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The Laminates manufacturing sector is expected to see lesser number of new plants in 2019. With reports of many struggling plants and brands and few already closed on, Decorative laminate industry is set to consolidate in 2019. With change in management and up for sale plants are growing, the new capacity addition will almost freeze leading market to stablise and consolidate. Laminates producers distancing from liner and thin mica sheets, and turning themselves to range and folder based products is a indicator for growing suffocation in commodity material category in 2019.
The big and established companies too are heading towards starting liner laminates production that will further create pressure to single press based plants and forcing financially weak plants to operate on Job work basis. The crowded laminate segment in India will make way for more exports of HPL sheets and growth in Industrial laminate and compreg sheet production. The change will further help organised, stable or branded companies who are doing well in 1.0 mm and 0.8 mm decorative laminate category.
The 1 mm laminates market will continue to see consolidation where more quality improvement and better folders will be seen. The growth in 0.8 mm category is also expected to benefit already established players or aggressive HPl manufacturers who have market clarity and adequate team-based working. The year 2019 will witness growth in all value added products such as Exterior Grade Laminates, Digital, Interior Cladding, Anti-Finger Print Laminate etc that will help stronger brands to offer such products.
Year 2019 will also witness arrival of more 0.9 or other varying thickness laminate folders but they will intend to adopt shortcut in folder driven market but won’t be able to manage the sustainability of that brand in long run. The Laminate market will remain guided and led by 1 mm, 0.8 mm and Door Skin categories, where as other thickness material producers will realise the struggle by the year end of 2019.
There will be softer textures and lighter colours, hence quality plate and paper makers will see a good year of business. The domestic décor paper printers will gain more market share with rise in improvement of print quality. Many manufacturers will also opt out of domestic seller in search of variety and creating a difference in design. Year 2019 will see rise in number of HPL makers who are once again tilted towards European and Chinese paper.
Note: * This Prediction was made on 31st December 2018