Construction, Motor Vehicle Markets To Boost US Flat Glass Demand'

Expanding solar energy applications to further bolster gains

CLEVELAND, June 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Demand for fabricated flat glass in the US is forecast to see annual increases of 6.5% in nominal terms through 2026, according to Flat Glass: United States , a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Growth will be driven by gains in both construction and motor vehicle markets. Sales will also be aided by a strong outlook for use in solar energy applications. Investment in US solar module manufacturing was aided by the imposition of import tariffs, which were renewed (with some modifications) in 2022. The expansion of the solar industry will continue to bolster glass production capacity. In 2022, demand is expected to see 7.1% gains as end markets continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, motor vehicle production is expected to grow over 10% in 2022, while construction expenditures are expected to grow 3.5%.

Demand for fabricated flat glass in commercial building construction, the largest market, is projected to rise 8.7% per year to 2026, the fastest pace among discrete segments. Gains will be driven by rising construction of commercial buildings as well as improvement and repair activities. Greater use of solar control glass and other value-added products will also boost demand.

These and other key insights are featured in Flat Glass: United States . This report forecasts to 2022 and 2026 US fabricated flat glass demand in nominal US dollars at the manufacturer level. Total US raw flat glass demand and production are also forecast to 2022 and 2026 in square meters. Finally, total US raw flat glass production is forecast to 2022 and 2026 in metric tons. Total fabricated flat glass demand is segmented by market in terms of:

commercial buildings

residential buildings

motor vehicle original equipment manufacturer (OEM)

motor vehicle aftermarket

other markets such as solar energy, electronic display screens, and aerospace equipment glass

To illustrate historical trends, total demand, production, and the various demand segments are provided in annual series from 2011 to 2021.

Production data reflect primarily float glass, but also include sheet glass, rolled glass, plate glass, and specialty types of flat glass such as patterned glass.

Demand by market for fabricated flat glass is presented in US dollars. Fabricated flat glass includes both basic glass as well as processed and value-added products such as laminated, tempered, and insulating glass. Thus, the dollar values presented per square meter of flat glass include the inherent value added by fabrication.