Railways are considered the most effective mode of transportation, and therefore the railway industry continues to play an important role within the economic development of various countries across the globe. Rail seats are the most vital part of rail interiors, and they provide the passenger comfort & safety while traveling. Moreover, rail seats are manufactured from differing types of materials such as wool, leather, vinyl, fabric, and others. The rail seats are also manufactured using padding or cushioning for comfortable seating. The foam materials used are generally silicone, polyurethane, polyester, or other types of foams such as latex. Seat covers are made up of leather, vinyl, fabric, and others. Furthermore, fabric materials utilized in rail seats include velvets and soft cloths. Leather material comprises artificial and natural leather, while vinyl is a man-made synthetic material. In addition, the various types of rail seats are such as smart seats, regular, dining, recliner, and folding seats. Usually, regular seats or standard seats are installed in all types of trains, while recliner seats are more comfortable and installed in business class trains. The folding seats are provided in sleeper trains to comfort passengers with extra room for sitting when folded.
COVID-19 Impact Analysis
- Due to COVID-19, the government across all countries declared lockdown and various other restrictions. The imposed lockdown on the rail industry had disrupted railway manufacturing and the demand for transportation via railway has also fallen. Moreover, due to social distancing norms and other restrictions led to the unavailability of labor and delay in the manufacturing process. Since the manufacturing of railway is halted the demand for rail seats has been affected. Furthermore, the raw material required for the manufacturing of rail seats was also unavailable which disrupted the whole operation. Globally railway is an evolving sector that was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is expected in the post-pandemic phase the rise in demand for railways will boost the growth of the rail seat market.
Top Impacting Factors
Rise in passenger travelling via railways, increase in government investment for railway development, and surge in demand for safety features in high-speed trains are expected to drive the growth of the market.
However, high infrastructure & capital cost and lack of high level of technical expertise hamper growth of the market.
Moreover, rise in global railway market, rise in passenger demand for comfort, and introduction of new train act as an opportunity for growth of the market.
Market Trends
Government investment for railway development
- Various developing countries such as India, China, Japan, and others have increased their investment towards the development of their railways. Since the development of railways also strengthens the economy of the country.
- For instance, European Union (EU) has funded many programs that aim at boosting railway development in Europe. Shift2rail, a research, and innovation project for railways received funding of $531 million from the EU and $555 million from the private sector for the. Shift2rail’s main objective is to decrease life cycle costs and increase rail capacity. Under Shift2rail, the X2Rail-1 project aims at innovations, automation, and development in railway communication and signaling by 2020.
- Moreover, Chile on Rails is a highly ambitious government undertaken by the Chilean government with an investment of $5 billion to turn around the railway infrastructure and network in the country. The project is planned to start in 2020 and aims at tripling the annual passenger numbers from 50 million to 150 million and doubling the cargo volume by 2027. The plan includes 27 security and infrastructure projects and 1000 km of railway lines. Thus, government investment in railway developments is expected to drive the growth of the rail seat market.
Global railway market
- Railways have proven to be the safest and secure mode of transportation throughout the decade. Thus, with government support, the global railway market is on the rise.
- For instance, in North America, the construction of 593 km of light transit rail covering nearly 452 stations are planned to be completed by 2035.
- India too is making heavy investments to upgrade its rail transportation system. Owing to the growth in population, increase in intercity trade and commuting, upcoming metro projects and extension of existing lines, the Indian rail seat market is witnessing a steady growth. As of 2019, India has 716 km of operational metro lines and nearly 620 km of metro track under construction. Another 600 km of track is planned for the future. Indian Government is also considering a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Moreover, Seat manufacturing firms such as Seats Inc. are producing wall-mounted seats to incorporate space-saving design elements that will help in accommodating more passengers in a coach.
- Seats Inc. has also introduced an Elastomeric Vibration Control (EVC) series of rail seats in 2018 that reduces the vibrations and shocks felt by the commuter.
- Furthermore, China’s Medium and Long-Term Railway Plan (MLTRP) has been extended. The plan includes the development of 100,000 km of the national route including 12000 km of High-Speed Rail network. All these development in the global railway market act as an opportunity for the growth of the rail seat market.
Key Benefits of the Report
- This study presents the analytical depiction of the rail seat market along with the current trends and future estimations to determine the imminent investment pockets.
- The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with the challenges of the rail seat market.
- The current market is quantitatively analyzed to highlight the rail seat market growth scenario.
- The report provides a detailed rail seat market analysis based on competitive intensity and how the competition will take shape in the coming years.
- Questions Answered in the Report
- Which are the leading market players active in the rail seat market?
- What would be the detailed impact of COVID-19 on the market?
- What current trends would influence the market in the next few years?
- What are the driving factors, restraints, and opportunities in the rail seat market?
- What are the projections for the future that would help in taking further strategic steps?
Rail Seat Market Report Highlights
| Aspects | Details |
 By Train Type |
|
 By Seat Type |
|
 By Rail Car Type |
|
| By Seat Cover |
|
 By Foam Material |
|
 By Sales Channel |
|
 By Region |
|
 Key Market Players | Franz Kiel GmbH, Freedman Seating Company, Compin-Fiansa, Transcal Company, Rescroft Ltd, Kustom Seating Unlimited Inc, Rojac Urethane Limited, Magna International Inc, Flexo Foam Pvt. Ltd., Delimajaya Group |
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