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US demand to rise 3.8% annually through 2019
Demand for outdoor noise barriers in the US is forecast to rise 3.8 percent annually to 9.5 million square feet in 2019, valued at $191 million. Advances will be spurred by population growth in rural and suburban areas. Builders will capitalize on the low land costs and the promises of convenient highway access to erect residences and commercial structures in proximity to highways and roads. In turn, state highway departments will erect outdoor noise barriers alongside highways to mitigate loud noises and enhance the quality of life for homeowners and employees in surrounding buildings.
Highways & roads to remain dominant market
Highways and roads accounted for the vast majority of outdoor noise barriers installed in the US in 2014 and are forecast to continue to remain the leading end use for these products going forward. State departments of transportation (DOTs) install noise barriers along roads and highways because of their moderate cost compared to other sound mitigation strategies and proven ability to reduce traffic noise. Moreover, once installed, outdoor noise barriers seldom require replacement or repair, providing longterm savings. This is an advantage over such sound-reducing products as rubberized asphalt paving materials, which are not only initially more expensive, but often require further maintenance after a decade of use.
Among other end uses, airports hold the second-largest share of outdoor noise barrier demand in 2014. Noise barriers such as metal ground runup enclosures are often installed at airports to reduce noise levels associated with the testing of jet engines. Barriers can also be installed around airport perimeters to control noise levels; however, concerns about security and visibility encourage airport managers to opt for mitigation strategies other than noise barriers.
Precast concrete types to pace key concrete segment
Among material types, concrete products dominate demand, totaling 92 percent of the market in 2014. Concrete is most often specified by transportation construction professionals because of its moderate cost, ready availability, and sound absorbing qualities. Precast concrete panels which accounted for the largest share of outdoor noise barrier demand in 2014 will continue to take share from other concrete products, such as concrete masonry units and cast-inplace concrete. Precast concrete panels can be mass-produced to meet specific performance and aesthetic qualities. Indeed, state DOTs will increasingly specify precast panels that resemble more attractive materials, such as brickwork or dressed stone, to improve the appearance of these products, thus boosting support for the installation of noise barriers where residents were previously opposed because of their institutional appearance.
Metal products totaled the second-largest share of outdoor noise barriers, primarily due to their extensive use in airports. However, plastic noise barriers are anticipated to see the most rapid growth in demand of all other outdoor noise barrier products through 2019. Advances will be supported by increasing interest in these products because of their sound-blocking properties. Additionally, plastic barriers that have see-through panels will garner interest from DOTs looking to ensure that travelers and the owners of structures located along highways will be able to view wildlife and the surrounding area with these high-visibility products.
Company Profiles
Profiles 33 competitors in the US industry, including Cretex, CRH (Oldcastle), Coreslab International, Evonik Cyro, Industrial Acoustics & Valmont Com
Additional Information
This comprehensive study covers the US outdoor noise barriers industry. Included in this study are such products as highway noise barriers; airport ground run-up enclosures; and barriers installed around railroad tracks, electric power generation plants, and residential and nonresidential structures. Products of a similar nature used inside of buildings -- such as sound baffles and enclosures -- are not included in this study. Products designed to primarily offer perimeter definition and control, such as fences, or protection from jet engine exhaust, such as blast deflectors, are also not included in the scope of the study, even though they may offer some noise control features.
Historical data are provided for 2004, 2009, and 2014 with forecasts for the years 2019 and 2024. Demand is presented in area and value terms for noise barriers by product type (concrete, metal, wood, and other materials), market (highways and roads, airports, railroads, utilities, and building construction), and region. Data are presented in millions of dollars and thousand square feet. Additionally, major outdoor noise barrier manufacturers are profiled and competitive variables in the industry are considered. The report is framed within the noise barrier industry’s economic, technological, and market environments.