Forecast_Feature,USGlassJan2013

Volume 48, Issue 1 - January 2013

feature

Up and Up
2nd Annual USGlass Glass Usage Forecast Sees Continued Increases

If predictions hold true, 2013 could be a year of growth and opportunity for the construction industry. And that’s certainly good news for the U.S. commercial glass industry. In our second annual glass industry usage forecast, positive indicators in most all construction segments are on the horizon for 2013.

Taking a close look at the different commercial segments, the use of glass in store construction is expected to be up 18 percent in 2013, which will include an approximate 28.3 million square feet of glass usage. This is compared to 24 million square feet in 2012.

Also seeing positive predictions, glazing in hotel construction is expected to increase 12 percent in 2013, bringing approximately 5.6 million square feet of glass usage. This compares to 2012 data, which saw 5 million square feet of glass usage.

Also on the up, glass in warehouse construction is expected to increase. According to data, this market will increase 11.5 percent compared to 2012 and include an estimated 2.9 million square feet of glass usage. These numbers compare to those of 2012, which included approximately 2.6 million square feet of glass.

Also expected to increase is glazing in institutional construction, which includes amusement and recreation projects. Glass usage for this sector is expected to be up 5.1 percent with 4.1 million square feet of glass usage. In 2012 glass usage in this segment was down .03 percent with 3.9 million square feet of glass usage.

Data forecasts glass for use in the construction of manufacturing buildings to see a slight increase compared to 2012—.06 percent—and about 1.7 million square feet of glass usage. Data also showed the market stayed the same in 2012 compared to 2011 with 1.6 million square feet of glass.

Not all segments, however, are projected to increase. Glass for educational building construction is projected to decline in 2013. USGlass projections show the segment will be down 0.6 percent compared to 2012 with 9.5 million square feet of glass usage compared to 10.1 million square feet last year. The drop in 2013, though, is not nearly as severe as last year’s, which saw usage down 18.5 percent compared to 2011.