Cork is a commonly employed material for bottle stoppers, especially wine bottles. Cork material is composed of suberin, which is a hydrophobic substance. Key properties of cork material include high buoyancy, elasticity, and flame retardancy. Cork’s bubble form structure and natural fire retardant property make it suitable for acoustic and thermal insulation in house walls, floors, ceilings, and facades.
The cork material market is primarily driven by the increase in demand from the alcoholic beverage industry. Rising disposable income, changing life styles, and westernization are some of the factors propelling the cork material market. Another key driver of the cork material market is the increase in demand in the sports sector; cork is an essential material in the production of badminton shuttlecocks. The application of coke materials in house walls, floors, ceilings, and facades is also on the rise.
In terms of product, the global cork material market can be segmented into anti-vibration products, clutch plates, DIY (Do It Yourself) product, flooring product, sheets & rolls, and polish wheels. Anti-vibration products include anti vibration coils, pads, sheets, and mats.Cork material is employed in flooring products such as polymer sealed cork floor tiles, cork flooring tiles, cork rolls, cork underlay roll, and cork expansion strips. Based on application, the cork material market can be classified into wine bottles, thermal insulation, shuttle cock badminton, bulletin boards, and floor and wall tiles.
The global cork material market expanded significantly in 2016. This trend is estimated to continue during the forecast period. North America accounted for significant share of the global cork material market in 2016 due to the raw material processing and technological advancements in the region. The cork material market in North America has been expanding steadily, led by the emergence of numerous wineries and breweries in the region. Similarly, the cork material market in Europe is also expanding due to the presence of advanced distilleries with high production capacity. Germany, the U.K., and Italy are considered key countries of the cork material market in Europe.
