2019 Market Trends Series: Urban Expansion and New Technologies Helping Expand the Wire & Cable Market

In this installment of “2019 Market Trends: What’s Next for Plastics?”, our Market Manager for Wire & Cable, Todd Waddle, discusses how current and future technologies are driving an increasing need for fiber optic cable, as well as how residential and commercial growth in cities is fueling the need for low voltage wires. Here is what Todd had to say:

“In 2018, we completed our first official year in the wire & cable market. And what a great year it was! As we look forward to 2019, I expect we’ll see further development and growth as a result of several factors: the significant expansion of telecommunications and the build-out of the 5G network, an increase in low voltage wires as a result of urban growth and electric vehicles, and growth as a result of improvements made to security and fire alarm codes.

The Internet of Things (IoT), including our current connected personal and household devices and futuristic technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and virtual reality, are driving the need for more bandwidth, quicker response times, and increased connection density. Fiber optic cable will play a vital role in building and strengthening these networks, including 5G, in a demand that will continue for the foreseeable future. This fiber optic cable expansion is subsequently driving growth for gels and tapes, including coated steel armoring tape, which M. Holland is well positioned to help its clients secure through its partnerships with Unigel and Unitape.

Similar to what we saw in 2018, increased urbanization, the rise of residential and commercial construction, and the growing use of low voltage cable in electric vehicles – all accompanied by the fiber optic cable expansion mentioned earlier – will drive the low voltage and cable segment of the market to grow and dominate market share in 2019. Additionally, with construction and development comes consumers’ desire for safer homes, buildings, and vehicles – something that is leading to an increased need for wire & cable used in security and fire alarm applications.

Strong growth for both of these market entities will continue in 2019 through the building of new structures and in retrofitting new wire and cable into existing buildings to meet mandatory safety and security codes. Two of the biggest polymers used for both low voltage and security and fire alarms are polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nylon. M. Holland offers both materials and is well positioned to help its clients capitalize on these growing market segments.”

 – Authored by Todd Waddle, Market Manager, Wire & Cable

In our final installment of the 2019 Market Trend Series, we will be hearing from M. Holland’s Market Manager for Rotational Molding, Steve Emminger, and Market Manager for Color & Compounding, Peter Nutley.

What are you most excited about for for plastics and the wire & cable market in 2019? Let us know on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.

Don’t forget to check back in for future and previously published market insights:

• 3D Printing
• Healthcare
• Automotive
• Film and Flexible Packaging
• Wire and Cable
• Rotational Molding and Color Compounding

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2019 Market Trends Series: Consumer Demands Driving Growth And Change For Film & Flexible Packaging
2019 Market Trends Series: Another Transformational Year For The Automotive Market
2019 Market Trends Series: Healthcare Faces Supply Chain And Tech Disruption
2019 Market Trends Series: What’s Next For Plastics?
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