DATA: EMEA flexible foam market 2023

This issue our data page is focused on the market for flexible, slabstock and moulded foam in EMEA, showing figures for 2023 sales.

Total EMEA production of PU flexible foam was just over 1.98mt in 2023, a decrease of 1.7% compared to the previous year. Flexible foam production contracted slightly in 2023 amid falling consumer demand for comfort foams, previous overstocking activity, and despite an uptick in automotive production.

The flexible foam market in EMEA is mature, with Western Europe as the largest producer. The Nordic region experienced a 12.2% decline, while Germany saw a 0.2% drop. Türkiye, Poland, Germany, and Italy are key producers due to their furniture and automotive sectors. The comfort segment struggled in 2023, but technical foam performed well. North and West Africa lead production in their regions, and the GCC – particularly Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman – is seeing growth.

Production of polyurethane flexible slabstock foam fell by 6.8% in Western Europe and 3.5% in the whole EMEA region during 2023. The primary causes of this decline were supply shortages, rising raw material costs, and dwindling demand. Poland suffered the worst contraction in Central and Eastern Europe, which saw a 2.4% drop. Turkey's production increased significantly, because of the country's strong mattress demand. Production of PU slabstock increased by 5.4% in the Middle East, with conventional polyether foam being the most widely used type. The furniture and mattress industries' growth in 2023 contributed to the growth of the flexible foam market.

In 2023, EMEA production of PU moulded foam increased by 4.6% over the previous year, with Germany and France being the largest producers. The Central and Eastern European region saw a 5% increase in production, with Turkey being the largest producer. Automotive seating foam accounted for the majority of production, followed by NVH foam. In Western Europe, transport foams outperformed comfort foams, with higher outputs for auto and commercial vehicle seating foam, NVH foam, integral skin, semi-rigid foam and other transport foam. Moulded transport foams experienced a 6.9% increase in auto seating foam and 7.2% in commercial vehicle seating foam. In the Middle East and Africa, the moulded segments generally outperformed the slabstock segments.