U.S. Woodfiber-Plastic Composite Decking Market

摘要

The use of woodfiber-plastic composites (WPCs) in North America is not new. The automobile and door industries have used composites of wood and plastic for decades. However, extruded wood-plastic composites are a relatively new product whose market growth has been rapid. Over the past 5 years, consumption of extruded WPCs has grown at a rate of nearly 100 percent per year. The predominant application for WPCs has been outdoor decking (e.g., deck boards and railing systems). However, as technological advances are made, new product applications continue to emerge. Beyond outdoor decking, the use of WPCs in fenestration applications is increasing and molding, millwork, and siding products are on the horizon. The sudden rise in popularity for WPC decking products has been driven by two factors: consumer fears regarding the perceived health and environmental risks of pressure-treated wood products, and consumer dissatisfaction with several performance attributes of treated lumber. A demand also exists for strong, cost-effective, durable, and environmentally benign materials for weather-exposed infrastructure applications. Specifically, this paper also introduces a potential high-growth, high-value industrial product/mar- ket opportunity in WPC waterfront products for civilian and military applications.