Global PC market is expected to grow following recovery from economic slowdown

03-Sep-10

Polycarbonate is one of the most widely used thermoplastics. It has the second largest share in the thermoplastic market after polyamide and is one of the fastest growing types of thermoplastic, as per GBI Research. With properties such as transparency, toughness, thermal stability and others, it is one of the most popular thermoplastic for various applications. The global demand for polycarbonate has grown quickly over the last decade. However, the economic slowdown has adversely affected the consumption of various commodities in many countries of the world. The demand for polycarbonate also slowed down in the year 2009 with a market of 2.9 mlon tons. As economies recover from the slowdown, the consumption of commodities is expected to rise again and the global demand for polycarbonate is expected to grow at CAGR of 6% up to 2015. The electrical and electronics industry is the principle polycarbonate consuming sector globally. The typical uses are in switches, plugs, sockets, cellular phones, computer housings, power distribution (covers and housings), connectors, electrical chargers, electrical household appliances, battery boxes and other. Optical media is the second largest consumer of the polycarbonate as it is used in making CDs, DVDs and their variants. The construction industry and the companies involved in various applications in the automotive industry are also a consumer of polycarbonate. The automotive application will drive the growth in demand in coming years. Other uses include packaging and medical applications.