INTRODUCTION

Although aerogels were invented in the 1930s, for many years they remained a very small, niche, industry segment. It is only recently, following the introduction of newer compositions and processing methods, that aerogels have been utilized on a scale consistent with mass production.

Aerogels represent a group of nanoporous materials possessing very unusual properties, with potential applications in a large variety of commercial sectors, ranging from electronics to mechanical/chemical, energy, and thermal insulation, among others.

There is increasing interest in the utilization of these materials for manufacturing technically advanced products. In fact, it appears that these materials are finally ready to leave the laboratory/small scale production setting and enter the mass market.

The primary reason for doing this study is to establish a market overview of the aerogel industry by quantifying sales of these materials based on their types and fields of application.

There is also a need to evaluate the current status and future trends of the aerogel industry from a global standpoint. As use of this technology expands, information on regional production, sales, and type of suppliers becomes more valuable.

In addition, many research and development activities regarding aerogels are aimed at solving technical issues and promoting the expansion of this technology on a global level. Therefore, another important reason for performing this study is to assess the current status of aerogel manufacturing methods and to illustrate the latest technological developments that can help manufacturers deploy this technology for the fabrication of innovative and technically advanced products.

SCOPE OF STUDY

This report contains:

• An historical and technical review of aerogels, including an outline of different aerogel types and their typical fabrication methods.
• A global market analysis of aerogels, including current technical issues, a review of related recent technological developments, and global aerogel revenues for each type of material by application and region.
• A presentation of market growth trends, based on industry growth, technological trends, unit price trends, and regional trends; projected aerogel revenues are included, with forecast average annual growth rates for the period 2006 through 2011.
• The global industry structure, including a complete list of aerogel suppliers with a description of their products, along with detailed company profiles.
• An extensive global patent analysis, with a summary of patents related to aerogel materials, formulations, fabrication methods, and applications.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES

The technology section of this report is based on information derived from technical literature, professional journals, author's field experience, and online sources.

Global market analysis was performed by analyzing 16 suppliers of aerogels, accounting for at least 95% of the global aerogel market. Data for each company were obtained by thoroughly analyzing SEC filings, Internet Web sites, annual reports, industry directories, industry magazines and catalogs, government sources, and other public sources.

Additional data were obtained from the direct contribution of primary sources, including: company executives, managers, engineers and other technical personnel representing manufacturers of aerogels and process equipment; representatives of academia and trade associations; and industry market analysts.

Secondary sources of information include:

• EDGAR - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commissions Filings
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• European Patent Office
• Company Web Sites
• Company Annual Reports
• Thomas Registers
• Moody's Directory
• S & P Industry Survey
• Dun & Bradstreet Business Directory
• American Ceramic Society Annual Meeting Abstract
• Foreign Chamber of Commerce Directories
• Foreign Stock Exchange Listings.

In addition to utilizing the above primary and secondary sources, market growth trends and forecasts were compiled by gaining additional insights from relevant financial and market information, relevant BCC reports, and the author's own in-depth analysis of all the information.

ANALYST CREDENTIALS

Margareth Gagliardi has over 20 years of experience in the field of advanced materials, specializing in ceramic formulations, materials processing, and new product development. She has held management positions in both manufacturing and R&D within U.S. and European firms producing electronic, mechanical, chemical and structural components. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Ceramic Engineering.