Automotive Artificial PVC Leather Market

Market Overview

The global automotive artificial pvc leather market size was valued at USD 1.38 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 1.77 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 2.50% during the forecast period (2023–2031).

Many advantages drive the extensive application of automotive PVC artificial leather in train and car seats, steering wheel covers, sun visors, seat covers, armrests, door trims, and knob and gear-box covers. A few of the most notable ones are listed below.

• Low cost and easy availability
• Light-weight
• Ethical sourcing

PVC finds extensive application in low-end vehicles, such as buses, trucks, agricultural vehicles, and motorcycles, where cost is a key criterion. Further, PVC leather’s cost advantage has led to an upsurge in the demand for the material in the production of seats, airbags, belts, seat-covers, steering covers, door panels, dashboard, rear shelves, and other interior trims in the automotive industry.

The future of the global automotive PVC artificial leather market looks promising with opportunities in the passenger and commercial car segments. The demand for artificial leather — in the automotive seating industry — is directly correlated with industry growth. As per European plasticisers, today’s average car has more than 1,000 plastic components, and roughly 12% of them are made of soft PVC.

India’s automotive industry is growing at a rapid pace, with many international companies setting up manufacturing units in different states across the country.The use of PVC leather for seat upholstery is commonplace in the Indian automobile sector due to its cost-effectiveness and leather-like appearance and feel. India has the largest number of three-wheeler autos and trucks globally, which form an integral part of the country’s transportation system. PVC leather is used to make the hoods, seats, and advertising for these vehicles.

Marvel is the most reputed supplier of PVC sheets for automotive in India. Many premium auto manufacturers are also adopting PVC artificial leather. The artificial leather used by Mercedes is called ‘Artico leather’ with the added comment ‘man-made leather’. Mercedes-Benz and BMW have been offering vinyl seats since decades in a number of their popular vehicles.

Market Dynamics

Scientex Berhad manufactures and markets industrial stretch films, industrial packaging products, and consumer packaging products, such as FIBC bags, form-fill, and seal bags, woven bags, raffia products, lamination base films, wicket bags, shrink hoods and stretch hoods, barrier films, polyurethane adhesives, and others.

• The company also deals in the manufacture of components for automotive interiors
• It operates through two segments, Manufacturing and Property, and its business lines, includes stretch films, custom films, specialty products, and property
• The company is an approved OEM supplier for select automotive producers such as General Motors, Ford, Honda, Nissan, TATA, and Subaru, among others

MarvelVinyls, an ISO 9001 company, manufactures and exports PVC films, sheetings, floorings, synthetic leather, and textiles

• The company offers its services across 13 sectors, including automotive, defense, education, retail, hospitality, industrial, residential, wet areas, electrical, transport, healthcare, fashion, and sports to over 81 countries worldwide
• Its product solutions include PVC floorings, synthetic leather, PVC sheets & films, technically coated fabrics, and knitted industrial fabrics
• The company has five manufacturing units and six R&D centers along with its state-of-art infrastructure consisting of over 500 print and texture designs, six calendering lines, three transfer coating lines, two direct coating lines, six laminators, and five multi-color printers, in addition to various other ancillaries, such as laminators, multi-color printers, and others

Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific, Led by China, Dominates the Global Market with More than Half the Overall Value Share

Asia-Pacific was the largest shareholder in the year 2019, with a 53–55% value share. China spearheads growth in the region while Japan and India as other notable contributors. Some of the key factors driving market growth in the region are discussed below.

• Easy accessibility to latest technologies, abundant availability of resources, and rising penetration of premium automotive in China
• The rapid development of motor vehicle manufacturing capabilities and increasing living standard with higher economic growth in Japan, India, Bangladesh, and China
• The strong presence of many OEMs and aftermarket playersin Asia-Pacific; for instance, Kyowa Leather Cloth accounts for 70% of the artificial leather used for automotive interiors in Japan
• The presence of many small- and medium-scale manufacturers in India; for instance, Mayur Uniquoters (MUL) is one of the largest manufacturers of PVC artificial leather in India with approximately an 8% domestic market share and 37 million meters (mm) of annual capacity (as of 2018)

Germany, Italy, the U.K., and France to Lead Strong Growth in Europe’s Automotive PVC Artificial Leather Market

The Europe market, led by Germany, Italy, the U.K., and France, is expected to observe strong growth during the forecast period. A couple of the key factors augmenting the regional market are briefly discussed below.

• Recovery of the European vehicle industry is a key factor expected to bolster the demand for PVC leather in the automotive segment
• Stringent regulations regarding reducing the vehicle weight to enhance efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions have been driving the use of lightweight interior products
• Opportunities in the regional automotive manufacturing hubs of Germany and Italy
• The emerging use of artificial leather in luxury cars; German luxury car manufacturers, such as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi, have started using artificial leather for car upholstery
• The rising trend of veganism and the subsequent shift to products that are not sourced from animals; as per a survey by Ipsos MORI for the Vegan Society and Vegan Life magazine, the number of vegans in the U.K. has risen by more than 360% in the last ten years

Segmental Analysis

By Type

On the basis of type, the global automotive artificial PVC leather market has been segmented into:

• Seat leather
• Door panel leather
• Instrument panel leather
• Console leather
• Others

By Highlights

• The seat leather segment dominated the market by type and held approx. an 80% value share in the year 2019
• PVC is preferred as a seat leather for its durability, strength, UV resistance, high gloss, and low maintenance

The low cost of PVC also drives the use of the material in low-end vehicles as it serves the purposes at a low price point without compromising on the aesthetics

By Application

• OEM
• Aftermarket

Highlights

• • The aftermarket segment dominates the market by application and held a 68–70% value share as of the year 2019
  • The cost-effectiveness of PVC drives its widespread application in the aftermarket segment; for instance, on average, a truck’s seating can be refinished in leather for USD 1,500–2,000, compared to USD 5,000 or more as part of an original equipment package
  • The option of customization further adds to the appeal of PVC artificial leather in the aftermarket segment; the material can also be customized as per a second-hand vehicle