In 2004, the window market in Central and Eastern Europe showed the first signs of recovery in four years: the quantity of sales grew by 2.6 per cent to 8.4 million units, and growth by value was 3.1%. In 2007, the window market in the five CEE countries will have reached the same size as the German market, says InterConnection Consulting Group. (CCE-5 = Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia).

The share of the market taken by PVC-U will reach 50% by 2007. ‘While most manufacturers still swear by PVC, the first signs of saturation are already noticeable’, says Maria Fürhacker, Market Analyst at InterConnection Consulting. ‘There are too many PVC window manufacturers’.

Wood-aluminium combinations are the strongest growing segment in Eastern Europe, and they will grow 11% per year in the period 2003-2007. Nevertheless, in 2004 they took just 3.2% of the total market. Unsurprisingly, aluminium is very popular in the non-domestic sector.

On average, 40% of windows are distributed by specialists or DIY stores, rather than direct sales, and this trend will slowly advance.

Source

Glass Age

Postscript

IC Market Tracking, Windows in Middle and Eastern Europe 2005, published June 2005, 600pp. Further details: Maria Fürhacker, tel. +43 1 5854623 1, e-mail fuerhacker@interconnectconsulting.com