Polymeric Flexible Hose & Tubing

Report Highlights

The overall U.S. market for hose and tubing materials by volume was 891 million pounds in 2012. The market is projected to reach 1 billion pounds in 2017 after increasing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4%.

This report will provide:

• Coverage of the U.S. markets for materials used in the manufacture of flexible hoses and tubing, as well as those for resulting hose and tubing products.
• Analyses of market trends, with data from 2012, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2017.
• Identification of products made from several different polymers, natural and synthetic, both elastomeric and nonelastomeric, to produce a number of different types of hose and tubing.
• Discussion of older and newer key technologies and their markets.
• Market analysis by physical volume in pounds by hose and tubing material.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

This BCC Research study covers in depth many of the most important economic, technological, political, regulatory, and environmental considerations in U.S. markets for materials used in manufacture of polymeric flexible hose and tubing, as well as those for the resulting hose and tubing products.

Such products are made from several different polymers, natural and synthetic, both elastomeric and non–elastomeric, to produce a number of different types of hose and tubing. We focus on thermosetting elastomers, both natural and synthetic rubbers, and on thermoplastic hose and tubing materials; the latter group includes both plastic resins and thermoplastic elastomers.

Our study includes older and newer key technologies, the markets, and major companies that make up the U.S. hose and tubing industry. This is, primarily, a study of activities and markets in the United States, but because of the global nature of most industries these days, it touches on some noteworthy international activities. These include activities that can have an impact on U.S. business and markets, particularly those of foreign–based companies in U.S. markets.

Demand data are estimated for base year 2012 and forecast for five years through 2017. Markets are all analyzed, estimated, and projected in pounds of materials used. Five-year growth rates are all compounded (signified as compounded annual growth rates or CAGRs). Market volumes are, in all cases, rounded to the nearest million pounds. In some sub–markets individual material volumes are small, lower than half a million pounds. We list these volumes as zero, noting with an asterisk that there is a market but a very small one. Because of rounding some growth rates will not agree exactly with figures in the market tables, especially for very small markets of only a few million estimated pounds that have been rounded to the nearest million.

Including this Introduction, there are 10 sections of this report. Following the Introduction is the summary chapter, which encapsulates our findings and conclusions, and provides a summary market table. This table is where busy executives can find major findings of the study in summary format.

Next is an overview of the flexible hose and tubing industry. We start with some historical background and perspective on hose and tubing and define and describe the major markets in the United States.

Next is the first of our market analysis sections, this one devoted to estimates and forecasts by physical volume in pounds of hose and tubing material.

The next section looks at hose and tubing markets by some of the most important applications. These include automotive, hydraulic, industrial, and consumer markets; the latter includes the important healthcare tubing market. We break out several important types of hose and tubing for expanded discussion and analysis.

Next is a section devoted to hose and tubing technology, with special emphasis on the manufacture of hose and tubing materials and products. We cover the basic technologies of rubber and polymer manufacture as well as hose and tubing fabrication and process economics. We also include a discussion of some technical innovations in hose and tubing.

Following the technology section we look at the structure and some competitive factors and trends in the U.S. flexible hose and tubing industry. We discuss competition among materials and note some international aspects that affect the U.S. industry.

The next section is devoted to a discussion of regulatory, environmental, and public issues that affect the hose and tubing industry. These include (1) important standards for hose and tubing manufacture that are designed to protect the public, (2) regulatory issues, (3) some ongoing environmental issues, and (4) public perceptions.

The final narrative section is devoted to information and profiles of the most important suppliers to this large industry. Contact information is also provided.

The final chapter is an appendix that provides a glossary of some important terms, abbreviations, acronyms, etc., used in the hose and tubing industry and related technologies.

Some topics and materials covered in the text of this report are not included in our market forecast tables. We include these topics and materials for completeness; however, they are either outside the scope of this study (such as discussion of international activities and markets) or may be too new to have yet developed a measurable commercial market.

As noted as the beginning of this section, this is a study of flexible hose and tubing produced from polymeric materials. We do not cover either rigid plastic pipe/tubing or metal pipe and tubing. Markets for rigid plastic pipe and tubing are covered, as noted earlier, in detail in a companion BCC Research report by the same author, The U.S. Market for Plastic Pipe, Report PLS053A.

Outside the scope of this study are tubes and tubing that are not usually considered part of the traditional industries for hose and tubing that transport fluids and other materials. Other uses for tubes and tubing include such products as core tubes for paper towel and tissue products, fiber tube packaging for juice concentrates and other food/beverage products, toothpaste and other product packaging tubes, drinking straws, etc. Structural, and other fabrication tubing, as well as decorative tubes, are also outside our scope. Thus this report is devoted exclusively to flexible hose and tubing used for material transport.

Analyst Credentials

Dr. J. Charles Forman has been a research analyst for BCC Research covering polymers and chemicals for more than two decades. His work in the industry includes 21 years at Abbott Laboratories in R&D and manufacturing management. Dr. Forman has researched and written more than 70 multi-client market research reports on a variety of subjects, ranging from building construction materials and spectroscopy to several studies on plastic packaging. He holds a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, all in chemical engineering. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.).