Clearview North December 2013 - Issue 145 | Page 30

compositedoors

ARE COMPOSITES SHOWING
PVC-U THE DOOR?
Composites have gained in popularity over the years but new research
has now confirmed their importance to the future growth of the industry.
Prompted by the latest Palmer report, which has revealed a new market
leader in entrance door materials and one that will be the main beneficiary
of the next few years of growth, Clearview takes a closer look at the findings
and, over the next few pages, presents the industry’s response to them.
But as Composites grow in popularity, more
traditional door materials will decline. PVCU
still comes first in the home improvements
category, however Palmer predicts a longterm downward trend here, as in the other
categories, as composites continue to gain
market share.
Wood was 19% of the market in 2012, the
second biggest player in home improvements
and third biggest in new housing, but again,
will decline over the next five years, by 3%.
Steel faced doors were the market leader in
new housing up until 2010, but will represent
just 9% (and only 2% overall) in 2017.

After years of growing popularity, 2012 is the
year when Composites finally took over from
PVC-U as the most popular door material.
That’s according to Palmer Market Research,
whose latest study on the domestic entrance
door market was published towards the end
of October.
And the improved forecast that Robert Palmer
provides for the next few years has Composites
as the main beneficiary, as it’s the only door
material, aside from the much smaller Timber
Engineered, to grow to 2017. Just 19% of the
total market as recently as 2007, Composites
took 38% last year, and will be half of it by
2017. Palmer notes that the combination of
“increasingly competitive pricing [alongside]
perceived technological superiority and
appearance”, means that there’s “no reason why
they should not continue to gain share”.

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DEC 2013

Overall, the 2012 market was down 1% on
the previous year in both volume and value.
Home improvements, which count for just
over half the total market, fell to its lowest
level for 30 years. However, this was offset by
slight growth in the new housing sector and
surprisingly, also in the cash-strapped social
housing sector too – probably due to essential
maintenance work.
And Palmer believes that while this year
will show a small decline, 2014 to 2017 are
growth years, with the 2017 figure 13%
up on 2012, as a more buoyant housing
market, fuelled by government initiatives,
is compounded by increasing consumer
confidence. So while the social sector
continues to decline, new housing and home
improvements will both show double-digit
growth.

‘as Composites grow in
popularity, more traditional
door materials will decline.
PVCU still comes first in
the home improvements
category, however Palmer
predicts a long-term
downward trend here, as
in the other categories,
as composites continue
to gain market share’
The Market for Domestic Entrance Doors
in Great Britain, 2013 edition, was developed
by carrying out structured interviews with 625
companies operating in the market, including
housebuilders, manufacturers, and housing
associations, between March and July 2013.
This was backed up by an extensive desk
research programme, as well as Palmer
Market Research’s proprietary database, which
stretches back for over 30 years.

To read more, visit www.clearview-uk.com