特殊発泡材の米国市場

US demand to grow 5.5% yearly to 2009

US specialty foam demand is projected to expand 5.5 percent annually to $1.3 billion in 2009, comprising 506 million pounds. Gains will reflect improvements in the economy and greater needs for lower cost and higher performance materials in various sectors.

Engineered plastic, PUR will remain dominant foams

Polyurethane and engineered plastic will remain the dominant plastic foams, with the best growth expected in the lower volume fluoropolymers and silicones. Specialty polyurethane foam demand will be stimulated by opportunities in areas such as air and fluid filtration, gaskets and acoustical insulation. Particularly good growth is expected for hydrophilic (water absorbing) foam in areas such as wound dressings and as delivery vehicles. Engineered plastic foam advantages include good dielectric properties, strength and temperature resistance. Primary applications for polyphenylene oxide and polycarbonate foams are in housings and other enclosures for electronic products, and polyimide foam is used in high performance thermal and acoustical insulation.

Nonplastic foams will increase at a faster pace than plastic types, particularly ceramics and metals. Ceramic and metal foams will experience the fastest growth due to advancing catalyst substrate, metal filtration and other applications. In the metal category, nascent materials such as aluminum foam also have strong potential in areas such as energy absorption and diesel particulate filters. Good growth is also expected for foam glass in thermal insulation applications.

Industrial markets to present best growth opportunities

Electrical/electronic and industrial markets will continue to account for over one half of all demand due to widespread structural, filtering, sealing and insulating requirements. Industrial markets for specialty foams will ponehalfresent the best opportunities in areas such as thermal insulation, gaskets, and machinery seals and filters. Electrical and electronic markets will be driven by expanding needs for higher performing structural, filtering, sealing and insulation materials.

Transportation equipment markets will be driven by safety and fuel efficiency concerns in motor vehicle, aircraft, marine and other applications. Advances in medical and health care markets will be stimulated by widespread disposable medical supply applications, particularly wound dressings.

US industry highly fragmented

The US specialty foam industry is comprised of several hundred producers, fabricators, molders and applicators. Segments such as polyurethane are highly competitive and fragmented, while glass and nickel foam are dominated by several large players.

Continued consolidation trends are expected in light of needs to broaden geographic reach and product lines, including acquiring offshore production capabilities in more rapidly growing areas such as Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.

Study coverage

This new Freedonia study, Specialty Foams, which provides historical US demand data for 1994, 1999 and 2004, as well as forecasts to 2009 and 2014 by type, market and application. This study also considers US market environment indicators, evaluates company market shares and profiles 32 industry players.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

II. MARKET ENVIRONMENT

General

Macroeconomic Outlook

Consumer Spending Patterns

Manufacturing Outlook

Electrical & Electronic Equipment Outlook

Health Care Industry Trends

Transportation Equipment Trends

Building Construction Outlook

Plastic Foam Overview

Pricing Trends

Regulatory & Environmental Considerations

International Activity

III. TYPES

General

Plastic Foam

Polyurethane Foam

Types

Markets

Producers

Engineered Plastic Foam

Polyphenylene Oxide

Polycarbonate

Polyimide

Other

Producers

Polyolefin Foam

Types

Producers

Fluoropolymer Foam

Silicone Foam

Other Specialty Plastic Foams

Non-Plastic Foam

Foam Glass

Ceramic Foam

Metal Foam

Nickel Foam

Other Metal Foam

Aluminum Foam

All Other Metal Foams

Other Specialty Foam

IV. MARKETS

General

Electrical & Electronic

Types

Uses

Industrial

Types

Uses

Transportation Equipment

Types

Uses

Medical & Healthcare

Construction

Other Markets

V. APPLICATIONS

General

Cushioning

Insulation

Structural

Gaskets & Seals

Filters

Other

VI. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

General

Market Share

Rogers

Foamex International

Pittsburgh Corning

Carpenter

Crest Foam Industries

Other Producers

Mergers & Acquisitions

Marketing Strategies

Channels of Distribution

Research & Development

Competitive Strategies

Cooperative Agreements

COMPANY PROFILES

Aearo Corporation

BASF AG

Bayer AG

BayOne Urethane Systems LLC, see Bayer AG

British Vita plc

Carpenter Company

Cellect LLC

Createc Corporation

Crest Foam Industries Incorporated, see British Vita plc

Cuming Corporation

Degussa AG

Dow Chemical Company

Dow Corning Corporation

E-A-R Specialty Composites, see Aearo Corporation

Enerflex Solutions LLC, see Woodbridge Foam Corporation

ERG Materials and Aerospace Corporation

Foamex International Incorporated

Free-Flow Packaging International Incorporated

Grow-Tech Incorporated, see Rynel Limited Incorporated

Huntsman Corporation

Inco Limited

Inspec Foams Incorporated, see Degussa AG

Insulfoam, see Premier Industries Incorporated

Lamatek Incorporated

Novamet Specialty Products Corporation, see Inco Limited

Pactiv Corporation

Pittsburgh Corning Corporation

Plexiglas, see Degussa AG

Polyair Inter Pack Incorporated

Porvair plc

PXL Cross Linked Technologies Incorporated, see

Polyair Inter Pack Incorporated

Rogers Corporation

Rohm GmbH & Company, see Degussa AG

Rynel Limited Incorporated

Saint-Gobain

SCA Packaging North America, see Svenska Cellulosa AB

Sealed Air Corporation

Sekisui Chemical Company Limited

Selee Corporation, see Porvair plc

Svenska Cellulosa AB

THARCO

Ultramet Incorporated

Vitafoam Incorporated, see British Vita plc

Voltek LLC, see Sekisui Chemical Company Limited

Wacker-Chemie GmbH

Woodbridge Foam Corporation

Other Companies the Specialty Foam Industry

LIST OF TABLES

SECTION I -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Summary Table

SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT

1 Macroeconomic Indicators

2 Consumer Expenditures

3 Manufacturers  Shipments

4 Electrical & Electronic Equipment Shipments

5 National Health Expenditures

6 Transportation Equipment Shipments

7 Building Construction Expenditures

8 Plastic Foam Demand by Type

9 Specialty Foam Pricing Trends

SECTION III -- TYPES

1 Specialty Foam Demand

2 Specialty Plastic Foam Demand by Type

3 Specialty Polyurethane Foam Demand by Type & Market

4 Specialty Engineered Plastic Foam Demand by Type & Market

5 Specialty Polyolefin Foam Demand by Market

6 Specialty Fluoropolymer Foam Demand by Market

7 Specialty Silicone Foam Demand by Market

8 Other Specialty Plastic Foam Demand by Market

9 Non-Plastic Specialty Foam Demand by Type

10 Foam Glass Demand by Market

11 Ceramic Foam Demand by Market

12 Metal Foam Demand by Type

13 Nickel Foam Demand by Market

14 All Other Metal Foam Demand by Market

15 Other Specialty Foam Demand

SECTION IV -- MARKETS

1 Specialty Foam Demand by Market

2 Electrical & Electronic Markets for Specialty Foam by Type & Use

3 Industrial Markets for Specialty Foam by Type & Use

4 Transportation Equipment Markets for Specialty Foams by Type & Use

5 Medical & Healthcare Markets for Specialty Foams byType & Use

6 Construction Markets for Specialty Foams by Type

7 Other Markets for Specialty Foams by Type & Use

SECTION V -- APPLICATIONS

1 Specialty Foam Demand by Application

2 Cushioning Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

3 Insulation Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

4 Structural Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

5 Gasket & Seal Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

6 Filter Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

7 Other Applications for Specialty Foams by Type

SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

1 US Specialty Foam Sales by Company, 2004

2 Selected Acquisitions & Divestitures

3 Selected Cooperative Agreements

LIST OF CHARTS

SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT

1 Plastic Foam Demand by Type, 2004

SECTION III -- TYPES

1 Specialty Plastic Foam Demand by Type, 2004

2 Specialty Polyurethane Foam Demand by Market, 2004

3 Non-Plastic Specialty Foam Demand by Type, 2004

SECTION IV -- MARKETS

1 Specialty Foam Demand by Market, 2004

2 Electrical & Electronic Markets for Specialty Foam by Type, 2004

3 Electrical & Electronic Markets for Specialty Foam by Use, 2004

4 Industrial Markets for Specialty Foams by Type, 2004

5 Industrial Markets for Specialty Foams by Use, 2004

6 Transportation Equipment Markets for Specialty Foams by Type, 2004

SECTION V -- APPLICATIONS

1 Specialty Foam Demand by Application, 2004

2 Insulation Applications for Specialty Foams by Type, 2004

3 Structural Applications for Specialty Foams by Type, 2004

SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

1 US Specialty Foam Market Share, 2004