TRAIN SEAT MATERIALS MARKET ANALYSIS

Global Train Seat Materials Market size was valued at US$ 1,960.0 Mn in 2022, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2023 to 2030.

The seats in trains are manufactured from different types of materials such as wool, vinyl, leather, fabric, etc. The train seats can be manufactured with supportive material like padding or cushioning. The seats in the trains are generally made up of silicon, polyurethane, polyester or other types of foaming material such as latex. Moreover the covers for these seats are made up up material like leather, vinyl, fabric, etc. Fabric materials used in the train seat covers include velvets and soft cloth. Leather material can be classified into artificial leather and natural leather, whereas, vinyl is classified as a synthetic material. Bovine Leather is one of the most common and is known for its texture and color which makes it conducive for use in luxury trains. The material used in manufacturing of train seats also depends on the type of seats like regular seats, recliner seats, rotating seats, etc. The expansion of the rail networks in developing countries and rise of public transportation infrastructure like intra-city trains and metros is expected to drive the growth of global train seat materials market.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Regional Analysis Asia Pacific held a dominant position in the Global Train Seat Materials market in 2022, followed by the regions of Europe and North America.         

Figure 1. Global Train Seat Materials Market Share (%), By Region, 2022

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Asia Pacific held a dominant position in the Global Train Seat Materials market in 2022, owing to factors like extensive railway infrastructure in countries like India, China, Bangladesh, etc., growing population in the region are the factors that are driving the growth of the North America Train Seat Materials market. The railways are one of the most preferred mode of transportation in the region of Asia Pacific which has resulted in the expansion of the railway network in the region. To cater to the increasing demand the countries own a huge fleet of trains which would lead to the increase in demand for the train seat materials and lead the growth of the market in the region during the forecast period.

Europe is another strong market for train seat materials. The region has a vast railway network spanning through the scenic route around the countries like Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, etc. which forms a major tourist attraction. Tourists from all around the world who visit the region are inclined towards travelling through the railway. This makes it increasingly important for the countries in the region to maintain the fleet of railways to cater to the rising demand. These fleets include trains meant for normal commutes as well as some premium trains that are designed to serve the international tourists in a better way. These factors that lead to the expansion of the railway network and the need for maintaining the railway fleets are expected to boost the market growth for global train seat materials market in the European Region.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Segmentation

The Global Train Seat Materials market is classified into following segments based on material type, train type, foam type and seat type.

Based on train type, the general passenger segment holds a dominant position over other train types. General passenger trains refer to the trains used to transport travelers along a rail line. These trains typically run across cities and regions and do not relate to intra-city commutes. In countries like India, where the general public rely heavily on such inter-city trains for travelling to different places within the country, the demand for general passenger trains is huge. Moreover, general passenger trains are usually cover moderate of long-distance journeys hence, they need to be equipped with relatively comfortable seats as compared to the local trains and the metros. Hence, they account for a major market share in the global train seat materials market.

Based on the basis of seat type, the regular segment holds a dominant position over other seat types. The major reason for this dominance is that the regular seats are extensively used in majority of the trains and hence, the demand for them is significantly greater. On the other hand, the recliner seats are limited to few compartments in a train. Hence, the regular segment is expected to continue to hold a strong position in the global train seat materials market during the forecast period.

Figure 2. Global Train Seat Materials Market Share (%) Analysis and Forecast, By Train Type, 2022

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Global Train Seat Materials market was valued at US$ 1,960.0 Million in 2022 and is expected to reach US$  2,909.6 Million by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.2% between 2023 and 2030.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Key Competitors

Major players operating in the Global Train Seat Materials market include Rescroft Ltd., USSC Group, Inc., Magna International, Inc., Rojac Urethane Limited, GRAMMER AG, TransCal, Freedman Seating Co., Delimajaya Group, Franz Kiel GmbH, iFoam Ltd., Compin-Fainsa, FlexoFoam Pvt. Ltd., FISA Srl, FENIX Group, LLC, and Kustom Seating Unlimited, Inc. and Others.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Recent Developments

1. In August, 2021, FISA srl, an Italy based manufacturer of railway interior products, announced that the company would provide its LEAN seats in the new railway fleet for East Midlands Railway named, Aurora.
2. In September 2022, Kiel Seating, a German based manufacturer of seating systems for commercial vehicles, announced that its new offerings related to train seats would be launched at InnoTrans 2022, a trade fair that is focused on innovations in the rail industry.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Drivers:

Increasing investment in railway industry is expected to drive growth of the global train seat materials market during the forecast period:

Railways are one of the most important mode of transportation in the developing countries where the railway infrastructure is extensively developed. Increased investment in the railway industry will increase the production of railway vehicles, which is expected to increase the demand for railway seating materials in the near future. These investments in the rail industry are being driven by increasing urbanization, energy shortages and concerns about green transportation. For instance, according to the data published in September 2022 by IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), a trust established by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, FDI inflows in railway related components stood at US$ 1.23 billion.

Growing demand for passenger trains:

The passenger trains refer to the trains that are used in transporting people across the railway line. These trains can either be the ones running within the city or the ones running across cities and regions. These trains are increasingly used by the daily commuters as well as the travelers across the regions. The people in developing countries like India and China prefer using passenger trains for domestic journeys as compared to other modes of transportation. For instance, according to the data published by IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation), a trust established by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, the number of passengers travelling through trains in the year was 3.5 billion in the year 2022.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Restraint

Stringent regulatory policies regarding the usage of train seat materials:

The railway sector is predominantly managed and operated by the government institutions. These government institutions are responsible to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers traveling through rains. In response to this, they follow strict policies regarding safety ratings of the components used in trains. This includes the interior components such as train seats used in the interior of the train compartments. The governments across the globe are inclined towards imposing stringent quality standards for these components. For instance, in Europe, laws such as EN45545-2 and BS6853 restrict the use of polyester material in train seats. Hence, stringent regulatory policies in imposed by the government authorities across the globe are expected to act as hindrance for the growth of global train seat materials market.

Capital intensive nature of the train seat manufacturing industry:

The railway sector is considered to be one of the most capital intensive sector in the economy. The scale of operations of the sector make it one of the most significant cost centre. The ancillary industries supporting the railways are also characterized by high capital requirement. The components and parts used in railways are generally ordered in huge quantities by the government authorities. This requires large scale manufacturing facilities, procurement of material in huge quantities, etc. For instance, according to the data published in March 2021 by, Indian Railways portal, the cost of manufacturing different types of coaches/compartments of trains can go up to US$ 1.10 million. Moreover the order quantity is usually higher in the market. This extensive investment required in the train manufacturing industry would not be able to attract the new entrants and hamper the growth of global train seat materials market during the forecast period.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Opportunity

Introduction of new train types:

The countries emphasizing on the importance of public transportation realize that trains are an integral part in promoting the adoption of public transportation. Consequently, government authorities of various countries are focusing on introduction of new trains such as high speed trains, metros, different types of intra-city locomotives, etc. These trains are introduced for shuttle services as well as long journeys. For instance, on February 2023, Alstom, a France based multinational company operating as a roll stock manufacturer in rail market, announce the launch of new model of TGV M train that would operate in France and other regions of Europe. The train would be designed specifically to meet the needs of foreign tourists who are willing to take a scenic route across Europe. Hence, the development of new trains would naturally increase the demand for train seats and related material and thus lead to the growth of global train seat materials market during the forecast period.

Global Train Seat Materials Market- Impact of COVID-19:

The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the markets across the world. As a result of the country-wide lockdowns and strict social distancing norms, several markets witnessed a steep decline in demand and distortion of supply chain. The train seat materials market witnessed the adverse effects of the pandemic too. Due to the restrictions on the movement of people the demand for railway services declined significantly. This trend was visible for a significant period during the course of the pandemic. This resulted in the contraction of the market for train seat materials as the manufacturing activities were halted due to lower demand. As the markets gradually opened up the demand for railway services started gaining momentum and the market players were able to resume the operation sighting increase in demand.

*Definition: Train Seat Materials refers to the natural or synthetic components used in manufacturing of the train seats and train seat covers. This includes material like wool, vinyl, fabric, etc. The train seats could be manufactured using cushions or padding in the form of foam. This foam material is usually polyurethane, polyester or latex.