Market Dynamics
South African architectural flat glass market outlook for 2018 to 2032 is largely dependent upon the pace of economic growth in the region. In recent years, economic growth has been hampered by changing global trends, including low commodity prices and a weaker rand. This has resulted in lower investment in the construction sector, which has had a negative effect on the demand for architectural flat glass in South Africa. However, the increasing trend of urbanization and increasing disposable income in South Africa over the forthcoming period is likely to provide a strong impetus to the demand for architectural flat glass in the country. Rising residence and office construction activities in the region along with increasing demand from the domestic automotive industry, are some of the factors that are likely to push the demand for architectural flat glass in the period 2018 to 2032. Furthermore, the implementation of the National Development Plan in 2011, which focuses on infrastructure development in the country, is also likely to be instrumental in influencing the demand for architectural flat glass. Moreover, the replacement of single glazed windows with double-glazed windows will also have an impact on the demand for flat glass.
The government of South Africa is also investing heavily in renewable energy solutions, which may also drive the demand for flat glass over the next few years. In addition, the introduction of cost effective technological advancements such as electrochromic glass and printed glass, is likely to drive the demand for flat glass in residential and commercial buildings over the next few years. Integrating these technological advancements into the construction sector of the country, is expected to benefit the local economy. The South African architectural flat glass market will remain highly competitive over the projected period, driven by the increasing number of local and global players in the sector. Furthermore, the rising demand from various sectors including residential, commercial, and automotive, is expected to provide an impetus to the market growth. Therefore, in order to sustain their market share, the existing players must develop innovative flat glass products that meet the requirements of the changing consumer preferences.
