Study: Market for lightweight vehicle materials to grow to $125.3 billion by 2015

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According to a study conducted by BCC Research, the global market value for lightweight materials used in the transportation industry will grow to nearly $125.3 billion in 2015, up from an estimated $95.5 billion in 2010. This growth, says BBC Research, will be driven by automakers focused on boosting the fuel efficiency of passenger vehicles. Globally, it's estimated that the motor vehicle segment consumed 164 million tons of lightweight materials in 2010. That number is expected to soar to 182 million tons in 2015.

Reducing vehicle weight is widely though to be one of the most effective ways to reduce fuel consumption and improve the performance of vehicles. BBC Research estimates that 75 percent of the average vehicle's fuel consumption is directly related to factors associated with weight. That may be true, but it doesn't mean that trimming excess flab from a vehicle will boost its fuel economy rating by 75 percent. It's just not that easy.

[Source: BCC Research]
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GLOBAL MARKET FOR LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS USED IN TRANSPORTATION TO BE WORTH $125.3 BILLION IN 2015

Wellesley, Mass. – According to a new technical market research report, LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS IN TRANSPORTATION (AVM056B) from BCC Research (www.bccresearch.com), the global market value for lightweight materials used in transportation equipment was an estimated $95.5 billion in 2010, but is expected to increase to nearly $125.3 billion in 2015, for a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%.

The consumption of these materials is projected to reach 67.7 million tons in 2015 after rising at a CAGR of 7.7% from its 2010 figure of 46.7 million tons.

Reducing structural weight is one of the most important ways of reducing fuel consumption and improving the performance of motor vehicles and other types of transportation equipment. For example, an estimated 75% of the average motor vehicle's fuel consumption is directly related to factors associated with vehicle weight

Less weight, consistent with other performance and safety requirements, means more useful work can be extracted from a unit of fuel or other energy source. In addition, weight-reducing technologies are critical to the success of new, highly-efficient energy technologies such as hybrid vehicles.

The alternative to downsizing is the development of materials that combine relatively low mass (weight) with the requisite strength, flexibility, and other performance criteria. The aircraft industry was the first to introduce lightweight materials (e.g., aluminum alloys) on a widespread scale beginning in the 1920s. This continues today with the adoption of lightweight composite materials.

The overall goal of this report is to provide an up-to-date assessment of the business opportunities for providers of lightweight materials that will arise over the next five years as these materials increase their penetration into various transportation markets.
The report's intended audience is mainly marketing executives, entrepreneurs, investors, venture capitalists, and other readers with a need to know where the transportation market for lightweight materials is headed. Others who should find the report informative include government agencies, environmental and public policy interest groups focusing on transportation, energy conservation, the environment, and sustainable development in

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