U.S. Automotive Protection Films Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Polyethylene, Polyurethane, Others), By Application, By End-Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The U.S. automotive protection films market size was estimated at USD 297.3 million in 2016. The increasing use of the product for paint and surface protection in exterior applications is expected to have a significant impact on the market growth during the forecast period.

The growth of the automotive industry; the presence of a significant number of automotive OEMs in the country; and the rising demand for paint protection and surface protection solutions in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (LCV) can be regarded as major factors driving the product demand growth in the industry.

U.S. automotive protection films market revenue by material, 2014 - 2025 (USD Million)

The key raw materials used in the manufacturing of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane films include ethylene and propylene. Since these materials are derivatives of refinery by-products, they are subject to significant price fluctuations, which directly impact the manufacturing costs and pricing. The raw material scenario is an integral part of the value chain.

The products are largely used for surface and paint protection in car exteriors, including bumpers and lamp housings, coupled with interior applications such as floors, hoods, and door panels. The increasing application scope in car interiors is expected to propel product demand over the next eight years.

The distribution network plays a crucial role in the U.S. protection films industry value chain. The industry is characterized by a well-defined distribution channel for auto parts and related products. Furthermore, the distributors focus on the expansion of product offerings and related services to boost sales and profit margins.

Material Insights

The polyurethane films market size was the largest segment in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6% over the forecast period. The PU films exhibit superior chemical and mechanical stability, as a result of which, these products are used in numerous applications. The growing demand for paint protection in automobile exteriors is expected to drive the market demand.

Polyethylene-based products account for a significant share on account of the wide application scope of the material and easy availability in the country, in addition to the presence of key manufacturers and distributors.

PU is among the largely used materials in the automotive industry. The growing use of PU-based products for surface protection owing to the superior chemical properties is expected to drive the product demand over the forecast period.

The other materials used for the manufacture of the product include polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyester, and polyimide. The demand for the aforementioned thermoplastics is expected to witness significant growth on account of the increasing application scope in numerous market segments.

Application Insights

The exterior application segment accounted for a significant market share owing to the high use of paint protection films in the body, roof, and bumper components of vehicles. In addition, the growing importance of car aesthetics is expected to benefit the product demand in the country over the forecast period.

The growth of the interior application segment can be attributed to the increasing use of the product in interior components such as console, dashboard, and door panels, as well as noise & vibration reduction. In addition, the growing automobile production in the U.S. is slated to propel the product demand in interior applications during the next eight years.

U.S. automotive protection films market volume share, by application, 2016 (%)

The demand for polyurethane films in interior application is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2017 to 2025. There is an increasing use of polyurethane in the manufacture of auto parts on account of superior chemical and mechanical properties of the product. Further, the easy availability of PU films in the country, on account of presence of key players such as 3M Company, tesa S.E, and Surface Guard is slated to propel demand over the forecast period.

End-use Insights

LCV accounted for the largest end-use segment in terms of revenue and volume, mainly on account of increased demand for surface protection films for exterior applications. The increasing demand for LCV in the transportation & logistics industry is expected to drive the product demand over the forecast period.

The passenger cars segment accounted for a substantial share and is expected to further grow at a CAGR of 1.1% during the forecast period, on account of increasing demand for luxury passenger cars in the country. The growing demand for automobiles can be attributed to the high-disposable incomes of consumers.

HCV are at greater risks of scratches, scrapes, and abrasions from rocks and airborne contaminants, owing to the larger distances traveled by these vehicles for transportation of goods. The growing demand for surface protection films in this vehicle category is expected to drive the overall product demand over the forecast period.

U.S. Automotive Protection Films Market Share Insights

The U.S. automotive protection films industry exhibits intense competition on account of a large number of manufacturers and distributors in the country. Key industry participants include 3M Company, Saint-Gobain, tesa S.E, and the Whitlam Group. The automotive protection films market participants compete on the basis of superior material quality and improved chemical properties.

The key strategies adopted by the companies in the domain include mergers & acquisitions and distribution agreements with the objective of diversify the product portfolio, expand the application scope, and widen the geographical reach.

Report Scope

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts volume and revenue growth at country level, and provides an analysis on the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. automotive protection films market on the basis of material, application, and end-use.

• Material Outlook (Volume, ‘000 Sq. Mtrs; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Polyethylene

  • Polyurethane

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, ‘000 Sq. Mtrs; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025)

  • Interiors

  • Exteriors

• End Use Outlook (Volume, ‘000 Sq. Mtrs; Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025))

  • Cars

  • LCV

  • HCV