Lightweight Materials in Transportation
Report Highlights
The total global consumption of lightweight materials used in transportation equipment was 46.7 million tons/$95.5 billion in 2010. This market is expected to reach 67.7 million tons/$125.3 billion by 2015, increasing at a compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 7.7% in tonnage terms and 5.6% in value terms between 2010 and 2015.
Report Scope
The report is global in scope, focusing on the worldwide market for lightweight materials in transportation equipment, including motor vehicles, aircraft, trains, and ships. Lightweight materials are defined broadly as materials that are used in the fabrication of equipment primarily in order to minimize weight.
As the term is used in this report, transportation equipment includes all motorized vehicles or craft used to convey people, animals or cargo between two points, except for vehicles/craft used exclusively for sports or recreation applications (e.g., glider aircraft and sailboats). Sports and recreation vehicles and craft are excluded in part because they are the subject of another BCC report, AVM053A − Materials and Devices for High-Performance Sports Products. In this report, dual-purpose transportation equipment, such as small airplanes, is analyzed along with vehicles and craft whose purpose is primarily commercial.
The report also does not cover motor vehicles, ships, and aircraft built for and used by the armed forces of the United States and other nations.
The report includes the following major elements:
- Executive summary.
- Definitions.
- Lightweight materials that are in commercial use or under development for transportation applications.
- Lightweight materials and applications with the greatest commercial potential through 2015.
- Global market trends by type of material and application, 2009 to 2015.
- Factors that will influence the long-term development of the market.
Analyst Credentials
Andrew McWilliams, the author of this report, is a partner in the Boston-based international technology and marketing consulting firm, 43rd Parallel, LLC. He is the author of numerous other Business Communications Co. business opportunity analyses, including the previous edition of this report, as well as analyses of related markets such as EGY051A − Petroleum Fuel Optimization Technologies; AVM038C − Advanced Structural Carbon Products: Fibers, Foams and Composites; AVM053A − Materials and Devices for High-Performance Sports Products; and NAN021D − Nanocomposites, Nanoparticles, Nanoclays, and Nanotubes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Report Highlights
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The total global consumption of lightweight materials used in transportation equipment was 42.8 million tons/$80.5 billion in 2006 and will increase to 68.5 million tons/$106.4 billion by 2011, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% in tonnage terms and 5.7% in value terms between 2006 and 2011.
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High strength steel accounts for the largest percentage of total tons of lightweight materials consumed, followed by aluminum and plastics. In value terms, plastics with their relatively high unit prices are the largest market segment. Aluminum and high strength steel are the second and third largest product segments.
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Motor vehicles, particularly passenger cars and light trucks, are by far the largest end-user segment. Shipbuilding was the second largest consumer of lightweight materials, while the aircraft industry ranks second in the value of the lightweight materials consumed.