Timber Construction Connectors Market

Market Overview

The global timber construction connectors market size was valued at USD 968.3 million in 2022. It is estimated to reach USD 3,002.8 million by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 13.4% during the forecast period (2023–2031). Various government initiatives for reducing CO2 emissions will likely promote the growth of the wood construction market and, in turn, positively affect the growth of the timber construction connector market. In North America, the mass timber market is relatively new owing to lower awareness regarding the product, lower production trends, and a limited number of suppliers, thus limiting the growth of the timber construction connectors market.

Wood construction connectors are used to connect pieces of wood frames. This gives structural security and support to heavy timber construction projects. Timber construction connectors are important for many buildings, including homes, businesses, and factories. The most common uses are for connecting roof trusses, floor frames, shear walls, and other structural parts made of wood. These connections are made so that loads are spread out properly and can withstand forces like tension, compression, and shear.

Also, these connectors improve the general strength and longevity of wood structures and make them easier and faster to assemble. Professional builders like Timber Construction Connectors because they save money and time on labor and materials while making the structure stronger, safer, and lasting longer.

Market Dynamics

Timber Construction Connectors Market Drivers

Growing Demand for Wood-Based Construction

The growing energy crisis worldwide has stimulated the need for sustainable construction activities. The concept of green building is gaining popularity considering the potentially reduced environmental impacts and significant energy conservation. Thus, sustainability involves several actions that must be taken in the initial stage to reduce environmental hazards. The impact of carbon emissions and energy concerns on the building industry, both residential and commercial, has become a major concern.

This is where wood-based buildings and construction materials come into play. Wood is capable of reducing carbon emissions through storage. It enables long-term storage of all forms of carbon to alleviate or lessen the impact of global warming on the climate. Moreover, various government initiatives for reducing CO2 emissions will likely promote the growth of the wood construction market and, in turn, positively affect the growth of the timber construction connector market.

Timber Construction Connectors Market Restraint

Introduction of Other Bonding Material

Other bonding materials that can replace timber connectors include adhesives, sealants, and fasteners. Timber connectors are attached to timber products with the help of fasteners, though these can be individually used for wood bonding operations. Thus creating a potential substitute and hampering the demand for timber construction connectors. Bolts, nuts, and nails are the most commonly used fastener types for construction applications. The selection of fasteners for bonding applications depends on the surface that will bind or attach. Metal rivets offer significantly high strength against concrete construction.

As a result, they are dominating the application segment. Industrial-grade adhesives used in wood bonding operations may hamper the demand for timber connectors. These adhesives include phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde (PRF), phenol-formaldehyde (PF), resorcinol-formaldehyde adhesive (RF), moisture-curing polyurethane adhesive (PU or PUR), amino resin-based (melamine-urea-formaldehyde adhesive (MUF)), and emulsion polymer isocyanate adhesive (EPI).

Timber Construction Connectors Market Opportunities

Other Market Opportunities

Rising demand for residential construction using mass timber in North America is expected to create market opportunities for timber connectors. As per reports by the USDA, the concept of mass timber building is relatively new in the U.S. construction industry owing to low involvement by industry participants, inexperience, and insufficient manufacturing facilities. Timber materials are widely used in construction applications in European countries and Australia. These applications include residential, commercial, and industrial construction. However, the U.S. market is unfamiliar with the products and is gaining momentum. Grants have been awarded to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for investigation in mass timber production. This is likely to increase penetration in the wooden construction market, which is anticipated to increase the demand for timber construction connectors.

Regional Analysis

North America Dominates the Global Market

Based on region, the global timber construction connectors market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.

North America is the most significant global timber construction connectors market shareholder and is estimated to exhibit a CAGR of 15.6% over the forecast period. However, favorable policies supporting wood-based construction and increasing consumer awareness about the product for significantly reducing CO2 emissions are expected to increase demand for timber construction. As per reports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the demand for mass timber in the U.S. is likely to ascend at a double rate in the coming years until 2030 due to the rapidly increasing demand for wood construction. In 2020, Canada will account for significant consumption of timber products for residential construction due to the high demand for wooden construction to tackle extreme weather conditions.

Europe will likely exhibit a CAGR of 13.1% over the forecast period. Globally, Europe was the biggest market for wooden construction connectors because so many buildings are made of wood. This is true in countries like Germany, Sweden, and France. Growing demand for single-family residential spaces in the region will likely increase the demand for construction connectors. Moreover, under the program Build-in-Wood by Horizon 2020, the proportion of timber construction is projected to ascend, especially in residential and commercial segments, thereby positively pushing the growth of the timber connectors market.

Additionally, environmental regulatory authorities in the region are promoting timber as a construction material because of its low carbon footprint, low energy and water consumption, and 100% recyclable nature. Significant improvements in manufacturing sites, commercial offices, and residential buildings in Germany are likely to dominate the market over the forecast period. The abundant availability of raw materials for wood construction in the European region has supported the market's growth positively in the past period, from 2015 to 2018. This includes global timber output from Russia at 3%, Sweden at 10.1%, and Finland at 8.4%.

In Asia-Pacific, expanding the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors on account of sustainable economic growth is likely to support construction activities, thereby driving product demand over the forecast period. Flourishing tourism in the region has increased the restaurant, resort, and food chain requirements. Additionally, rapid urbanization and rising living standards due to consumers' rising per capita income are anticipated to augment the expansion of the residential and commercial construction sectors, including shopping malls and retail chains. Concrete and other building construction materials dominate major construction projects in the region.

However, growing awareness regarding the advantageous properties of wood construction will likely increase the consumption of wood-based materials. This is anticipated to increase the penetration of timber connectors in Asia. China, India, and Australia are among the largest consumers of wood for construction applications. The adoption of larger wood structures of more than 5-story buildings in Northeast Asia, especially in Japan, is expected to support the demand for timber connectors in the region. However, a lack of product know-how, limited production capacities, and domestic competition are anticipated to limit the market's growth.

In Central and South America, rising construction activities owing to lower base effects, strong economic and policy reforms, and a robust project pipeline are expected to drive the demand for construction materials. In addition, business-friendly policies aiming to improve the business environment will likely attract private investment in the manufacturing and construction industries, propelling the growth of wood construction over the forecast period. Credit restrictions, low consumer income, and ineffective government housing programs, especially in Brazil, are expected to negatively impact the demand from the residential sector over the estimated time. Moreover, increasing demand for housing in Colombia and Peru is expected to propel product demand from the residential sector over the forecast period. Wood construction trends in the region have been influenced by several high-rise building projects made entirely from wood-based products.

In the Middle East and Africa, the construction industry is expected to face a few challenges due to the uncertainty regarding government spending on infrastructure projects. The UAE initiated Estidama, which regulates building design, construction, and operation through several energy-saving approvals. This program uses an assessment scale to measure the sustainability performance of building structures. This will likely increase the demand for wood products in construction projects.

Segmental Analysis

The global timber construction connector market is bifurcated into type and application.

Based on the type, the global timber construction connectors market is bifurcated into timber-to-timber connectors, timber-to-masonry connectors, and timber-to-steel connectors.

The timber-to-timber connectors segment dominates the global market and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 13.6% over the forecast period. Timber-to-timber connectors used in construction applications include split rings installed in pre-cut grooves. These rings are deployed in split shapes in routed grooves between timber components. They reduce stress at connection points of structures. The ring mechanism of timber-to-timber connectors permits the development of synchronized bearings on the inner surface of rings while the remaining part is fixed in the outer wall.

Based on applications, the global timber construction connector market is bifurcated based on residential, commercial, and infrastructure.

The residential segment has the highest market share and will likely exhibit a CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period. Mass timber construction is suitable for low- to mid-sized single-family and multifamily homes. However, structural improvements in the wood-cutting process have introduced large-size timbers and wood beams to enable the construction of multi-story buildings. Germany and Sweden have many active wooden constructions, especially for single-family residential homes, and are likely to upscale projects in line with the growing demand from end-users. In the next few years, wooden buildings are expected to grow a lot because more people in the U.S. are learning about mass timber construction.

High demand for wooden construction projects in residential applications in Canada is also likely to positively impact the demand for timber connectors, as these products offer enhanced strength to the overall wood structures. Timber is sustainable and aesthetically pleasing in residential applications. Mass Engineered Timber (MET) is used for several applications, including framing, casework, paneling, flooring, trims, cabinets, and interior design components, owing to its superior qualities to conventional wood. Besides, it is also popularly used for decorative applications due to its aesthetic appeal.

Recent Developments

• May 2023: Knapp GmbH, a German company that makes fittings for wood buildings, said it would open a new factory in the United States. Knapp hopes the new building will help it meet the growing demand for its goods in the US market.
• February 2023: Simpson Strong-Tie, a leading maker of wood construction connectors, just bought Timber Plates, a maker of wood construction connectors for both residential and business buildings. Simpson Strong-Tie hopes the purchase will improve its place in the timber construction market and help it offer more products.