JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #38 - January/February 2008 - 19

two sectors produced 107,100 tonnes and 42,400 tonnes respectively in 1996. The drop in volume is significant. The “miscellaneous applications” sector is also declining, which also means that composites are having trouble finding new outlets or applications outside traditional markets. Processes: a slow-changing sector Over the same 2003-2006 period, the use of processes experienced a slow but logical change, i.e. hand lay-up and spray-up fell from 37% to 31%, which is almost 2 points less per year. At the same time, moulding compounds gained 5 points. SMC and BMC have been dominating the Japanese market for a long time and this trend is expected to continue. This is related to growth in the automotive & rolling stock sector as mentioned earlier on. Overall, composite applications in Japan are expected to follow the EU and US market trends. More informations: www.jrps.or.jp (Source: JRPS) Shipping amount by processes *from 2004, calculating ways have been changed in filler contents in every market segments Several sectors losing momentum Conversely, three sectors are pulling the market down with their inexorable decline: septic tanks, tanks & containers, and construction. The first sector dropped from 48,100 tonnes in 2003 to 44,200 tonnes in 2006. Other than in 2005, this sector continues to decline every year. For the same period, the second sector fell from 26,800 to 24,700 tonnes. Last of all, the construction sector dropped from 50,700 tonnes in 2003 to 43,600 tonnes in 2006. It is also worth pointing out that the first FRP CON-EX 2007 The 52nd FRP Conference & Exhibition, that took place on 15-16 November 2007 in Tokyo, was a good reflection of the trends of the Japanese composite market these past few years. This annual event organised by the Japan Reinforced Plastics Society (JRPS) welcomed 200 composite professionals this year. Frédérique Mutel, JEC Group’s CEO, opened the session with a conference entitled “Main dynamics of the composite industry”. 55%: market shares of Yamaha’s FRP pools in Japan Frédérique Mutel opened the session Other than the quality of the conferences, the high technical level of the subjects discussed highlighted the specificity of the market. The most represented sectors were transport (automotive and rolling stock) and building & construction. The first sector is booming while the second is producing considerable volumes. The topical cross-disciplinary issue of recycling was discussed at great length. From an exhibition viewpoint, the environment sector was well-represented by a dozen or so stands, with special mention going to the ECO Solution Company, a composite waste collection and treatment centre. The Yamaha Company drew attention to its swimming pools partially made of recycled composite materials, while the Global Energy Company introduced its small-size, high-efficiency wind turbines suitable for domestic or An innovative composite solution collective purposes. No38 January - February 2008 / JEC Composites Magazine

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #38 - January/February 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #38 - January/February 2008