The global expanded polystyrene (eps) market is estimated to witness a healthy growth, at an estimated CAGR of around 5%, over the forecast period. The major factors driving the growth of the market studied are growth in construction industry in the Asia-Pacific & Eastern Europe, and advantage over competitive materials.

  • Factors such as strict governmental regulations and decreasing demand from packaging industry are likely to hinder the markets growth.
  • Recycling in EPS Industry is likely to create opportunities for the market in the coming years.
  • Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the market and is also likely to witness highest CAGR during the forecast period.



Key Market Trends

Increasing Demand from the Building and Construction Industry

  • Expanded Polystyrene, owing to its properties of lightweight, durability, thermal efficiency, shock absorption, moisture resistance, usability, etc., is used in building and construction sector. It is used in making roofs, walls, floor insulation, closed cavity walls, road construction, etc.
  • For construction insulation applications, the EPS foam is used for Rigid Cellular Polystyrene Thermal Insulation. This ASTM C578 standard addresses the physical properties and performance characteristics of EPS foam, as it relates to thermal insulation in construction applications.
  • In construction sector, EPS is used in combination with other materials, such as steel (in sandwich panels, used for cold store construction), concrete (as an insulation core in tilt up wall panels), gypsum, and plasterboard (as skins for ceiling panels and other prefabricated components). Sheathing is one of the most basic and widely-used applications for EPS insulation in residential and commercial construction.
  • Floorings and ceilings account for the largest market share of EPS application in the construction sector, followed by roofing systems. Moreover, EPS roofing insulation is used in roofing systems and provides cost-effective and consistent thermal performance.
  • Increasing energy prices are forcing consumers to work toward increasing thermal efficiency of constructions to reduce their energy consumption, thus driving the market for EPS-based roofing systems.
  • Owing to all the aforementioned factors, the market for expanded polystyrene is likely to grow during the forecast period.



Germany to Dominate the Market in Europe Region

  • Germany is the largest consumer in the Europe region. Due to the booming housing market and real estate demand, the construction and building industry is expected to grow rapidly, which is expected to increase the consumption of expanded polystyrene during the forecast period.
  • The housing market is facing strong demand fueled by rising incomes, low interest rates, as well as high-levels of net migration. Indeed, it is estimated that 3.6 million migrants will have arrived to Germany until 2020. There is housing demand for at least 350,000 new dwellings per year.
  • Low interest rates, coupled with rising incomes have contributed to increased property prices, particularly in big cities, making it more difficult for middle-class households to afford housing. To alleviate some of the pressure in the housing market, the government introduced the so-called Housing Construction Campaign, namely a comprehensive package of measures aimed at tackling housing shortages and rising house prices.
  • All these factors are expected to increase the market for expanded polystyrene in the region during the forecast period.



Competitive Landscape

The global EPS market is fragmented, with major players being SABIC, BASF SE, INEOS Styrolution Group GmbH, among others. The market is fragmented due to the presence of a large number of Chinese players.

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