Feiplastic ’19: Construction industry to be key driver of polyurethane demand growth in Brazil

SAO PAULO (ICIS)–The construction industry may be one of the major drivers of future polyurethane (PU) demand growth in Brazil, participants said on the sidelines of this year’s Feiplastic.

Among the factors that may drive up demand for polyurethanes in Brazil are changes in building codes introduced in 2017 placing higher standards on flame retardants used in building insulation.

“Concerns over improving the energy efficiency of buildings are not yet a major driver of PU demand in the Brazilian construction sector, but the gains in the speed of erecting buildings through the use of PU-based panel construction may help PU-based materials gain market share relative to other alternatives,” a participant stated.

The construction industry is among the major drivers of overall PU demand.

PU foams are used to make mattresses, foam insulation for appliances (refrigerators and freezers), home and automotive seats, elastomeric shoe soles, fibres and adhesives.

Feira Internacional do Plastico (Feiplastic) takes place on 22-26 April in Sao Paulo, Brazil.