Europe Acrylic Sheet Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Architecture & Construction, Furniture & Design, Automotive & Transportation, Visual Comm. & Retail), By Technology, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030

Europe Acrylic Sheet Market Size & Trends

The Europe acrylic sheet market size was valued at USD 1.93 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% from 2023 to 2030.Increasing penetration of the product in applications such as signage and sanitary ware is expected to have significant impacts on the market growth. The superior properties of acrylic sheets, mainly as a replacement for glass panels, renders the product very useful for several functions in the architecture & construction industry. Furthermore, increasing demand for infrastructure development as well as residential construction in the region is expected to propel growth over the forecast period.

The growing need for commercial construction, most notably in countries such as Germany, France, Russia, and Spain, is expected to have positive impacts on industry growth, mainly on account of the increasing use of the product with the objective of enhancing structural aesthetics.

The key raw materials applied in the manufacturing of acrylic plastics include the derivatives of acrylic acid, such as methacrylic acid and polyacrylic acid. The European industry is characterized by the presence of large and medium-sized raw materials suppliers offering a vast range of specialty chemicals for the manufacture of acrylic plastics.

The raw materials are derived from gasoline and other refinery byproducts and are subject to price fluctuations, which directly impact the production cost and product pricing. As a result, the prices of these materials witness significant variations, which may impact the growth of the industry over the forecast period.

The region has been witnessing an increasing use of noise barrier and vibration control materials in cars and an increase in automobile production. This trend is expected to benefit the overall industry growth over the coming years. Furthermore, replacement of glass with acrylic sheets in furniture, designing, POS & retail, and medical applications is expected to drive product demand.

Technology Insights

The extruded segment accounted for the largest revenue share of 56.8% in 2022. The extrusion method is a continuous process of manufacturing the product. The extruded products offer better thickness tolerances as opposed to cast sheets. In addition, on account of the large volume and continuous production process, the extrusion process is a cost-efficient option over other processes.

The low costs and simple technology & equipment requirements, along with higher production capacities, are expected to result in the highest growth of the extrusion segment, over the forecast period.

The cell cast segment is expected to register a CAGR of 6.4% over the forecast period. The cell cast process is one of the widely used methods to manufacture acrylic sheets. Cast products offer high heat & impact resistance, optical clarity, and a higher strength-to-weight ratio. Cast sheets are easily thermoformed and machined with lesser risks of cracking and shrinking during the process for several applications.

However, cast sheets are subject to shrinkage in the direction of the thickness. Moreover, the availability of alternative, cost-effective technologies such as extrusion and continuous cast may affect the cell cast segment growth over the projected period.

Application Insights

The architecture & construction segment held the largest revenue share of 25.2% in 2022. Acrylic sheets are gaining popularity in the construction industry owing to their remarkable versatility, aesthetics, and performance attributes. Serving as a transparent, lightweight, and UV-resistant material, acrylic sheets find extensive usage in architectural projects, including windows, skylights, and façade cladding. They effectively enhance natural light infiltration and offer superior weather resistance, making them a preferred choice for such applications.

The visual comm. & retail segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% over the forecast period in terms of revenue. This segment is expected to witness high growth over the forecast period, on account of growing use of the product for signage and display cases in retail outlets, which further play crucial roles in marketing and advertising.

The increasing use of the product can be attributed to its properties such as durability and wear resistance; and the ease of fabrication and thermoforming, which offer a scope for creative designing and printing. The increasing use of the products for signage in exhibitions and sports events is also expected to have positive impacts on the overall product demand.

Regional Insights

Germany dominated the Europe acrylic sheet market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 29.3% in 2022. The recovery of the automotive and construction industries in the country is expected to drive the product demand over the forecast period.

The acrylic sheet industry in Germany is projected to witness growth rate of 7.8% over the forecast period, mainly on account of the increasing use of the product in visual communication and retail applications such as display trays, casings, and POS. The presence of Evonik Industries, the biggest manufacturer in the industry, is also expected to have positive impacts on the industry growth in the country.

Spain is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period owing to the comparatively high growth rates associated with the application industries in the country. The growth of the construction industry in the country, on account of increasing number of hotel construction projects, is expected to drive product demand.

Russia is also expected to offer significant growth potential for the concerned industry over the coming years, despite the recent oil crisis that negatively impacted the overall economic condition of the country. This growth potential can be attributed to the recovery of the construction and automotive industries in the country.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is highly competitive on account of a large number of suppliers in the industry. Owing to the limited potential for product differentiation, the players primarily compete on account of product pricing. Distribution agreements and acquisitions are the key strategies implemented by the key industry players to remain competitive in the industry. Distribution agreements are key to growth as effective distribution channels enable the manufacturers to improve their customer reach within the region, with optimal turnaround times for deliveries. The following are some of the major participants in the Europe acrylic sheet market:

• Altuglas International

• Evonik Industries

• Lucite International

• Aristech Acrylics LLC.

Recent Developments

• In July 2021, Trinseo made a significant announcement about its plan to acquire Aristech Surfaces LLC as a strategic move towards becoming a provider of sustainable solutions and specialty materials. Aristech Surfaces LLC is a prominent North American company known for manufacturing and supplying polymethyl methacrylates (PMMA) solid surface and continuous cast sheets. Through the acquisition of Aristech, Trinseo's objective is to broaden its portfolio and provide a diverse range of PMMA technologies, thereby serving customers in rapidly growing markets.

• In April 2023, Plaskolite, a major manufacturer of thermoplastics announced an agreement to acquire Trinseo’s production facility based in Matamoros, Mexico. The facility is dedicated mainly on the production of cell cast acrylic sheet which is used in a variety of applications such as construction, sanitary products, signage and others. The favorable location of the facility would enable Plaskolite to serve North American market and offer full variety of acrylic sheet technologies – continuous cast, cell cast and extruded.

Europe Acrylic Sheet Market Report Scope

Europe Acrylic Sheet Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at regional and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2018 to 2030. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Europe acrylic sheet market on the basis of technology, application, and region:

• Technology Outlook (Volume in 000’ Sq Meters, Revenue in USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Cell Cast

  • Extruded

  • Continuous Cast

• Application Outlook (Volume in 000’ Sq Meters, Revenue in USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Architecture & Construction

  • Furniture & Design

  • Automotive & Transportation

  • Visual Comm. & Retail

  • Electronics & Energy

  • Medical

  • Sanitary

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume in 000’ Sq Meters, Revenue in USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

    • Italy

    • Spain

    • Russia

    • ROEU