Increased Investment in High Speed Rails to Push Demand for HSR Composites, says Frost & Sullivan
- Benefits like superior fuel efficiency, impact resistance, and design flexibility to promote wider usage
LONDON, April 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Increased investment in new high speed rail (HSR) lines is creating exciting growth opportunities for HSR plastics and composites manufacturers. Demand levels are rising significantly due to expansion plans in some of the major HSR networks globally, especially China. In Europe, Spain is expected to provide impetus to market expansion.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com), Global Opportunities for Plastics and Composites in High Speed Rail, finds that the market earned revenues of $31.4 million in 2012 and estimates this to reach $35.7 million in 2018.
"Amidst concerns over their high costs, the greater penetration of composites in new high speed rolling stocks is an encouraging development," remarked Frost & Sullivan's Chemicals & Materials Industry Analyst Sandeepan Mondal. "It is expected that more than 60 percent of new HSR development will take place in Asia and Europe."
Growing confidence about their advantages is encouraging wider use of composites in new rolling stock. OEMs are likely to incorporate larger quantities of composites due to benefits including lower life-time cost, significant weight reduction potential and higher strength-to-weight ratio.
"Much like the automotive industry and commercial aviation, the primary concern of the HSR industry has been high operational costs which is directly related to fuel- efficiency and weight," noted Mondal. "Composites not only enable HSR OEMs to overcome these challenges, but also promote passenger safety since they enable high impact resistance in HSR rolling stock structures. In addition, high design flexibility, which translates to complex part manufacturability at competitive throughput rates, is also motivating OEMs to look at composites as better alternatives to metal."
However, high cost (as compared to metals), lack of proper joining techniques, absence of standardisation (in terms of material grade), and poor reparability and recyclability all threaten to limit the penetration of composites in HSR applications. These factors are making OEMs and Tier-I suppliers wary of incorporating larger amounts of composites in HSR primary and secondary structures.
For the short-term, market participants should concentrate on strengthening their current product portfolio and engaging existing HSR OEMs/Tier-I suppliers on a larger-scale. Existing competitors can also acquire composite manufacturers (either downstream or in the same part of the value chain as they are present) whose revenues are mostly dependent on the HSR market.
"In the longer-term, as the global economy recovers, market participants should focus on investing in new capacities, pushing product innovation and getting involved in joint development activities with OEMs," concluded Mondal.
If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an email to Chiara Carella, Corporate Communications, at chiara.carella@frost.com, with your full name, company name, job title, telephone number, company email address, company website, city, state and country.
Global Opportunities for Plastics and Composites in High Speed Rail is part of the Chemicals & Materials Growth Partnership Services programme. Frost & Sullivan's related research services include: Global Aviation Composites Market,European Composite Resins Market in Public Transport, and Supply Chain Analysis of the Automotive Carbon FibreComposites Market. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
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Global Opportunities for Plastics and Composites in High Speed Rail
M91A-39
Contact:
Chiara Carella
Corporate Communications – Europe
P: +44 (0) 20 7343 8314
M: +44 (0) 753 3017689
E: chiara.carella@frost.com
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