Worldwide LFRT Competitive Analysis and Leadership Study 2008 Publication date: September 2008, Total 136 pages, 60 figures/charts and 10 tables.            Long fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (LFRTs) are one of the most dynamic and fastest growing materials in the plastics industry today. Although the materials have been around for several decades, advances in technology and increased acceptance in the automotive market have been the major driving forces for their rapid growth. LFRT competes with a wide range of materials, including short fiber reinforced engineering plastic, glass mat thermoplastic (GMT), sheet molding compound/ bulk molding compound (SMC/BMC), D-LFT and metals. This broad competitive arena will result in new applications and markets fueling continued growth.             Low cost producers will win most of the volume growth. This is inevitable with production overcapacity, high growth rates, automotive volume influence and savvy negotiations by buyers with knowledge of the benefits of LFT. Niche suppliers will seek margins in product differentiation. Not surprisingly, this current environment has attracted considerable attention from the investment community as well as potential customers interested in alternative materials. The LFT market is shifting from a seller “push” to a buyer “pull” situation. LFT is no longer an emerging technology, but neither is it mature. It is showing some elements of commoditization, however. Automotive end users, as well as Tier 1 suppliers are well aware of the benefits of LFT. Materials suppliers are repositioning their companies by developing innovative product marketing strategies. LFT suppliers are opening up manufacturing plants in high growth markets – China, Korea. For example, Ticona and RTP recently started domestic productions of LFT materials in China and SABIC opened up a plant in Korea.               The world's leading LFRT producers are also closely monitoring competitive activities in an attempt to navigate the landscape more adeptly and to capture as much share as possible. In virtually every respect, these producers are seeking to establish a tangible competitive advantage in the marketplace through the implementation of innovative strategies and creative product development capabilities.             Lucintel's Leadership Quadrant considers a variety of critical factors – from management effectiveness to product range to market strength to financial strength– and then ranks each firm accordingly on the grid for quick comparison. This report answers following key questions: What are the market shares of LFRT suppliers in automotive, industrial goods and consumer goods market? Who are the market leaders in various regions and what are their market shares? Which companies are more aligned with market opportunities and which companies have more ability to gain market share? What are the key differentiators for major LFRT suppliers? Which company has the widest product range and how the product mapping looks among various players? Which companies will gain market share and who will lose market shares in future?             The dynamics of the LFRT industry extends beyond routine macro-economic elements of supply and demand. It is the relationship between buyer's needs and seller's capabilities as well as the macroeconomic forces at work that affect the market. It is how well and how efficiently the sellers meet the needs of the buyers that determine long-term success. In Lucintel's newest competitive research study on the world's leading LFRT producers, “Worldwide LFRT Competitive Analysis and Leadership Study 2008”, we thoroughly profile the following seven companies with detailed competitive assessments of the following organizations: SABIC Europe BV SABIC IP Ticona RTP TechnoCompound FACT Chisso         The detailed analysis of each company offers a critical view into key strategic areas, including: LFRT producer target markets Key differentiators, strengths, competitors Product line overview, positioning, and mapping Market position in global LFRT business Revenue breakdown by market segments and regions Global manufacturing operations Innovation and market leadership Marketing, sales, and organizational capabilities Management commitment and track record Financial strength            Collected from a series of primary vendor interviews and secondary sources, Lucintel also provides its own scorecard for determining which of these companies is better aligned with future market opportunities and which has the ability to gain additional market share.  Using its proprietary research methodology, Lucintel developed a comparative analysis named the Lucintel Leadership Quadrant which identifies leaders and challengers in the LFRT industry. Leadership closely examined and rated each LFRT maker on two primary criteria as shown below:  1. Alignment with market opportunity             2. Ability to gain market share             Over the past 12 months, the level of demand for carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced composites has steadily increased in striking parallel with the number of industrial applications using composite materials. From aerospace, to sporting goods, to wind energy, carbon fiber is rapidly gaining acceptance as an alternative material to metals, wood and plastics and is becoming more widely recognized for its high-performance characteristics.             Yet, for those firms that produce carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced composites, many of these companies are approaching market opportunities with starkly different strategies. In a major new research report, Worldwide Carbon Fiber Competitive Analysis and Leadership Study 2007, Lucintel's analysts examine and profile seven of the world's leading carbon fiber producers – a full competitive analysis from target markets, to product mapping, to selling strategy, to production capabilities. Leadership closely examined and rated each carbon fiber maker on two primary criteria as shown below:  1. Alignment with market opportunity 2. Ability to gain market share      Ability to gain market share was analyzed using following parameters: Product portfolio Financial strength Asset position Execution skill Customer experience        Alignment with market opportunity was analyzed using following parameters: Target growth markets New product development Corporate and functional strategy Presence within the industry           In addition to the Lucintel Leadership Quadrant, this comprehensive research report also offers for consumers of LFRT as well as the investment community content-rich comparative analyses detailing which producers have the production capacity, service capabilities and vision to deliver fully on its promises.   For detailed table of content and pricing information for US customers on this report, please e-mail Helpdesk@Lucintel.com  or call 972-636-5056     For UK customers please e-mail saleseurope@Lucintel.com  or call +44 20 7558 8798 For Denmark customers please e-mail saleseurope@Lucintel.com  or call +45 36 93 49 98 For Hong Kong customers please e-mail salesapac@Lucintel.com  or call +852 8199 0548 For Australian customers please e-mail salesapac@Lucintel.com  or call +61 2 8011 4771 For Indian customers please e-mail helpdesk@Lucintel.com  or call +91.11.46563542, +91.9810808213 in New Delhi, +91-771-4059008 +91.771.4024552 in Raipur.              Lucintel is a Dallas , Texas ( USA ) based global market intelligence and business consulting firm that has been delivering results of significant value and long term growth for last 9 years. We analyze and predict market and technology trends so that our clients can make strategic and fact-based decisions. We provide insights, competitive analyses and forecasts for the various industries such as automotive, aerospace, wind energy, boat, construction, sporting goods and other. Lucintel has an extensive background in materials, markets and technologies aspects of the composites industry that support executive decision making. Lucintel's customers include many small to Fortune 500 companies such as 3M, AT Kearney, AOC, ACG, Airbus, Ashland, BAH, BCG, Callaway Golf, Cytec, Dow Chemical, Dow Corning, Engelhard, General Electric, General Motors, Hexcel, Lockheed Martin, Mitsubishi, Owens Corning, PPG, Pratt and Whitney, Saint Gobain, Toray, True-Temper, ZCL, Zeon Chemical and more.