Skip to main content

Geosynthetics market will develop

A new report from the US-based market research specialist the Freedonia Group suggests that worldwide demand for geosynthetics is projected to increase 8.3% annually to 4.5 billion m2 in 2015
March 1, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
A new report from the US-based market research specialist the 2821 Freedonia Group suggests that worldwide demand for geosynthetics is projected to increase 8.3% annually to 4.5 billion m2 in 2015. This growth rate represents an increase in demand from the gains of the 2005-2010 period, reflecting in part the reduced bases of the developed countries in 2010. Advances will be driven by increasing use of geosynthetics and the large-scale construction plans in place in many developing countries, according to the report.

In 2010 the construction market accounted for the largest share of geosynthetics sales (34%). The World Geosynthetics study says that in 2010, North America was the largest regional market, accounting for 31% of global sales. The US is the world’s largest market, with one-quarter of total sales in 2010. The US construction sector, which is expected to rebound through 2015 from a low 2010 base, as well as the need to maintain its large transportation infrastructure.

The Asia/Pacific region was only slightly smaller, accounting for 30% of global geosynthetics sales in 2010. However, this region is projected to achieve the fastest growth rate through 2015, primarily driven by China, where sales are expected to more than double by 2015. China is expected to account for nearly half of new global demand generated between 2010 and 2015, primarily due to its amount of available land, its on-going development of large-scale infrastructure projects, and its need for erosion control.

For similar reasons, India is also expected to post double-digit annual growth through the forecast period, with sales nearly doubling by 2015, although from a much smaller base.

Western Europe and Japan are fairly comparable to the US in terms of the level of maturity of their respective geosynthetics markets, as well as the type of regulatory environment. Demand in both of these areas is expected to rebound from a reduced 2010 base, benefiting from improved construction activity and the high level of concern in the region for environmental protection. However, gains are expected to be the slowest among all regions through 2015.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CNH new CEO Mario Gasparri says firm keen to continue its growth curve
    April 17, 2012
    New CNH Construction president Mario Gasparri says the firm is keen to build on its “strong, sustainable growth opportunities in every major region”. Speaking to the Daily News Gasparri, a Fiat veteran who took on his prestigious new role last month, said, “In 2011, we saw the highest growth in North America, where demand increased by 38%. The European, African, Middle Eastern and CIS markets were not far behind with a 35% increase. In Latin America, the strong demand from projects in the private and public
  • Cellular Confinement Systems Get “Tough”
    May 10, 2012
    An Interview with PRS-Med’s VP of Business Development and Marketing Hadas Levin by Chris Kelsey The year 1977 has become a watershed year for polymeric construction materials. Dr. J.P. Giroud coined the terms ‘geotextile’ and ‘geomembrane’ in a key paper at the First International Conference on Geosynthetics; and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a report on its testing of cellular confinement systems (first undertaken in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1975). The investigations in Mis
  • Transport impact of concern in Europe
    April 26, 2012
    The latest research shows that emissions of many pollutants from transport fell in 2009. But this reduction may only be a temporary effect of the economic downturn, according to the latest annual report on transport emissions from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) reveals the environmental impact of transport. For the first time, the report considers a comprehensive set of quantitative targets proposed by the European Commission’s 2011 roadmap on
  • The global road safety crisis needs to be addressed
    October 12, 2017
    The global road casualty rate continues to climb as motorisation levels grow and is particularly acute in the developing world. Developing countries suffer from a particularly high rate of crashes and around 90% of road fatalities. The impact, both in economic and human terms, is unsustainable. These countries cannot afford the loss to their economies of the young and economically active.