ESM: the liquid screed market - France

A fluid screed is a layer of self-levelling mortar applied to a floor surface to create a flat, uniform base. It is often used in construction as a base for floor coverings such as tiles, parquet, resilient coverings such as carpet and linoleum, resin, vinyl or paint-based coatings. There are two types of fluid screed. There is anhydrite fluid screed, based on calcium sulfate, water, sand and additives, and cement fluid screed, based on calcium sulfate, water, sand and additives. Confusion between "fluid screed" and "liquid screed" is common in the construction industry, but it's important to distinguish between them. These terms are frequently used interchangeably to describe fluid screeds. However, "liquid screed" refers specifically to a brand marketing anhydrite-based fluid screeds. This study aims to analyze fluid screeds as a whole, focusing on liquid screeds where possible. Fluid screeds increasingly dominate the building and civil engineering market, accounting for over 60% of screeds used in single-family homes, a percentage that is rising steadily. It's a market in transformation, facing the challenges of declining real estate transactions and housing construction, and growing competition from cement-based fluid screeds, which are gaining a foothold in the market thanks to their extremely short drying times. The sector is no stranger to innovation, with the main focus on equipment and machinery for screed production and installation. The challenge here is twofold: the rising cost of energy caused by the shortage of semiconductors/increasing diesel prices, and a desire to make more ecological a sector responsible for 2% of France's carbon emissions.