International. Market analyst Ceresana examined in detail the global polyurethane paints and coatings (PUR) market: the market research institute forecasts that the revenue generated with these products will increase to approx. US$20.3 billion by 2025.
The most important application areas for PUR paints and coatings are furniture and wood processing, transportation and other industries. In 2017, approx. 53% of global demand was recorded in Asia-Pacific, followed by North America and Western Europe.
The most important sales market for PUR paints and coatings in 2017 was the wood/furniture processing segment with a share of 37.0% of the total global demand. The color, structure and pore formation of wood are properties that must be retained or reinforced during coating. Two-component PUR systems are highly reactive, can be sanded quickly, are resistant to household chemicals, have good filling power, improve grain contrasts, and provide mechanical stability.
Brilliant cars
Demand for vehicle PUR coatings (OEM and finish) accounted for more than 28% of the global market in 2017. Serial paint (OEM coatings) can be divided into cathodic electrodeposition stages, protection for car bodywork and application of primer surfaces, base layer, and transparent layer. The electrodeposition coating protects from corrosion, the primer surfaces provide a uniform base, the base layer provides color and effect, and the transparent layer offers chemical and scratch resistance. Finishing coatings are used in case of damage, both for used cars and for special coatings for new vehicles. Of all PUR coating application areas, segment transportation (OEM) will account for the largest percentage growth through 2025 at rates of 3.9% per year.
Listed buildings
Ceresana expects the construction segment to increase its demand for PUR coatings by 2.6% per year. This downstream market is decisively affected by residential construction, commercial construction, and projects related to infrastructure construction. PUR coatings are also used for particular products, for example, elements of facades, doors, window profiles and gutters, in addition to the protection of buildings and bridges.
Coatings for industry
The demand for PUR coatings in the industrial sector amounted to around 325,000 tons in 2017. Protective coatings for industrial facilities and machines account for most of this application area: aggressive conditions prevail during oil production, petrochemical processing and power generation in particular. Commonly, a long durability of paints and coatings is desirable to prolong service intervals. The group of other applications is the smallest segment: this category comprises all special applications of paints and coatings, for example, the use of electrical and electronic devices, packaging, sports equipment, toys, medical products and textiles.
