#Market Analysis & Forecasts

2024-02-29

Economic and geopolitical headwinds influence industrial nonwovens growth to 2029

The global consumption of industrial nonwovens in 2024 is 5.3 million tonnes or 83.4 billion square metres (m2), valued at $21.2 billion, according to The Future of Industrial Nonwovens to 2029 from Smithers. Growth rates for 2019-24 were 6.9% (tonnes), 6.9% (m2) and 6.7% ($). This reflects a recovery in some markets from Covid-19 as well as an adjustment to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and its repercussions (inflation, energy supply/price, global economic growth reductions).

Other external factors affecting industrial nonwovens include China’s slowing economic growth, overexpansion in many nonwoven products, and ongoing geopolitical issues in the Middle East (Hamas/Israel war and Red Sea shipping).

Growth rates for 2024-29 are projected at 7.3% (tonnes), 8.0% (m2), and 8.2% ($). This accounts for projections that there will be an economic recovery globally by 2029.

There are almost 20 independent end use markets defined as industrial nonwovens in this report. This diversification shields the overall market from some issues. When consumers are not buying automobiles, governments are supporting road and bridge building, when the residential housing market slows, the non-residential market may surge; this has kept industrial nonwovens growing even in slow global economic growth periods. Projections in 2024 are that this slow growth period will end by 2029 (perhaps as early as 2025) and the overall industrial nonwovens market will benefit; the last four to five years have caused some slowing in the industrial wipes market growth.

The largest end uses are building/construction, geotextiles/agriculture, filtration, automotive and coating substrates.

Some of the fastest-growing end uses for industrial nonwovens are filtration, geotextiles, shoes/footwear, conveyor belts/wires, composites and industrial wipes.

https://www.smithers.com/services/market-reports/nonwovens/the-future-of-industrial-nonwovens-to-2029

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