North America GRP Piping Market size exceeded USD 1,485 million in 2020 and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 4.1% between 2021 and 2027. Increasing volume of discharge water from industries and rising hydrocarbon production will drive the market demand.
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Glass-fiber Reinforced Plastic (GRP) is composed of polymer matrix and glass fibers. The polymer matric generally consists an epoxy, polyester thermosetting resin, or vinylester. The product achieves chemical and environmental resistance based on the resin used in the manufacturing process and acts as a binder for fibers. The most common type of glass fiber used in the composite is E-glass and provides significant strength to the product.
These pipes find applications in supplying wastewater, drinking water, oil & gas, chemical processing, agricultural processing, industrial water, and seawater, among others. The product demand has witnessed a significant increase from oil & gas and wastewater treatment sectors owing to its superior characteristics, such as strength, chemical resistance, adhesion, durability, thermal resistance, low maintenance, low shrinkage, etc.
New potential applications, such as the usage of GRP pipes in green building constructions to substitute ductile and metal pipes will fuel the demand for GRP pipes. The rapid rate of urbanization is leading to the increased urban population which is further catalyzing product consumption. For instance, according to the European Commission, Europe is expected to observe an increase in urbanization level of some 83.7% by 2050. Additionally, government regulations associated with energy conservation and GHG emissions are acting as another key factor for the industry expansion.
Furthermore, breakthrough oil-producing technologies, such as hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to the exposure of abundant hydrocarbon reserves in the U.S. This, in turn, has positioned the United States as one of the leading oil-producing countries in the world. The rising hydrocarbon production and increasing usage of GRP pipes in oil & gas applications, such as exploration, refinery piping, subsea piping, crude oil transportation, and gas transmission piping are likely to augment the demand for glass-fiber reinforced plastic piping industry.
On the other hand, accelerating scrap volumes, stringent regulations on landfill dumping, and unstable raw material prices may create restraints to market growth. Also, the outbreak of pandemic caused by COVID-19 disease plummeted the consumption of GRP pipes among end-use sectors.
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The GRP pipes segment produced from epoxy resins generated a revenue of over USD 973.6 billion in 2020 and is predicted to register a growth of 4.1% throughout the forecast period. The excellent properties of epoxy-based GRP pipes, including low friction, high insulation, and corrosion and abrasion resistance make these pipes a favorable solution for fluid transmission in the oil & gas industry. The cross-linked assemblies of the epoxy resin provide GRP pipes significant strength and enhance impact resistance & thermostability.
North American Market, By Application
The wastewater treatment segment in the North America GRP piping market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.3% till 2027. Manufacturing industries, including chemical, automotive, paper & pulp, oil & gas, power, metal & mining, textiles, and pharmaceuticals generate a high demand for processed or raw water for a range of applications, such as washing, processing, and cooling. These industries contribute significantly to water pollution, which leads to water demand and supply gaps. Therefore, increasing concerns over freshwater scarcity and the rising volume of contaminated water, especially in developing economies in conjunction with government investments in wastewater treatment projects are substantially propelling the demand for GRP pipes.
Some of the key manufacturers of GRP pipes operating in North America include Enduro Composites, Inc., Future Pipe Industries, HOBAS, Hanwei Energy Services Corp., Harwal Group, Composite Pipes Industry LLC, Industrial Plastic Systems, FIBREX, and Karon Engineering Ltd.