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[October 2003]
US Wall Coverings Demand Predicted to Reach US$2.5 Billion in 5 Years
Demand in the USA for wall coverings used as alternatives to paint - i.e. ceramic tile, wood panelling, wallpaper and finished gypsum board - is forecast to expand by 5.7% per annum through to 2007 to US$2.5 billion. Growth will accelerate significantly from the 1997-2002 period for virtually every product and end-use market. Advances in wall covering demand will be driven by both construction expenditures and fashion trends, although the effects of these two factors vary based on the specific product under consideration. These and other trends are presented in 'Wall Coverings', a new study from The Freedonia Group (Cleveland, OH, USA), an industrial research firm.
Demand for ceramic tile and wood panelling, the two largest wall covering product segments, will be affected by both construction and fashion trends over the forecast period, according to the new study. Sales of these products will be bolstered by a rebound in the construction of office and other commercial structures and ceramic tile demand will further benefit from housing trends such as increases in the size of bathrooms and kitchens.
However, demand for both ceramic tiles and wood panelling will be somewhat restrained by the weak outlook expected in the single family housing market, a key end use for both products. With respect to shifts in consumer tastes, both wood panelling and ceramic tile will benefit from increased demand for high-end products with a natural appearance.
US demand for ceramic tile, as laid out in the study, was US$587 million in 1997, rose to US$720 million in 2002, and is forecast to reach US$870 million in 2007. It is by some margin the largest of the four main wall covering markets.
'Wall Coverings' runs to 249 pages and is available at a cost of US$3,800.
www.freedoniagroup.com
ENDS