The world market for pressure-sensitive tapes is expected to climb at a 5.5 percent annual pace through 2006, says a new study by The Freedonia Group, Inc. The Cleveland-based market researcher forecasts p-s tape production to reach 25.4 billion sq meters four years hence, with materials valued at $20.8 billion.

Gains from a depressed 2001 base will be supported by a global economic recovery, which will boost fixed investment, motor-vehicle output, corrugated packaging demand and other tape-intensive sectors of the economy, Freedonia says.

Corrugated-carton sealing tapes will continue to account for more than two-thirds of aggregate volume sales. Tapes will make further inroads at the expense of competitive carton-sealing media such as glues and mechanical fasteners. Rising corrugated-box sales will also bode well for packaging tape demand, the report says.

The North American market for p-s tape will rise 3.3 percent a year between 2001-2006, reaching 6.76 billion sq meters. Western European demand will increase at nearly the same rate—3.1 percent a year—to 5.32 billion sq meters.

The Asia-Pacific Region is predicted by Freedonia to show much stronger p-s tape demand, about 8.5 percent a year, to 10.25 billion sq meters. Of this total, the People's Republic of China will top all markets with a 12 percent annual rise, reaching 6.04 billion sq meters of production in 2006, the study says.