The US market for wood-plastic composite lumber and plastic lumber was worth US$3.8bn, according to the latest market report from the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
ITTO quotes a market study by Freedonia which says decking was the most common application (38%), followed by mouldings and trim (28%), fencing (15%) and outdoor landscape products (11%).
The market size is estimated to reach US$5.6bn by 2013, with wood-plastic growing slightly faster than plastic lumber, although the latter retaining a slightly larger market position.
Freedonia also predicts composite and plastic lumber to gain market share in window and door products as the public perceive the products to be maintenance-free.
