USA silicone demand to reach US$4.3bn by 2018

Demand for silicones in the USA is forecast to climb 4.7%/yr to US$4.3bn in 2018, with volume rising 3.2%/yr to 900M lbs. This will be an acceleration from the performance of the 2008-2013 period, spurred by rising manufactured goods output and a strong rebound in construction activity.

According to analyst Bridget McMurtrie, "Ongoing technological developments and continued product innovation will also promote advances.” However, opportunities will be limited by market maturity, as well as the increasing tendency among users to regard silicones more as commodities than as speciality materials, which will restrict suppliers’ ability to raise prices and thus restrain overall value gains. These and other trends are presented in Silicones, a new study from The Freedonia Group.