Market Overview

The market for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is expected to register a CAGR of more than 5% during the forecast period. The rising demand for lightweight automobiles and the growing demand for PBT in electrical applications are the major factors driving the market studied. However, competition from other engineering plastics is expected to hinder the growth of the market studied.

  • The automotive industry dominated the market, and is expected to grow during the forecast period across the world.
  • The growing research to develop bio-based PBT is likely to act as an opportunity in the future.
  • Asia-Pacific dominated the market across the world, with the largest consumption from countries like China and India.



Key Market Trends

Increasing Demand from the Automotive Sector

  • PBT, owing to its superior material characteristics, such as heat resistance, strength-to-weight ratio, and chemical stability, is increasingly being used to replace traditional materials, including bronze, stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramics in the automotive industry.
  • Lightweight plastics are in high demand in the transportation industry due to their competitive pricing, high performance, style, reliability, strength, and safety. Plastic components weigh almost 50% lesser than similar components made from other materials, thus providing 25%-35% improvement in fuel efficiency, which is a key factor in the automotive and transportation industries.
  • In automotive and other transportation facilities, PBT allows for energy absorption, weight reduction, shock absorption for bumpers, restriction of explosion risks in fuel tanks, seat belts, airbags, door and seat assemblies, subsystems, bumpers, under-bonnet components, exterior trim, and various other applications.
  • Moreover, PBT is providing manufacturers with major added advantages, including no corrosion, noise-reduction, and low wear and tear, along with resultant increased component and vehicle life. Thus, they have gradually become an integral part of the automotive industry.
  • PBT can be used in interior and exterior applications, especially in electric systems in the automotive. The most common applications include windshield wiper covers, mirror housings, cowl vents, handles, fans, fuel system components, connectors, sensor housings, fuse boxes, actuator cases, power relays, switches, motor components, and ignition system components.
  • With the growing automotive industry, the consumption of PBT is projected to increase over the forecast period.



Asia-Pacific to Dominate the Market

  • Asia-Pacific dominated the global market share. In the recent years, China has become a global industrial and manufacturing hub.
  • The market in China is expected to witness faster growth, compared to other countries, owing to the significant increase in the per-capita income of the Chinese middle-class population and the resultant increase in the sales of consumer goods in the region.
  • The manufacturing industry in China is expected to grow on an average of more than 5% during the upcoming years, which is the major driving force for the engineering plastics market, in turn, driving the PBT market in China.
  • The Indian economy is also witnessing steady growth and development in the manufacturing sector, especially in the electrical and electronics and the automotive industries. In addition, growth in the consumer goods and appliances sector of the country is also expected to boost the growth of the PBT market.
  • All these aforementioned factors are expected to drive the demand for PBT in the region, during the forecast period.



Competitive Landscape

The PBT market is partially consolidated, and is dominated by very few players. Some of these major players include DuPont, A.Schulman Inc., BASF SE, Evonik Industries AG, and SABIC, among others.

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