Tinted Laminated Glass Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Application (Construction, Automotive, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

The global tinted laminated glass market size was valued at USD 7.68 billion in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 8.02 billion in 2022 to USD 12.33 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period. The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with tinted laminated glass experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. Based on our analysis, the global market exhibited a decline of 12.9% in 2020 as compared to 2019.

Laminated glass is tinted with different colors to improve the absorption properties of final glass products. Also, the tinting process improves the aesthetic appeal, which further helps in gaining consumer attention for a variety of end applications. These glasses are manufactured by keeping Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) or SentryGlas Plus (SGP) interlayer between two tinted glass panes. During impact, the outer glass pane breaks while safeguarding the inner panes. These safety characteristics make this product an ideal choice for construction, automotive, and furniture applications.

COVID-19 IMPACT

Downturn of Construction and Automotive Industries Severely Hampered Market Growth

Glass manufacturing companies, along with those manufacturing flat glass, had to limit their production due to the crippled automotive production and stalled construction activities. Companies operating in the glass manufacturing sector had to adopt additional safety measures and maintain COVID-19 appropriate behavior to safeguard their employees. China is among the major manufacturers of glass, including laminated glass. The limitations enforced during the pandemic, along with trade disputes between the U.S. and China, resulted in severe market instability, with manufacturing companies dealing with significant fluctuations in demand, production downtime, and logistical delays. Since the beginning of the pandemic, manufacturers and other related industries have struggled to maintain consistent production and distribution channels while some of these challenges still persist.

Raw material needed to manufacture glass witnessed severe price fluctuation due to supply shortage, and the issue is still ongoing in several regions. Due to restrictions imposed in various countries across Asia Pacific, one of the major sources for raw materials, such as sand glass, resulted in dramatic fluctuations in raw material prices.

However, the construction & automotive sectors have recovered significantly after the first hit, although growth remains lower than pre-pandemic levels. With the regional governments relaxing the restrictions, the demand for construction & automotive materials is anticipated to rebound. Several projects that were stalled during the pandemic are expected to get back on track. Rising demand from both the residential and commercial sectors are expected to generate potential demand for laminated glass products.

LATEST TRENDS

Environment-friendly Building Materials to Gain Consumer Attention in Future

Amongst the growing environmental challenges, the ozone layer depletion is the most alarming one. Ozone layer absorbs the harmful UV radiation. International trade agreements, such as the Montreal Protocol, have been successful in limiting the production of chemicals that are detrimental to the ozone layer. However, these chemicals have the tendency to stay active in the atmosphere for an extended period of time. Innovative materials such as tinted glass with UV absorbing additives can effectively absorb a significant share of harmful radiation coming from the sun. This includes reduction in UVA and UVB radiations, which are responsible for skin cancer. Installing homes and car windows with tinted laminated glass can significantly reduce the transmission of UV radiation through glass, limiting the UV radiation exposure. 

Additionally, UV rays can fade colors of carpets, curtains, and furniture in homes, which can be limited by installing laminated glass. Thus, growing awareness among the general public regarding building material is likely to enhance the adoption of laminated glass and create new market opportunities.

DRIVING FACTORS

Rising Demand from Automotive Industry to Drive the Market Growth

Tinted laminated glass is designed to safeguard in the event of breaking. When impacted, this kind of glass cracks in a typical spider web pattern. The interlayer polymer prevents glass from breaking into several small sharp pieces, which plays a critical role in ensuring safety. Nowadays, safety is amongst the highest priority in the automotive sector. Windshields made from these glasses are widely adopted in automobile manufacturing. In case of accidents, these safety glasses play a vital role in safeguarding passengers from injuries by sharp glass pieces.

In addition to improving safety, tinted laminated glass also restricts ultraviolet rays. The heat rejected can significantly improve passenger comfort and reduce the load on air conditioning system. Power consumption is an important factor influencing the battery size in electric vehicles, which, in turn, affects the overall performance of automobile. Employing environment-friendly solutions in electric vehicles can significantly reduce the overall power consumption and improve battery range, especially in hot regions.

Developing economies, such as China and India, are likely to witness an increase in demand for mobility solutions during the forecast period, owing to rise in their population. Rising purchasing power of consumers in developing economies is likely to prompt a rise in demand for both commercial and passenger vehicles. Other than performance and comfort, safety standards are among the primary factors influencing the demand for laminated glasses. In a bid to improve safety standards in their vehicles, automakers are employing innovative materials such as tinted laminated glass. Thus, wider adoption of electric vehicles along with growing emphasis on safety standards in the automotive industry is anticipated to drive the market growth.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Lack of Skilled Labor for Glass Installation to Challenge the Market Growth 

Installation of glass requires skilled manpower and a certain level of expertise in the field. Special attention must be given throughout the installation process. The benefits of noise reduction can only be reaped if the glass is installed correctly. Most of the noise cancellation property depends on the air space between two panes of the laminate, not from the vinyl layer itself. If the window frame is ill-fitted or poorly constructed, the benefits of energy conservation and sound proofing are not utilized to their full potential. The lack of skilled labor without complete knowledge about the glass products and installation process leads to poor fittings and further leads to lesser consumer retention.

In developing countries, the major reason for lack of skilled labor is the absence of proper training centers. Another prominent reason for shortage of skilled labor is the migration of skilled labor to developed economies in search of better opportunities. On other hand, even though the skilled labor is readily available in developed countries, the high cost of hiring them increases the overall cost of glass installation.

Additionally, manufacturing of tinted laminated glass is a complex task that requires multiple layers of glass and polymer material to be stacked and heat treated. In order to get desired specification and functionality from manufactured glass, a high level of expertise is required during the manufacturing process. Thus, there are relatively much fewer companies that manufacture these glasses than those who manufacture regular glass. Lack of skilled labor along with high cost associated with installation of these types of glass is expected to hinder the market growth.

SEGMENTATION

By Application Analysis

Construction Segment Dominated the Market in 2021 Owing to Higher Adoption

By application, the market is divided into construction, automotive, and others. Among these, the construction segment is expected to dominate the market and register the fastest growth as compared to other segments during the forecast period. Over the years, increasing urbanization has created a positive environment for growth of all applications such as building construction, automotive manufacturing, furniture, and others. Increasing consumer spending on modern architecture as well as refurbishing activities is boosting demand for high quality & aesthetically appealing products for doors, windows, and decorative applications.

In the automotive industry, stringent regulations imposed on vehicle safety are pushing automotive manufacturers to adopt secure windshields made up of tinted laminated glass. Consumers are also willing to spend extra bucks on products offering a unique combination of aesthetics and safety, further driving the innovation in product manufacturing. Increasing demand for electric cars is expected to create potential demand in both developed and developing economies in the near future. The others segment occupied least market share in 2021 and mainly includes applications such as furniture and decorative products.    

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

In 2021, Asia Pacific dominated the global market and was estimated at USD 4.59 billion. The region is also expected to register faster growth during the forecast period on the basis of flourishing construction activities in both developed and developing economies in the region. China holds the largest market share in the consumption of tinted laminated glass in the world. The country alone occupied around 58% share in the regional market. Heavy government spending on infrastructure projects, growing working population, and rising disposable income are common key drivers that are boosting demand for high quality laminated glass products in emerging economies. New housing schemes by local governments are expected to create potential demand for laminated glass products in the residential sector. For instance, in February 2021, the South Korean government announced a plan to build 8,30,000 houses across the country over the next four years, with 3,23,000 new houses being built in Seoul and 2,93,000 nearby Gyeonggi-do Province and Incheon.

Increasing demand for sustainable and environment-friendly building products due to strict government regulations is expected to push demand in Europe. The product awareness among consumers and consumer willingness to spend more money on safety are driving the adoption of laminated glasses in residential and commercial buildings. Central and Eastern European countries are projected to indicate faster growth in the construction sector as compared to Western countries.

In North America, the U.S. occupied majority of the market share on the basis of very well-established construction as well as automotive industries. Technological advancements in both industries is further surging the demand for advanced products including colored laminated glass. According to Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics Construction Outlook 2030, the U.S. construction market is expected to grow faster than China over the next 15 years. In North America, laminated glasses are widely adopted to safeguard buildings from changing environmental conditions as they are tough and can withstand heavy impact. The Canadian construction industry and automotive sector are also expected to indicate steady growth after impact of COVID-19. This growth is expected to generate demand for high quality building materials such as laminated glass products.

In Latin America, Brazil dominated the regional market with a share of more than 43%. The growing commercial sector in Brazil and increasing automotive production are the main factors surging the demand. Mexico and Columbia are also significantly contributing to the market growth. Favorable government policies and rising investment by leading construction & automotive manufacturers are projected to further create a highly conductive environment for the tinted laminated glass market growth.

Though the Middle East & Africa contributed the least share in the global market in 2021, the region is projected to grow at a faster rate. Rising demand for protective building products to safeguard against hot air is pushing the demand in these regions. Heavy FDI and public investment in the commercial sector due to the rising tourism industry is expected to increase demand in GCC. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the key markets in GCC automotive as well as construction laminated glass industry. In Africa, South Africa is a well-established market due to product awareness and high standard of living. However, increasing consumer spending on residential construction and safe passenger cars is creating strong demand for laminated glasses in other countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia, and others.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Players to Develop Resilient Supply Chains to Stay Competitive in the Local and Global Markets

The global market is majorly dominated by a few major market players. Tint glass is a value addition to normal glass manufacturing. The existing key players involved in glass manufacturing can easily capitalize on this to conduct vertical integration. Furthermore, the companies are also engaged in R&D to develop better products. Thus, the healthy competitiveness among top players is aiding the market growth rate. To stand different among competitions, local players are focusing to improve their supply chains by entering into long-term contracts with distributors and directly with architects or automotive manufacturing companies.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• Saint-Gobain (France)


• AGC Inc. (Japan)  


• Guardian Industries Holdings (U.S.)


• Noval Glass (China)


• PFG Glass (Canada)


• Beijing Northglass Technologies Co., Ltd. (China)


• CARDINAL GLASS INDUSTRIES, INC. (U.S.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• April 2021 – Gold Plus Glass Industry, an Indian leading manufacturer of flat glass including laminated glass, announced production capacity expansion plans with the investment of USD 290 million. This step was taken to strengthen the company’s position in the local and overseas glass industry. The company is targeting to install float & solar glass production capacity of 700,000 metric tons per annum.

REPORT COVERAGE

The global tinted laminated glass market research report provides a detailed analysis of the industry and focuses on key aspects such as leading companies and leading applications of the product. Besides this, the report offers insights into the market growth trends and highlights key industry developments. In addition, our global market analysis report encompasses several other factors that have significantly contributed to the growth of the industry in recent years. The competitive landscape covers the detailed company profiling of leading key market players operating in the industry.

Report Scope & Segmentation