Industry Insights
Coated fabrics market has been witnessing strong growth over the last few years on account of increasing demand from transportation industry. Rapid growth in transportation industry including automobiles, railways and metro rails across the world is likely to boost coated fabrics demand in near future. In addition, increasing application scope of coated fabrics in end-use industries including construction and apparels is further expected to augment the market growth over the next five years. Coated fabrics demand is anticipated to witness significant growth owing to its superior properties including high elasticity, high water resistance, better insulation, ability to drape, absence of stickiness and thermal management properties. Rapid industrialization in BRICS is anticipated to have positive impact on coated fabrics market. Coated fabrics are used in manufacturing products such as tents, air bags, upholstery, tarpaulins, and clothing among others. Growth of these end-use products is also a key driving factor for coated fabrics market. Growing automotive industry resulted in increase in airbags demand. Increasing airbags demand is expected to augment coated fabrics market growth over the next five years. Increasing safety clothes demand from chemicals processing, agriculture and food processing applications is likely to fuel the market growth over the forecast period. However, rising environmental concerns coupled with air pollution caused by coated fabrics’ production is expected to hinder the market growth in near future. Furthermore, availability of substitute materials such as leather, plastics and uncoated fabrics is likely to inhibit market growth over the next five years.
Product Insights
Polymer coated, rubber coated and fabric backed wall coverings are three basic types of coated fabrics. Polymer coated fabrics include vinyl coated, polyethylene coated, polyurethane, polypropylene, and acrylic coated fabrics among others. Rubber coated fabrics include polychloroprene and silicone rubber coated fabrics among others. Polymer coated fabrics has been dominating the market over the last few years on account of growing airbags demand in automobiles coupled with increasing demand for protective clothing from major chemical and food processing industries. Stringent regulation from government to provide safety clothes to workers is further expected to augment the market growth in near future. Increasing urban population resulted in rising infrastructure development in housing sector. This trend is expected to drive fabric backed wall coverings market over the next five years.
Application Insights
Transportation was the largest application segment of coated fabrics market in 2013 followed by protective clothing. Increasing automobile sales in emerging nations such as India, China and Brazil is anticipated to boost airbags demand, which in likely to drive coated fabrics market over the forecast period. Increasing metro rail and railways projects are further expected to fuel the market growth. Growing concerns over workers safety in industries have been driving coated fabrics market, and the trend is likely to continue over the next five years. Other end-use applications including marine & other non-motor vehicle transportation, furniture, wall coverings, commercial & rental tents, books, awnings & canopies are further expected to influence the market growth positively over the next five years.
Regional Insights
Asia Pacific has been the largest market for coated fabrics over the past few years on account of growing automobiles demand and increasing infrastructure development projects in emerging nations such as India and China. Strong growth in end-use industries in this region is anticipated to complement coated fabrics market growth over the next five years. North America and Europe has been witnessing sluggish growth owing to mature end-use industries in these regions.
Competitive Insights
Key players in coated fabrics market include Saint-Gobain S.A., Omnova Solutions Inc., Spradling International Inc., Bo-Tex Sales Corp., Mauritzon Inc., Trelleborg AB, Graniteville Specialty Fabrics and Bayers AG among others.
