The dynamics in the market for partition walls in Europe’s top 5 region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy) seem to have largely ebbed away since the Corona year 2020. In 2022, the market only achieved an increase in volume of 0.8% after a 6% slump in 2021 compared to 2020, according to a study by Interconnection Consulting. Nevertheless, it should go up again moderately in the next few years.

Overall, the sales volume for the five countries examined last year was 3.4 million square meters and the sales volume was around one billion euros. Due to the increase in prices, the market for partition walls increased its turnover by 12.4% in 2022. The region with the strongest momentum was the DACH region. There, sales of partition walls rose by 4.4% in terms of quantity despite weakening completions for office buildings. By 2025, the market is expected to increase in volume by 3.3% annually. In France, the market fell by 0.3% in volume. This decline was due to companies’ declining willingness to invest, but was only intended to be temporary. Annual growth of 3.5% is forecast until 2025. In Italy, sales fell by 3.4% in terms of quantity. Quantitative volume is expected to slowly increase again over the next three years at an average rate of 1.6%. For the entire Europe top 5 region, the growth rate is 3.0% until 2025.

Flexibility required

The trend towards greater flexibility in room design shows that the demand for mobile partition walls is increasing more than for fixed solutions. Overall, the growth rate of fixed partitions is 2.5% annually until 2025, for sliding partitions 4% for the overall market. “Mobile partition walls have the advantage that they can be adapted to new spatial planning requirements, often without wasting new material,” explains Johannes Lözelt, the ecological aspect of the trend. However, the fixed partition walls still dominate with a market share of 67.9% compared to the movable segment (32.1%).

High prices lead to shifts

In terms of quantity, aluminum is the dominant material for partitions with a share of 35.4%. wood/ other achieve a market share of 28.4%. The frameless glazed variant has a market share of 26.8% in the markets examined. Due to the strong price increases of aluminum and steel, there will be a shift in demand and frameless glazed partitions will see the largest increase with an average growth of 4.4% until 2025. Aluminum expects an average growth of 2.8% until 2025. Steel glazing, which currently has a market share of around 9%, will only grow around 2.5% annually over the next few years.

The top four companies in the five countries surveyed are Clestra, Lindner, Feco and Straehle, which together hold a market share of around 13% in terms of quantity. The top 10 companies together have a market share of around 26%, in quantity.