Extrusion Process Tracker & Forecaster
| Latest Month |
Previous Month |
Year Ago |
YTD % Change |
Annual % Change |
| 2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
| 206.6 |
193.8 |
229.3 |
-19.0 |
2.4 |
-5.3 |
-8.0 |
Pipe Business Index
Return to Extrusion Business Index
The Pipe Business Index (1990=100) represents the second largest extrusion market in terms of volume of resins consumed. This Index is strongly correlated to U.S. housing starts data, though other end-markets have enjoyed strong growth in recent years.
 The Pipe Business Index slipped 4% in the latest month when compared with a year ago. This followed a 10% drop in the Index during the previous month.
When compared with last year, this Index receded 10% during the second quarter of 2008 after a drop of 20% in the first quarter. The growth rate is expected to remain negative for most of this year, but the declines will be gradually less severe.
Total residential construction spending fell 18% in 2007, and this trend will likely not be reversed until 2009. Some segments of the non-residential sector will continue to expand, and demand for plastic pipe from the non-residential sector (water and sewer, highway, and gas distribution projects) will continue to rise moderately for the forseeable future.
After a decline of 5% in 2007, the annual total for our Pipe Business Index is forecast to decrease another 8% in 2008.
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