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[May 2001]
Major Report on Asian Sanitaryware Markets
Published recently, 'Southern and South-East Asian Sanitaryware Markets' is a major industry report by Materials Markets Consulting covering the sanitary ceramics industry in 16 countries, including China, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. Over 80 sanitaryware manufacturers are profiled and the report contains strategic trends and forecasts to 2005.
Findings in the report indicate that the market will increase from 79 million pieces in 2000 to 108 million pieces in 2005. The current market is worth US$1.1 billion and in terms of value is dominated by China (58%), Taiwan (11%) and India (10%).
Boosted by major investment and reforms in the housing markets of China and India, the sanitary ceramics market is expected to grow by an average annual growth rate of 8%. Growth will occur whatever the global economic outlook is, as both countries tend to be relatively unaffected by the world economic slowdown, as shown by a GDP growth figure of over 8% for Q1 2001 in China.
Asia has emerged as the world's leading producer and consumer of sanitary ceramics, reaching nearly 50% of world demand and production. Trade between Asia and the rest of the world is still limited, despite the boom in exports towards the USA and, to some extent, Europe. The situation, however, is changing fast as many Asian companies have focussed on the export market in the face of a relatively slow domestic market in the late 1990s.
Between 1996 and 2000, Chinese sanitaryware export volumes increased at an average annual growth rate of nearly 34% reaching 3.6 million pieces in 2000. With the USA housing and construction still relatively strong and experiencing a more limited downturn than some other industries, Asian exports to the USA in 2001 and 2002 are not expected to decline significantly.
Annual demand in Southern and South-East Asia currently stands at about 80 million pieces. Demand is mostly met by local production with only certain high grade products being imported. As consumers in Asia become more sophisticated and attach more importance to quality and design, there is a potential for more imports of branded high quality European and US products. China accounts for half of the demand for sanitaryware and is followed by India with 20% of the demand. By 2005, MMC forecasts that China will still account for 50% of the demand and India will represent 25%.
In India, less than 30% of the population has access to sanitation systems and the housing shortage currently stands at over 40 million units. Fast growth will be experienced in all sectors of the sanitaryware market and the market for high grade products will double from 5 million to 10 million pieces.
For more information on the content, price and availability of this report, send an e-mail to: mmc@metalbulletin.com
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