| European window demand could improve in 2003 According
to the industry association Eurowinder based in Frankfurt, there will be no upturn in the
European window market until next year. The association expects that this year's market
volume will be more or less equivalent to the levlel of last year. In 2001 a total of
100.5 million window units were delivered, 2.5% fewer than in 2000. Total sales of the
industry thus amounted to euro 38.5bil.
The association says that by the end of 2003, a slight increase in sales of around 1%
could be seen, representing a total of 101.5mil window units. Sales in Germany, France,
Great Britain and the Benelux countries are expected to be the most important for the
industry, with roughly 15 million window-units each. The weakest development is still
expected to be on the German market, while positive developments are anticipated in a
number of Eastern European countries and in the Aegean.
A slight decline in sales is also expected in Italy and Spain in 2003. Increases in
window sales are anticipated in most other regions, however. According to the association,
growth rates vary between 0.5% for Russia and 5.6% for the Central European EU acceding
countries Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Eurowinder reports that average market shares of the various frame materials have
shifted significantly once again during the last five years. The market share of wooden
windows, in particular, has fallen to 29.7% (1997: 33.5%). In contrast, the market share
of plastic windows has increased again to 41.5% (39.1%). Aluminium windows and
wood/aluminium combinations recorded an increased market share and totalled 24.8% (23.4%)
and 3.1% (2.5%), respectively. Greatly differing conditions are to be found from region to
region. |
