Building and construction consumed 5.3 million tonnes of thermoplastics in Western Europe during 2000. This represented 17% of total plastics consumption in the region, making the building industry the second largest market for plastics after packaging. 

Unlike packaging, demand for building and construction products is notoriously cyclical, dependent on the overall strength of national economies and the availability of finance at municipal and household level. Central government policy is a driving factor in some countries, whilst pressure from the EU can impose standards of infrastructure development which in turn stimulate the demand for building products. 

The plastics industry has gradually increased its share of the building products market through the substitution of traditional materials. Benefits such as freedom from corrosion and rotting, flexibility and ease of installation have enabled materials such as PVC and polyethylene to offer longevity, low maintenance and lower lifetime costs in comparison with materials such as wood, aluminium, ductile iron, copper, clay and concrete. 

Standards play a role in materials selection and specifiers, architects and end users alike are conservative and slow to move away from tried and tested materials. The construction industry is competitive and low cost and reduced site times are the modern imperatives which then plastics industry is well placed to service. However, persuading specifiers to take a long term “lifetime cost” view ahead of initial outlay is an on-going challenge. 

After some fifty years of market development, the position of plastics in applications involving a relatively straightforward substitution of traditional products - such as pipes and fittings, window systems and floorcoverings - is well established. Notwithstanding this, the industry continues to develop new products such as multi-layer pipes and to work in tandem with more traditional industries to offer innovations such as PVC/timber windows, PEX/Aluminium hot water pipes and plastics wood composites. The potential for the plastics industry to contribute towards innovative solutions for vertical surfaces, roofing systems and modular forms of construction remains. 

AMI is at the forefront of monitoring developments in the use of plastics in the construction sector, offering a range of information services – from major multi-client reports, to bespoke research, industry guides and databases - to suit all requirements. With clients in 27 countries worldwide for its multi-client reports alone, AMI can justifiably claim to be the foremost consultancy in this important segment of the plastics industry.