GLOBAL I-JOIST MARKET Challenges and Opportunities

One of the key challenges faced by the global I-joist market is improper installation techniques. While I-joists provide significant benefits over solid timber in terms of strength, lightweight properties, and cost-effectiveness, their structural performance can be severely compromised if they are not installed properly. Common installation mistakes include failing to provide adequate bearing surface, not installing required structural sheathing, insufficient fastening of the I-joist, and not following prescribed spacing and layout as specified in the engineered drawings. This can cause issues like collapse of floors, cracking of finishes, and deflection over the long run. Educating carpenters, builders and DIY consumers about best practices is important but challenging given the complexity of techniques required. Manufacturers continue to work on developing simpler installation guides and training programs to address this challenge and ensure I-joists deliver their promised benefits over the lifetime of the structure.

Global I-joist Market Opportunity - Bridging in Commercial Facilities

One of the significant opportunities for the global I-joist market is its increasing application as bridging material in commercial facilities like warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing plants. Compared to traditional solid timber beams, I-joists provide multiple advantages as bridging including higher strength-to-weight ratio, consistent quality, and lower susceptibility to warpage. Their engineered design makes them suitable for bridging over much longer spans ranging between 16 and 30 feet. This allows commercial builders greater flexibility in design and layout of large open floor plans required in industrial and logistics facilities. As infrastructure development and construction activity picks up globally especially in emerging markets, the demand for large commercial buildings is expected to rise significantly. I-joists can help address this demand by enabling rapid construction of facilities at lower costs through their bridging application. Leading manufacturers are actively marketing I-joists for this use to capture new growth opportunities.