London - A new report from UK-based market research group Information Research Ltd offers "comprehensive" data on 16 western European markets and "provides an insight into the needs of the paint and coatings sector as it faces up to the challenges of tightening legislation," said a 22 May press release from IRL.
This is the third edition of what IRL says is "one of its most popular titles"- A Profile of the Western European Paint Industry.
The total paint market in Western Europe in 2006 was estimated at 6.67 million tonnes which corresponds to average annual growth of 0.7 pecent a year over the last three years. "Future growth expectations for the market are stronger, with optimistic industry estimates of growth being about 2.4 percent a year, which would place the market at 7.53 million tonnes by 2011," says IRL.
Western Europe now has three markets with a volume greater than a million tones: Germany, Spain and Italy. Germany, however, is the only country to have a million-tonne decorative paint market.
The west European decorative paint market has been estimated at 4.26 million tonnes in 2006, and, said IRL, is "characterised by modest growth in most markets, strong growth in some of the smaller economies and a slight contraction in the UK, where the decorative paint market has run out of steam after years of unbroken growth in the DIY sector."
IRL points out that home improvement TV shows continue to influence the market positively as do strong advertising campaigns by the decorative paint sector.
Also analysed in the study are segments such as general industrial coatings and UV-curable coatings. In addition the survey examines trends such as relocation of some manufacturing industry to eastern Europe, and the effects of REACH and Phase II of the Solvent Emissions Directive, which "are of great concern to the Western European coatings industry." epw"
