Increasing demand for wipes in the US expected
Propelled by further segmentation of the market
US demand for wipes, both consumer and Industrial, is forecast to increase by nearly 6% per annum to $1.9bn in 2009.
Propelled by further segmentation of the market and a continual spate of new product introductions, the number and variety of wipes on the markets continues to multiply dramatically, with companies rapidly competing to introduce new products that open or create entirely new market sectors ahead of their competitors. These and other trends are presented in Wipes, a new study from US-based market research firm The Freedonia Group.
Convenience and innovation will remain driving forces in the relatively new consumer market, with household cleaning, hand and body, and a number of other small volume consumer wipes projected to register the strongest growth. Though baby wipes will remain the top selling type of wipe, demand for these products will continue to suffer due to market maturity and continued replacement by newer, task-specific wipes in non-nappy applications. However, makers of baby wipes are increasingly offering products with advanced formulas targeting specific needs and demographics, which will boost value gains in this lagging sector of the market.
Following the lead of the consumer market, new product innovations and expanding applications will drive demand for wipes in the industrial market. Manufacturing and healthcare will remain the largest segments of the market, with special purpose products such as cleanroom and surface preparation wipes projected to see the fastest growth.
Demand for substrates used in wipes is projected to show healthy growth through 2009, as manufacturers increasingly turn to stronger, higher-value materials to make their products.