Nonwoven Filter Media: Technologies and Global Markets

The global market value for nonwoven filter media was estimated at nearly $3.5 billion in 2012 and is projected to increase to $3.7 billion in 2013 and $5.3 billion by 2018 after increasing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3%.

Report Includes

• An overview of recent advances in nonwoven filter media manufacturing, its commercial applications, and global markets; for the purposes of this report, the materials will include filter media manufactured by airlaid, wetlaid, spunbonding, meltblowing, and apertured films extrusion.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2005, 2010 and 2012, estimates for 2013 and 2018, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2018.
• Descriptions of the major types of manufacturing processes.
• Examination of filtration processes and key physical and chemical properties of raw materials.
• Discussion of market-driving forces and industry structure.

The global market for nonwoven filter media is projected to experience a 7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next 5 years, increasing from a value of $2.5 billion in 2010 to $3.5 billion in 2015.

• The North American market for nonwoven filter media was worth $588 million in 2005 and will be $617 million by the end of 2006. In 2007 this figure will grow to approximately $639 million and at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 4.4% will reach $792 million by 2012.
• The market is broken down into several different manufactured categories, including air-laid, wet-laid, spunbonded, meltblown, and apertured film. Of these sectors, spunbonded material maintains more than 30% of the market throughout the forecast period-the highest of share of the market.
• Meltblown material will be worth $181 million in 2007 and will grow at an AAGR of 4.9% to $230 million in 2012. Meltblown material has the highest growth rate of the material types and will hold 29% of the market share by 2012.

• A 5.2% average annual growth rate (AAGR) is forecasted for the nonwoven filter media over the next five years, resulting in a $725 million market in 2007.
• The market size for airlaid filter media is estimated to be $42 million in 2002. Though it is a relatively mature filter media production technology, it is expected to grow to $55 million at an average annual rate of 5.5% during the forecast period.
• Liquid filtration applications consume a majority of the wetlaid filter media manufactured in North America in 2002. The present market size for wetlaid filter media is estimated to be $125 million.
• Sales of spunbonded filter media will be $183 million and account for more than one-third of overall nonwoven filter media markets.