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News
2020 Vinyl Industry Downstream Updates
At Vinyl360 this year, we were joined by representatives from several downstream trade associations, including the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI), the PVC Pipe Association (PVCPA), PRINTING United Alliance (PUA), and the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), that shared an update of how the pandemic has impacted their industries. As we begin the new year, we thought it was pertinent to share an update on where different products sectors stand as we move into 2021.
2020 ended up being a positive year for the vinyl industry.
Across the board, all speakers noted that despite turmoil in the second quarter, brought on by the pandemic, each industry saw growth over the last year. Part of the growth seems directly correlated with the fact that people were spending so much time at home. As people were cooped up, they began to realize all the projects they had been putting off. And as many consumers were working from home, they suddenly were more able to address these projects, either by taking an appointment with a contractor during the day or working on these projects during their typical commute times or during breaks.
For PUA, many groups and individuals turned to vinyl signage to share their message. We’re all probably familiar with the floor graphics reminding us to keep six feet of space, but vinyl signage isn’t just for corporate and retail. As many continued to work remotely, PUA noticed that many individual employees had purchased banners for their home office environments. And for the independent delivery contractors that deliver food via services like DoorDash or Uber Eats, PUA noted an increase of sales of vehicle graphics.
Sustainability is here to stay.
Sustainability is not going anywhere. With each year that passes, sustainability becomes a greater topic in the news cycle, and vinyl product sectors are showcasing sustainable manufacturing efforts and research going into their products. To help inform consumers RFCI introduced a new certification program, Assure Certified, which certifies a company has eliminated orthophthalates from their product and are moving away from heavy metals. And they recently launched a new educational campaign, Beautifully Responsible Flooring, which seeks to highlights three attributes of vinyl flooring:
- Sustainability, through responsible manufacturing;
- Performance, and how vinyl endures in the home environment;
- And well-being, ensured through improved accessibility and acoustic comfort, for example.
Other downstreams are underscoring the importance of sustainability as well. VSI is providing a renewed emphasis on recycling, including updating their sustainability web content with an increased focused on recycling, publishing a series of recycling program case studies, and they are in the research phase of potentially launching a recycling pilot program.
In addition, VSI launched field research to investigate how vinyl siding performs in a hurricane – which will only help prove the resilience the material has in the most extreme events. Previous research has found that vinyl siding can withstand winds of 110 mph or more, and in fact, it is strong enough even to be used in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone of Miami-Dade County, Florida.
Despite the pandemic, the vinyl industry has persevered. As we move into 2021, with a pandemic still in full swing, the vinyl industry continues to accomplish our strategic initiatives while also serving the greater good with durable, high performance products.