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Despite the mass availability of PVCu and it’s endless recycle life, PVCu windows are really only a market that exists in the UK, Germany and…well…that’s about it really. Apparently there are a few PVCu/vinyl windows knocking about America. I’m sure that some of my American friends who follow this blog will be able to shed more light on this for me. Hint!

Seems silly doesn’t it? That one of the most widely used materials in the world is only used for windows in just a couple of countries. Yet when you look at where most of the polymers are made, like Japan and most of the far east, we never hear of any PVCu window market there, even though they export 40% of all of Europe’s polymers and a shed load of composite door slabs.

You have to ask yourself why? Is it too expensive for the general public over there to buy? Are they too used to timber and aluminium/other metals to be weaned off it? What marketing is there for PVCu windows, if any at all?

Germany seems to be the leading country when it comes to glazing, of all materials. It’s widely considered in this country that we are a distant second to the Germans in terms of build quality, reliability and efficiency. But I do think we are catching up to them, may take a while to get there, but I think we can crack it!

I’m making more of an observation than a point with this post. I think that if some of the biggest profile companies and polymers companies looked at some of the bigger emerging and robust economies like Brazil, China and India, they could tap a new market. A market full of people willing to spend plenty of dosh on their homes after their countries have seen double digit growth for a number of years now.

Wonder how the global PVCu window market will look in 5 to 10 years time?