and excludes thermoplastic elastomers (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethanes) as well as silicone elastomers. Reclaimed rubber is also excluded. Rubber demand represents the raw elastomers, before the compounding stage. Re-exports of rubber are excluded from demand and trade figures.

More information about the report is available at:

https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Rubber-United-States-FF50017/?progid=91541