REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS
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North American metal powders and P/M parts shipments were estimated at 1.14 billion pounds and worth $2.4 billion in 2003. Rising at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 5%, the market is expected to reach 1.45 billion pounds in 2008.
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The P/M parts market used 994 million pounds of material in 2003 and was valued at $5.4 billion. Also rising at an AAGR of 5%, the P/M parts segment will reach 1.3 billion pounds in 2008.
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Markets for commodity P/M parts will grow slowly, but others, like lawn and garden, are expected to expand rapidly.
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P/M still has major economic advantages over forging, die casting and machining. However, P/M must narrow the gap with wrought parts that have a strength advantage.
REPORT SCOPE
INTRODUCTION
Powder metallurgy (P/M), a relatively young industry, but now is maturing and entering unknown territory. Since about 1980, P/M has undergone an exhilarating stage of double-digit annual growth, establishing itself as a major industry with 400 powder manufacturers, 100 tooling and equipment makers and 700 P/M parts manufacturers.
Much of P/M's growth came as it replaced castings, forgings and machined parts. The industry demonstrated that P/M parts could meet the needs of manufacturers, but at much lower cost. P/M's major customer, accounting for 70% of all P/M parts sold, is the automotive industry. A typical U.S. automobile contains about 39 lbs. of P/M parts.
This BCC study presents an unbiased account of the P/M industry. The technical chapters in this report describe powder metals technology: how powders are made from metal, and how parts are made from the powder. It describes P/M's advantages over competing processes such as forging, die casting and machine tools. The report also contains accounts of promising new developments and technologies in the field and the opportunities that these present.
The report's main focus is on North America, but it also describes the European and Asian P/M industries. The document provides five-year projections for metal powders and P/M parts made from iron and steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, molybdenum, tungsten, tungsten carbide, nickel and tin.
SCOPE OF STUDY
The report covers:
- North American and leading overseas-based firms that manufacture powder metals and powder metal parts
- Standard industry methods for manufacturing metal powders and P/M parts and emerging technologies
- Markets for P/M parts, including automotive, recreation, hand tools, hobby, lawn and garden, industrial motors and controls, hydraulics, home appliances, hardware, machines, aerospace, medical, refractory, and more
- Advantages and disadvantages of P/M parts in these markets
- Forecasts for P/M materials and parts through 2008.
METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES
Information for this report came from government and industry sources, trade publications, and interviews. Key sources were United States Geological Survey reports on metals and their prospects; U.S. Department of Commerce data on foreign trade; U.S. Census reports on conditions; materials from the Metal Powder Industries Federation (the only major P/M industry association in North America), data from major firms in the industry; and telephone interviews with industry executives. To ensure frankness, we do not identify interview subjects by name.
