Translucent Concrete Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Raw Material (Concrete, Fibers), By Application (Wall Cladding, Roofing, Flooring), By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028

Report Overview

The global translucent concrete market size was valued at USD 1.7 million in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 47.6% from 2021 to 2028. Rapidly rising adoption of energy-saving and eco-friendly building materials, especially in the developed economies, is expected to bolster the market growth over the forecast period. The translucent concrete block enables the construction of solid, insulating walls that allows the passage of natural daylighting, along with all other conventional benefits of the concrete wall. Thus, it facilitates the reduction of inefficient windows and electric lighting costs, along with less energy use and lesser energy-related emissions.

Translucent concrete is an emerging material, which is expected to support the growing trend of energy-efficient building in North America, especially in the U.S. Thus, several state-of-the-art building structures are incorporating translucent concrete, which, in turn, is expected to bolster the market growth in the U.S.

Increasing research and development in the concrete material to improve the overall quality, illumination, and economic value of construction is expected to have a positive impact on the overall construction industry. Increasing application of translucent concrete in wall cladding, roofing, flooring, and others as a light-emitting source is offering growth prospects to the market.

There are different types of translucent concrete products available in the market in precast form with different dimensions that allow the construction of several meters high wall cladding and roofing with light-emitting properties. In addition, the product can be used as partition walls, panels, doors, and others in a number of buildings and architectural monuments as a façade material.

However, there are a few limitations to the usage of the material in large projects. Optical fibers are apparently expensive raw materials; thus the production cost of light-emitting concrete is high when compared to traditional concrete. In addition, a high level of expertise is required for the infusion of optical fibers into the concrete material, which is likely to restrain the growth of the market.

Raw Material Insights

The concrete segment led the market and accounted for over 80.0% share of the global revenue in 2020. Fine concrete consisting of cement and sand aggregates is used around 94% to 96% by volume in the whole mixture with the fibers for evenly distribution of light from one side to the surface.

The concrete produced is used as a building material that allows easy transmission of both natural and artificial light and thus helps in the conservation of electric energy during the daytime. The concrete uses fast-setting cement while production and forms pre-cast concrete, which is further cut into panels and blocks that are polished and colored as per the requirement and sent for use.

Though translucent concrete exhibits various sustainable advantages, it is more expensive and requires handling precautions. For instance, translucent concrete manufacturing company such as LUCCON uses high-performance concrete (HPC) or ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with optical fibers, which makes the material expensive and restricts the field of application.

On the other hand, optical fibers are used 4% to 5% by volume into the mixture. The fibers perform as slits to transmit light from each side of the block or slab. The fibers are evenly spread through the concrete making outline shadows through the concrete. These fibers conduct lights through natural or artificial light sources making an angle of incidence of more than 60 degrees.

End-use Insights

The non-residential segment led the market and accounted for more than 75.0% share of the global revenue in 2020 owing to the use of the material in large commercial buildings such as corporate offices, architectural buildings, and museums. In addition, translucent concrete is expected to be used in smart lane separators for enhanced traffic safety in some parts of the world in the future, thus exhibiting a high growth potential.

The market has contributed substantially to the renewable energy sector. In 2018, China inaugurated a patch of two kilometers of a solar highway at Jinan expressway in the Shandong province. The road made with installed photovoltaic cells was covered with a layer of transparent concrete in place of traditional concrete for electricity generation to charge the electric vehicles by induction.

Other areas where translucent concrete is used commercially are logos, designs, furniture, electronic devices such as drive mounts, and subways, where design floors and light-emitting sources are required. For instance, translucent concrete manufacturer PanUnited Corporation Ltd. showcased its illuminating arc bench at the Singapore Night festival in 2018 as a substitute for a traditional bench.

The residential segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate of 48.4% in terms of revenue over the forecast period. Concrete used in household flooring, pavements, partition walls, and others that appears normal at daytime exhibits a light and shine in different colors after the sunset due to the presence of optical fibers emitting lights from different angles.

Application Insights

The wall cladding segment led the market and accounted for over 65.0% share of the global revenue in 2020 due to a broader range of applications, including corporate buildings, architectural monuments, and residential interiors. This wall cladding is highly used as an interior wall backed up with artificial lighting at nighttime and natural light emission during the daytime.

The roofing segment is expected to witness significant growth from 2021 to 2028. The growth of the segment is attributed to the rise in demand for the product in residential and commercial buildings. The product gives aesthetical appeal and energy-efficient lighting to the interior of offices, homes, and others when installed as a roofing panel.

The flooring segment is expected to register a growth rate of 50.4% from 2021 to 2028, which can be attributed to the product's decorative and appealing properties such as lightweight and durability as compared to the traditional concrete used in flooring. In addition, the product is used in making pavements that add to the beauty of the interior by illuminating the desired area during the daytime.

Other applications of translucent or light-emitting concrete involve the manufacturing of staircases, reception desks, panels, doors, light covers, and others. Manufacturers have now started intensive research and development for producing translucent concrete at a lower cost that can be used in large residential and non-residential projects as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete.

Regional Insights

Europe dominated the market and accounted for over 30.0% share of the global revenue in 2020 owing to the presence of several translucent manufacturing companies in the region. In addition, various initiatives in support of green building materials are expected to result in high product demand in the region during the forecast period.

The product demand in Europe is regulated by the need for sustainable and energy-efficient alternatives and the trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. In addition, the region is concentrated by the major product manufacturing companies, which simplifies the product distribution in the region, which, in turn, is likely to have a positive impact on the market growth.

The market in North America is expected to grow at a significant rate over the forecast period. This can be attributed to a rise in product demand, especially in the non-residential end-use segment. Changing lifestyles and the need for sustainable lighting for interior decoration in the homes are further having a positive impact on industry growth.

The demand for light-emitting concrete in Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa is likely to witness significant growth over the projected period owing to the rising application in residential and non-residential buildings as façades to enhance the aesthetic look. Moreover, the regions receive an ample amount of sunlight that enhances the light-emitting properties of the material.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

The market is in the nascent stage, thus several players are employing efforts in the product development, its commercialization, and minimizing the production cost. The key players in the industry are developing their growth strategy based on scaling up the production levels and expanding their reach through entry into the newer regional market.

The market is less competitive owing to the existence of a few companies involved in manufacturing translucent concrete. The market is characterized by the presence of a specific consumer base, especially in the non-residential or commercial end-use segment, all over the world with the companies operating their businesses through variable distribution networks. Some prominent players in the global translucent concrete market include:

• LUCEM GmbH

• CRE Panel GmbH

• LCT GesmbH

• Fapinex LLC

• Josef Loacker GmbH

• Luccon Lichtbeton GmbH

• Gravelli

• LiTraCon Bt

• Pan-United Corporation Ltd.

• Beton Broz (DITON S.R.O)

• Glass Block Technology Limited

• Florack Bauunternehmung GmbH

Translucent Concrete Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends and opportunities in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2028. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global translucent concrete market report on the basis of raw material, application, end use, and region:

• Raw Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • Concrete

  • Fibers

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • Wall Cladding

  • Roofing

  • Flooring

  • Others

• End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • Residential

  • Non-residential

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Thousand, 2017 - 2028)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • Italy

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • South Korea

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia

    • UAE