The unexpected shifts in the global markets because of the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 virus have brought many major and minor tremors to industries of all sizes including the High-Performance Thermoplastic Films Market.
It was estimated prior to this unanticipated outbreak that the High-Performance Thermoplastic Films Market was expected to reach US$ 802.8 million in 2025. However, the gradual slowing down of industries will undoubtedly impose limits on the previously estimated growth rate.
Thermoplastic is a plastic polymer material that is moldable at a certain elevated temperature and solidifies upon cooling. There are three types of thermoplastics that include standard thermoplastics (for continuous use under 100°C), engineering thermoplastics (for continuous use between 100°C-150°C), and high-performance thermoplastics (for continuous use above 150°C). Thin layers of high-performance thermoplastic are called high-performance thermoplastic films. These films can stretch over 200% with extrusion being the major production method. High-performance thermoplastic films offer better temperature stability, chemical resistance, and mechanical properties in comparison to standard and engineering thermoplastic films but at a higher price.
The year 2020 is likely to be burdensome because of the recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has already started hampering various industries with a colossal adverse impact on economic growth. All major end-use industries, such as electrical & electronics, automotive, aerospace, and construction, have already started portraying huge shortfalls with many manufacturing facilities being temporarily shut down for an undetermined timeline due to the outbreak of this virus. The high-performance thermoplastic film market is also not untouched with such severity owing to the halt of operations of many manufacturing facilities of the major markets, such as China, the USA, Italy, and France. Currently, the assessment of the real impact of coronavirus on each industry is unpredictable as the disease is continuously spreading and imprinting its dreadful impact on mankind. However, we expect the market to gradually recover in the coming years with long-term market outlook to be favorable.
The market is firstly segmented based on the material type as PPS, PAEK, PSU, LCP, PEI, HPPA, and others. HPPA is expected to remain the most dominant material type over the next five years. The high share is attributed to the huge demand from the automotive and electrical & electronics end-use industries, owing to properties of HPPA films such as good flexibility, excellent insulation, and superior heat resistance. LCP films also hold a significant share of the market. These films are a preferred choice for flexible electronics applications, such as flexible solar cells and electronic circuit boards for computers as well as mobile phones, owing to their superior electrical characteristics, dimensional stability, low moisture absorption, and excellent heat resistance.
Our analysis on another market segmentation, which is based on the end-use industry type, suggests that the electrical & electronics segment is likely to remain the biggest demand generator for high-performance thermoplastic films among automotive, aerospace, electrical & electricals, industrial, and others during the forecast period. High-performance films are preferably used in printed circuit boards as they fulfill key requirements, such as thermal conductivity and low moisture absorption. There is also an urge in the market demand for high-performance films from flexible electronics applications, especially from consumer goods electronics such as computers and mobile phones.
In terms of region, Asia-Pacific is projected to remain the largest as well as the fastest-growing region for high-performance thermoplastic films during the forecast period. The high growth is attributed to the growing electrical & electronics industry in the region especially in India and China. The presence of major electronic device manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and LG) and growing demand for flexible electronics are substantiating the market growth for high-performance thermoplastic films in the region. Further, there is also a continuous shift of the electronics industry from the developed western economies to the developing Asian economies. The outbreak of COVID 19 in major Asian economies may fade the growth trajectory temporarily, especially in 2020, but the region’s attractiveness among all regions remains ubiquitously in terms of market growth and size.
Key Players:
The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, high-performance thermoplastic film manufacturers, distributors/tier players, and end users. The key players in the high-performance thermoplastic films market are The 3M Company, Covestro AG, Honeywell International Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Solvay SA, Dow Chemical Company, Toray, E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company, Eastman Chemical Company, and Sealed Air Corporation.