The experts of the market research agency Interconnection Consulting Group have recently released a new study on the current situation and the prospects of the Western European thermo-insulating joinery industry, indicating unequivocally that the entire sector is severely affected by the sovereign debt crisis in the Euro area and, furthermore, by the seemingly insurmountable structural problems of the whole community space, which is in recession. According to the analysis, the window market from Western Europe shrank in 2012 for the fifth consecutive year, the sales from the region placed after the Western frontier of Germany, Austria and Italy (including Scandinavia) regressing with -4.3% while the total turnover of the companies active in this area declined by -3%. For 2013, the latter indicator is expected to drop again by -3.2%. Thus, the first signs of stabilization will take place in 2014, when substantial changes in the structure of demand for aluminium-wood assemblies will be observed. Dennis Rauen, the author of the study, explained that, in terms of value, a turnover of 17.3 billion EUR was recorded on the Western European market, corresponding to an amount of 60.2 million window units (u.f.). According to the expert, the austerity and the fiscal reforms implemented in 2012 had - and continue to have - a negative impact on the sector, hit hard by the effects of the recession that started in 2008-2009. In what concerns the materials used for the execution of the joinery, the most significant share (excluding Northern Europe and the countries where the population speaks German language) is owned by PVC (with 41.8% of deliveries in Western Europe). "Recently, the low price has become one of the main criteria for purchase in the analyzed region, leading to an increase of competition. PVC windows are becoming cheaper because of the imports from Eastern Europe, the most affected being the Western producers belonging to the IMM category, who, in turn, either have to acquire joinery from the East (becoming resellers of large companies from Poland, Romania etc.) or are forced to become fitters, yielding their market share to important windows manufacturers", added Dennis Rauen. For further information and a detailed analysis of the current Fereastra issue click here!