The global market for wood-plastic composites (WPCs), cellulosic plastics, plastic lumber and natural fiber composites was valued at 2.8 million metric tons in 2013. This market is expected to increase from nearly 3.1 million metric tons in 2014 to 5.6 million metric tons in 2019, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7% for the five-year period, 2014 to 2019.

This report provides:
-An overview of the global market for wood-plastic composites.
-Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2011 through 2013, estimates for 2014, and projections of CAGRs through 2019.
-Coverage of the applications for these products including building products (decking, fencing, windows and doors, and others), automotive, infrastructure and other consumer and industrial products.
-Analyses of technologies employed, production (e.g., compounding, injection molding, extrusion), use of additives (colorants, lubricants, coupling agents, and UV stabilizers), requisite properties required for each application, costs and pricing, marketing, distribution, product standards and testing, and competitive company strategies.

INTRODUCTION

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY
This report is an update of what was to our knowledge the first comprehensive global report that examined all cellulosic-plastic combinations as well as plastics that are direct competitors in the drive to replace lumber in building and construction markets. These segments include wood-plastic composites, plastic lumber, cellulosic plastics and natural fiber composites.

The update of that report is timely because of environmental pressures to reduce use of timber and eliminate use of toxic chemicals that preserve timber. It’s also timely because of a separate environmental initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased use of renewable resources as replacements for plastics based on petrochemicals. This is a particularly important factor in the automotive market in Europe, Japan and the United States. A third reason for doing the study is the enormous impact that infrastructure improvements in China will have on demand for innovative materials, such as wood-plastic composites.