Interconnection Consulting, a leading market research institute, has published its latest study “Industrial Doors in Europe 2024,” which reveals that the industrial door market in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland continues its decline with -2.3% drop-in units sold and a -0.6% contraction in market value. The study highlights a stark contrast between the countries: while Germany and Austria face continued declines driven by economic uncertainty and ripple effects from related industries, Switzerland defies the trend, showing growth in both units sold and market value, driven by a robust economy and a dynamic construction sector.

2024 marks another year of decline for the industrial door market in the region, with economic headwinds from inflation, rising material costs, and a slowdown in construction projects. While the market has struggled to recover post-pandemic, growth is expected to resume by 2026, as the construction sector stabilizes and consumer confidence improves. By 2027, the market is projected to reach €892 million, growing at an average rate of 4.3% per year. The competitive landscape is further complicated by the influx of low-cost producers from Asia, which has intensified price competition, forcing European manufacturers to innovate and reduce costs.

The poor performance of the construction sector has further exacerbated the market’s struggles, as new projects have slowed, and major infrastructure developments remain on hold. The resulting price war, triggered by the entry of low-cost producers from Asia, has forced manufacturers to lower prices despite increasing raw material costs. This has squeezed profit margins, leading to tighter pricing strategies and a downward trend in the market.

Despite these challenges, industrial door producers have shown resilience by doubling down on innovation. Companies are focusing on developing new materials and compounds that can reduce costs for consumers, while investing heavily in digital solutions. These innovations include smart access systems, advanced remote monitoring and automation via mobile devices, and security technologies that integrate facial recognition and artificial intelligence.

In terms of market segmentation, sectional doors remain the market leader with a 58.0% share, followed by high-speed doors at 17.0% and rolling doors in third place. Steel continues to be the dominant material, making up 64.7% of the market, with an expected increase to 65.2% by 2027. Direct distribution channels maintain a commanding 86.9% share of the market, while renovation projects slightly outpace new installations, accounting for 50.4% of total sales.

The dominance of large multinational companies like Hörmann, ASSA Abloy, Novoferm, Domoferm, Teckentrup, Condoor, and Ryterna is becoming more apparent, as these firms control 74.3% of the market. Their scale and resources allow them to weather economic downturns more effectively, maintaining market share through innovation and diversified product lines. In contrast, small and medium-sized companies have been hit harder by the crisis, struggling with tighter margins and fewer resources to compete in a price-sensitive market. These smaller players are focusing on technological advancements and product innovations to overcome the current slump.

The findings are based on a comprehensive survey of over 2,200 producers, distributors, and industry experts across Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

Price increases, political uncertainty and energy costs are having an adverse effect on the sales dynamics of the market for industrial doors in Europe. In the latest study by Interconnection Consulting, the sales forecast for the next few years has been significantly reduced. An average increase in volume of only 1.7% per year is expected until 2026.

Catch-Up Rate Slows Down

The market for industrial doors in the seven countries surveyed in Europe (see below) experienced a partial recovery as early as 2021 after the pandemic-related crash in 2020. However, after the market still grew by 3.5% in 2021, sales only increased by 1.2% in 2022. High energy costs and sharp price increases noticeably slowed sales momentum. Turnover was naturally able to grow more strongly in 2022 (+10.8%) due to inflationary conditions. Turnover will also increase by an average of 5% in the coming years. The largest increase in turnover is expected in France, with a rise of 6.9%. The dominant region for industrial doors is along the Rhine, in North Rhine-Westphalia, where there is a large sales market due to the high industrial density. Overall, Germany and France account for almost 70% of the total market volume. In comparison, Italy only has a share of 13.9%. The most important players in the European market are: Assa Abloy Group, Breda, Condoor, Novoferm, Ryterna, Teckentrup, Wisniowski.

Sectional Doors Dominate

Sectional doors are the largest product segment with almost 250,000 units sold, accounting for 54% of the market, followed by roller doors with 23.9%. In all countries except France, the market share of sectional doors is over 50%. In France, however, the share of roller doors is significantly higher than in the other countries surveyed. Steel is the most important material with a market share of more than three quarters and an above-average growth potential of 2.1% per year until 2026, followed by aluminium, which lost market share to steel last year due to high price increases. Other materials, such as PVC or mixed alloys, have a total market share of around 5%. The market share in value of the top 10 companies in the countries studied is 73.3%.

The study examined the countries: France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden

The European market for garage doors developed strongly last year. The market was able to take advantage of strong construction activity as well as economic confidence, achieving a growth in turnover of 15.8%. The strong growth also meant that the pre-crisis level was already surpassed last year, as a new study by Interconnection Consulting shows.

France Soon Stronger Than Germany

The market in the examined markets (Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden) should grow at an annual rate of 8.3% until 2024, according to the study authors. The strongest growth regions are Poland and Sweden. Germany and France account for more than 70% of the total market volume. Germany is the largest national market. In 2021, a growth of 3.7% in volume could be achieved in Germany. However, as in all other countries, the market has to cope with high price increases. Some companies in Germany took price increases of 15 to 20%. The French garage market has a market share of 35% among the countries surveyed. The annual growth rate is 5.1% until 2024. The high demand for garage doors will lead to France replacing Germany as the number one country in the next few years.

Polish Suppliers on the Rise

Sectional doors, where the door leaf is divided into several sections and closes from top to bottom, are by far the most popular type of garage door. Overall, the market share of this product group is 63.8%. Up-and-over doors are the second most important product group with a share of 24.6%. Both product groups are also growing at a similar rate to the overall market. The strongest growth is in the area of roller doors, which increased by 17.6% last year. However, the share of this product group is still small at 7.7%. The market is dominated by a number of German, Swedish and Italian producers who specialise mainly in door and entrance systems, while Polish suppliers have gained market share in some relevant niches over the past decade.

The market for industrial doors in Europe grew by 8.4% last year. The prospects for the near future are even better. A new study by Interconnection Consulting shows that the market volume will grow by 9.1% by 2024.

Germany Dominates

The study examines the markets of France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden and Poland. About three quarters of the examined market is occupied by France and Germany, with Germany accounting for 45.7% and France 29.4%. Due to rising material prices, the value of the German market as a whole will increase by 13% in 2022. In France, where prices in this segment are usually lower, some distributors have seen price increases of over 20%. France, in contrast to Germany, had suffered very strong setbacks in 2020, but in 2021 was able to halfway make up for the crash it had experienced and return to pre-crisis levels. Interconnection expects an annual growth rate of 3.9% until 2024 for France and thus a more dynamic growth than the German market (3.4%).

France is Different

Sectional doors, where the door leaf is divided into several sections and closes from top to bottom, are by far the most popular type of garage door, with a share of 52.4%, ahead of roller doors with around 27%. In the individual countries, however, there is sometimes a very different picture in the breakdown of the individual product groups. While in Germany the distribution of the product groups is very similar to the overall distribution due to the market dominance, the distribution in France looks completely different. There, roller doors are the dominant product category with over 53%, far ahead of sectional doors with 28%. The highest market share for sectional doors is in Austria with 77.8%, ahead of Switzerland. However, roller doors are the product category with the highest growth in the last year. The market is dominated by some German, Swedish and Italian producers who are mainly specialised in door and entrance systems, while Polish suppliers have gained market shares in some relevant niches over the last decade.