Hollow Concrete Block Market Size, Growth and Trends

The concrete masonry unit (CMU), more often known as a concrete block, is one of the most popular building materials of the twentieth-first century. It has successfully replaced red brick and other traditional building units. Since concrete blocks have several advantages over red bricks, their production is expected to expand exponentially in international and domestic markets. The market size of concrete blocks is ever increasing, and it is considered that concrete blocks will phase out the use and production of bricks within a decade. Basically, concrete blocks are categorized into two types: hollow and solid blocks. Among the two, the hollow block has already been dominating the market because of its superior performance. 

Hollow blocks are manufactured using four basic raw materials: cement, sand, water, and aggregates, and come in different shapes and sizes according to the requirements of the construction projects. They are used to manufacture floors, walls, and structures inside and outside of construction projects. Not only as infrastructure units, hollow blocks are also being used for ornamental structures and many other creative and versatile purposes. Since the late 20th century, the demand for hollow concrete blocks has skyrocketed due to their structural and financial benefits. Rapid infrastructure development worldwide has led to high returns on investment in hollow block production, which is expected to completely replace traditional bricks in the near future. Due to the increasing market demand, brick kiln owners and new entrepreneurs have already been investing in hollow block manufacturing. The global, as well as national market analysis of hollow block manufacturing, shows a high boost in growth in the forecast period. This article briefly delineates the current market condition of hollow concrete blocks and the expected growth predicted by market trends and forecasts.

Hollow Block Market Overview

The United Nations projects that by the year 2050, the total number of people on the planet will surpass 9 billion. Obviously, as the population grows, more resources are required to meet the demands of both infrastructure and housing. Similarly, the demand for hollow blocks, which are superior to other masonry units, will increase as hollow concrete blocks will be considered for every type of construction project.

The global market for hollow concrete blocks is expected to reach USD 500 billion by 2030, expanding at a 5% CAGR (competitive annual growth rate) from its estimated value of USD 322 billion in 2021 over the forecast period 2022-2030.

For the period between 2022 and 2030, the hollow block manufacturing market in Bangladesh is projected to grow from its current value of 2 billion BDT to 8 billion BDT, representing a significant portion of the construction unit market.

Segmental Condition of Global Hollow Block Market

The global market share of hollow concrete blocks can be well understood by segmenting it into three criteria: product type, region, and application. 

Based on product types:

The global market is divided into two segments according to the type of hollow block product: split-faced and smooth-faced hollow blocks. The biggest difference between these two kinds of products is how smooth their surfaces are. In split-faced blocks, the outside surface is typically hand-chiseled to offer a textured-looking and rough surface. On the other hand, in smooth-faced blocks, the exterior surface is given a smooth appearance by keeping a flat and leveled surface. This results in the surface having a more uniform appearance. Between the two products, the split-faced hollow blocks dominate the market and are estimated to grab a share of an expected value of USD 290 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 5%. Split-faced blocks are used for building commercially important infrastructures such as municipal buildings, entertainment centers, institutions, etc. Moreover, they are also being utilized in building load-bearing walls and the exterior walls of residential buildings and condominiums too. Read this article to find out about hollow blocks in Bangladesh.

Based on regional segments:

The global hollow concrete block market share is divided into five segments, region-wise: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central and South America, and the Middle East and Africa. 

Among these segments, the Asia-Pacific region is in the lead of the global market. This region is anticipated to reach an expected value of USD 250 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 6%. The key factors behind the dominant role of the Asia-Pacific region are the increasing population along with increasing infrastructure needs, the rise of the developing nations, availability of raw materials and skilled labor at low cost. Bangladesh, being a south Asian nation, has also contributed significantly in the growth of the hollow block market with a revenue of 360 million yearly from hollow block manufacturing industries. 

The second largest region of the global hollow block market is North America. Estimated to reach an expected value of USD 190 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.5%, the North American region’s market growth is driven by the rising demand for housing as well as renovation projects. Another dominant factor that aided the market growth is promoting sustainable construction practices for both residential and commercial infrastructures.  

Based on application:

The application-based segmentation of concrete blocks can be categorized into two types: residential and non-residential applications.  The non-residential application segment has been leading the market growth with an estimation to reach an expected value of USD 305 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 5%.  The non-residential application includes commercial and industrial building construction. Commercial infrastructures constitute offices, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, institutions, etc. The industrial sector comprises factories, production plants, processing units, etc. Industrial infrastructures require a bulk amount of hollow blocks as they are generally massive in size. Expansion of industries and commercial projects has led the path of growth of the global hollow block market and is anticipated to continue at a swift pace.

Key Market Drivers of Hollow Concrete Block

It should not come as a surprise that the market for hollow blocks has expanded across the globe; in fact, the utilization of hollow concrete blocks should have become more commonplace much earlier. The market’s expansion can be attributed to a number of factors, the most important of which are the product’s core characteristics and the simplicity with which it can be employed. The dominant factors include:

1. Sustainability

With the rising horror of global warming and climate change, it is high time humans promoted and implemented the use of sustainable alternatives in all cases, including energy, construction, industrial processes, and more. Traditional bricks used for the construction of buildings for decades are manufactured by burning coal. Brick manufacturing kilns, therefore, cause black carbon and air pollution produced by the burning of coal.  Global reports show that brick kilns are responsible for over 1072 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide emissions contribute majorly to the rise of global temperatures, leading to ecological disaster. 

So, what is the alternative solution to the damage brick kilns are causing? Hollow blocks come as the savior. Concrete block manufacturing does not cause air pollution. In fact, the concrete industry has reduced carbon emissions by 19% since 1990. Furthermore, hollow concrete block manufacturing industries use highly recycled materials throughout the production process. For this sustainable and eco-friendly characteristic, the hollow block market has witnessed rapid growth in the global market. This can also be considered a primary factor for the expansion of hollow block manufacturing. 

2. Core features

The hollow concrete block’s basic characteristics are attractive enough to draw the consumer’s attention. Hollow blocks offer a wide range of useful attributes to stand out in the construction industry. Most popular features include good acoustic performance, fire resistance and disaster resistance including floods and earthquakes. Another attractive feature of hollow blocks is thermal mass, which helps to provide a stable temperature all over the infrastructure year-round, i.e., in all seasons. Buildings made with hollow blocks are also pest resistant and less prone to damage caused by humidity. All these characteristics have made hollow concrete blocks a competitive opponent against other masonry units in the market. These features enable the house owner to avoid extra costs for regular servicing, which is a definite requirement if the building is built with anything other than hollow blocks. These features are the key components of the mushrooming market demand for hollow concrete blocks as masonry units. 

3. Cost-effectiveness

Construction with hollow blocks requires less time and effort compared to the traditional methods. Adhering hollow blocks to one another by construction glue or mortar – is the basic procedure of construction with concrete hollow blocks. The procedures do not require intricate effort like other construction methods and can be considered very swift and easy in comparison. The speedy method also means a lower cost of labor as a shorter amount of time is required from supervising personnel. All these factors ultimately result in the overall cost reduction of the construction process. This economically efficient feature of hollow blocks is another key driver of the global market’s growth. 

4. Durability and endurance

Hollow concrete block-built infrastructures are multiple times more durable than brick-built infrastructures. Furthermore, hollow block-built houses are less affected by environmental and external factors and have higher endurance as well as long-lasting capacity compared to other masonry units. Any builder will want to opt for hollow blocks over bricks and other materials if they get to learn about their durability. 

5. Energy-efficient nature

Hollow blocks have the capability to create a thermal building envelope that enables energy conversion. This feature results in maintaining an even temperature throughout the entire structure, which deducts the requirements of external heating, ventilation, or air conditioning systems. In this way, hollow block-built structures save energy and reduce the harmful impacts that ventilation or air conditioning systems have on our environment. 

6. Low maintenance

Environmental factors, such as humidity, pests, and natural catastrophes, are common causes of infrastructure and house damage. Due to the ever-occurring nature of these factors, routine service and repair of home are essential. But building infrastructures with hollow concrete blocks negates this damage-prone nature and reduces the overall maintenance cost and effort throughout its lifetime. Many customers are drawn in by this particular aspect. 

Key Market Trends

Analysis of the concrete block market as a whole reveals that the need for hollow blocks is only going to increase. Some key market trends retrieved from different market analyses can include :

• The commercial sector will dominate the future market for hollow concrete blocks with the increased demand for commercial infrastructure. Large-scale consumerism will drive market growth in this sector.
• The Asia-Pacific region will continue to be the fastest growing hollow block industry in the global market. The rapid expansion of infrastructure due to the upgrading of developing nations and urbanization, as well as raw material availability, will fuel this pace. 
• Because of its eco-friendly characteristics, the hollow block industry will replace the brick industry within a decade. 
• The fluctuating rate of the raw materials can cause hindrance to the market’s growth but the availability has so far been sufficient according to global requirements.

Competitive Landscape

The global market comprises a few massive players and a large number of small players operating in the hollow block manufacturing field. Major global companies include Cemex S.A.B. de C.V., UltraTech Cement Ltd., Brampton Brick Ltd., Acme Brick Company, Xella Group, Midland Brick, and Taylor Concrete Products Inc., etc. 

Companies like Mir concrete block, Meghna group of industries, and Concord concrete blocks are the leading manufacturers of hollow blocks in Bangladesh, comprising almost 20% of the market share.

COVID-19 Pandemic Scenario Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic had a massive negative impact on the global economic situation. The effects extended to all sectors of the global market, including hollow concrete blocks. The concrete block market experienced a slowdown in the generation of revenue due to the lockdown situation and a halt in the construction projects. Major industries have overcome the loss by getting back on track with the improvement of the pandemic situation. However, many small industries failed to shield against the blowback and have suffered huge losses. As the post-COVID-19 situation has escalated to an almost normal situation globally, the hollow block market has risen again with new innovative marketing and is expected to maintain calculated growth within the forecast period.

Summary 

Hollow concrete blocks as masonry units have a promising future in the global market with a growth rate of 5% CAGR, grabbing up to 500 billion USD share within the forecast period 2022-2030. Hollow concrete blocks have multiple useful aspects compared to conventional building materials, and those are the driving factors behind the boom in the market. They are the eco-friendliest and most cost-effective alternative for construction projects, without a doubt. The pandemic situation affected the rising hollow block market negatively but the situation is improving with the normalization of the day-to-day economy, recovering from the pandemic caused the loss. 

F.A.Q.

What is the size of the current global hollow concrete block market?

Ans. The current global hollow concrete block market is worth 320 billion USD, with an expected growth of up to 500 billion USD within 2030.

What are the key driving factors behind the flourishing hollow block market?

Ans. Hollow concrete block’s sustainable, durable, and cost-efficient features are the key drivers of its growth in the global market. 

Which regional segment has the fastest growth in the hollow concrete block global market? 

Ans. The Asia-Pacific region has surpassed the rest of the world in manufacturing hollow concrete blocks and is considered the fastest growing among global markets.

Which application segment is expected to grab the largest share of the hollow block market? 

Ans. The non-residential aka commercial and industrial application segment is anticipated to grow with the largest share in the hollow block market within the forecast period. 

Who are the leading competitors in the hollow block industry in Bangladesh? 

Ans. Mir concrete block, Concord concrete block, and Meghna group of industries are dominating the hollow block industry of Bangladesh.