To be published: August 2022
The new edition of this report by AMI Consulting quantifies the market, its structure, the status of the technology and the changes which are underway. It builds on the prior editions of the report published in 2018.
After recovering from the Great Recession of 2008, most European countries continued growing, transitioning from the recovering stage to economic expansion. However, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the global economy and with it, the European pipes industry. Nevertheless, the construction sector was not as negatively affected as other areas in the economy. Also, the plastic pipe industry has in general exhibited a lot of resilience and capacity to adapt to the new economic circumstances.
Confidence levels were high at the beginning of 2021 and companies picked up previously approved projects. Therefore, 2021 is expected to be a rebound year for the sector. However, the question is if this rebound will be enough to bring the construction sector to pre COVID-19 levels. On top of this, due to high uncertainty and the weaker financial position of many firms, investment levels on new longer-term projects could decline, negatively impacting additional construction activity and thus, the plastic pipes industry.
It is fascinating to follow the current domestic heating and cooling technology mix. In Europe, this mix includes air-conditioning and other electricity operated systems; hydronic systems such as radiator heating; large surface (under-floor or in-wall) heating and cooling systems; as well as district heating and cooling. In turn, the hydronic systems can be operated using ‘traditional’ methods, such as household or building boilers, operated using electricity, gas or liquid hydrocarbons. These can also be district heating/cooling, which in turn can be based on traditional technologies or renewable/recoverable sources, and non-conventional sources such as geothermal energy, solar energy, thermal mass technologies, etc. The arrival of new standards and regulations, the development of new solutions and inter material competition trends will shape the future of the industry.
Today, the European plastic pipes industry faces a mixture of challenges and opportunities and the companies that achieve a more accurate understanding of the trends and align their efforts, resources and product mix accordingly are more likely to be successful in this market.
The updated edition of the Pressure Pipes Europe report analyses the market trends in-depth and presents them in an easily digestible format. The report thus constitutes an invaluable tool, aimed at helping companies make informed decisions.