Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene Market Size

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Market Analysis

The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene market is projected to register a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period (2021-2026).

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is used mainly to manufacture components of the automobile, aerospace, and defense industries. COVID-19 has badly impacted the automobile industry. According to the OICA (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers), the global production of vehicles in the third quarter of 2020 is around 50 million, a significant decrease compared to the production in the third quarter of 2019, which was around 65 million. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been increasing the need for medical assistance due to the increasing number of patients globally, thereby stimulating the UHMWPE market. According to the World Population Prospects 2019 (United Nations, 2019), by 2050, one in six people in the world will be over the age of 65, up from one in 11 in 2019. Globally, there were 703 million older persons aged 65 or over in 2019, and the life expectancy is also estimated to be 72.63 years by 2020, which may bring the number of people aged 65 years and more to over 1.5 billion by 2050. This scenario is another factor, which has been boosting the medical sector, thus increasing the demand for UHMWPE.

• Over the medium term, increasing applications for high-performance polymers and growing demand from the medical sector are driving the market growth.
• On the flip side, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene has a low melting point, UHMWPE is not suitable for certain heavy load applications, and the impact of COVID-19, which, in turn, is expected to hinder the market growth.
• North America dominated the market with a significant share, and Asia-Pacific is estimated to expand at a healthy rate during the forecast period.