The Extrusion industry is a multi
billion dollar business globally. Just go around in your house and you will
find a multitude of products that have been typically extruded. Take the the
example of a car that you take daily for travelling. In the car the gaskets
lining the windscreen are the product of extrusion. Today the various types
of extruded shapes that are produced by the extrusion industries include
rods, profiles, channels, strips etc. The Extrusion industry serves many of
the important industries like Automotive, Building, Medical industry,
Textile plants etc.
The extrusion industry primarily can be divided into two main distinct
categories. That is the metal or the non metal types. On the metal extrusion
front, Aluminum extrusion industry forms a crucial segment of the business
of extrusion. Others include copper and its alloys, stainless steel,
magnesium etc.
Out of the metal extrusions aluminium extrusions are a major player in the
extrusion industry. Let's have a look at the aluminium extrusion
consumptions of some major European nations.
Another
example is given here to compare the European Aluminium extrusion industry
with its counterpart in North America.
| European
Aluminium Extrusion Industry |
North
American Aluminium Extrusion Industry |
| • In shipment terms, the five largest producers
of extruded products represent around 40 percent of the market. |
• In contrast, North American extrusion industry
is bit consolidated, with the five largest producers representing nearly
60 percent of the market share in terms of shipments. |
| • Approximately 5 percent comes from imports. |
• 10 percent of the market is import based ,
chiefly from Asia and South America. |
| • The balance market share is fragmented with
around 220 independent producers representing 55 percent. |
• Approximately 15 percent of the market share is
taken up by five medium sized domestic producers. |
| • Prominent share of the market is considered as
local, based on a national level. |
• The margins are under pressure from two factors
overcapacity along with increasing level of imports. |
Coming to the non-metallic extrusion, Plastic extrusion industry today is
thriving business. Another segment of the non-metallic extrusions is the
rubber extrusion industry. The following figure takes a close look at
fragmentation of the U.S. Plastic extrusion industry.
Industry
Trends and Challenges for the Extrusion Industry
The opening-up of large economies to the globalization process has no doubt
resulted in a broad spectrum of comparative advantages in terms of
industrial activities. Extrusion industries are also no exception. In face
of stiff competition from the low-wage economies, has raised some serious
questions on future of extrusion industries operating in European countries.
So it has become pertinent that in developed countries Extrusion Industries
comes with faster responses to the issues affecting business. Some of the
key challenges facing all the Extrusion industries as a whole are
highlighted below.
- Innovation
There is a constant need to develop a strategic approach towards new
product development that could only lead to a strong future.
- Zero Error Consistency
Today there is a constant demand for superior part performance and a
constant supply of products with no scope for any errors or “zero
defects.” This high expectation has now been a major factor cutting
on the already thinning margins of the Extrusion producers. The New
Mantra now is “ Get it right the first time.”
- Higher Costs
Taking the example of Plastic extrusion industry, it is plagued by
higher resin as well as labour costs. The resin cost is the result of
rising crude oil prices.
- Environmental Factors
These days some very stringent environmental laws are there and
extrusion industries are required to comply to them.
- Introduction of New Design Methodologies
There is need for introducing new design methodologies for shorter lead
times.
- Non conventional Applications
Developing of Custom specific extruders that caters to non conventional
applications.
- Variety Compositions
The trend is now to have materials with different structures.
- Integration of Technology
Integration of numerous technology from different sectors.
- Preference for Higher Throughputs
Classification of extrusion industry
