European wood plastic composites growing at 25% a year, no longer dominated by imports from U.S., Asia, study finds

Wendy Lisney

DUNEDIN, New Zealand , December 16, 2011 (Friday Offcuts) – The European wood plastic composites (WPC) market has been growing at an average 25% each year, according to a new multi-client study by Applied Market Information. The researcher says its report illustrates how easily the European WPC market is outpacing other plastics and construction markets and is no longer driven by imports from the US or Asia, either.

Data released in late 2009 indicates that the global WPC market stood at more than 1.5m t/y and was dominated by the US and China. Today, AMI says, the European WPC scene is abound with strong established European producers, the most successful of whom saw 2010 EBITDA returns that were an attractive 25%. In addition, there is space for new entrants into the market.

Wood plastic composites and other processes for wood modification are increasingly being looked at by traditional wood producers as a means of diversifying their manufacturing, product and market mix. WPC’s will be profiled as part of the Wood Preservation 2012 series being planned for wood treatment companies in Australasia in mid-May next year.

Source: PlastEurope.com

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