Polyurethane Composites Market - Forecast 2022-2027
Polyurethane Composites Market Overview
The Polyurethane Composites market size is forecast to reach US$820.5 million by 2027, after growing at a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Polyurethane composites are high-performance polymeric materials made from polyurethane resins. Polyurethane is a type of thermosetting polymer made up of carbamate or urethane bonds. The reaction of a polyol with di or thiocyanate produces these polymers in most cases. Polyurethane composites have excellent properties such as strong tensile strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability. Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) and vinyl ester resins (VER) are two of the most widely used thermosetting composite matrix materials. The growing use of polyurethane composites in the manufacture of fuel-efficient automobiles is likely to propel the global polyurethane composites market forward, throughout the forecast period. In addition, the rising demand for polyurethane composite-based products in the wind energy industry is expected to drive market expansion throughout the forecast period. Furthermore, owing to its exceptional mechanical and physical properties, the rising demand for thermoplastic polyurethane and polymer matrix composites in various end-use industries such as infrastructure & construction, electrical & electronics and others is a dynamic factor expected to fuel the growth of the market over the forecast period. The worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the global polyurethane composites market. The global economic downturn caused by the epidemic resulted in a huge drop in demand for automobiles across the world. This resulted in a major decline in the use of polyurethane composites in the fabrication of car body parts and other automotive applications, thereby restricting the market growth during the pandemic.
Report Coverage
The report: “Polyurethane Composites Market Report – Forecast (2022-2027)” by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments in the global synthetic resin market.
Key Takeaways
- The Asia-Pacific region is expected to lead the polyurethane composites market during the forecast period, owing to its rising demand from the building and construction, transportation, aerospace and military industries in APAC countries.
- With the increased use of polyurethane composites in the vehicle sector due to its superior mechanical, physical and light-weight features, the transportation industry is predicted to considerably contribute to the revenue growth of the polyurethane composites market.
- Temperature, heat resistance, lightweight, stability, durability, flexibility and strength of glass fiber goods as well as moisture, are driving demand and supply for glass fiber polyurethane composites, boosting the global market growth.
Figure: Asia-Pacific Polyurethane Composites Market Revenue, 2021-2027 (US$ Million)
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Polyurethane Composites Market Segment Analysis – by Type
The glass segment held a significant share in the polyurethane composites market in 2021 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Superior features of glass fiber polyurethane composites such as strength, flexibility, durability, stability, lightweight and heat resistance and moisture are responsible for the segment's growth. Because of its lighter weight, durability and heat & moisture resistance, glass fiber polyurethane composites are becoming more popular in various end-use industries such as construction, automotive, electric & electronics and more. As a result, glass fiber polyurethane composites are being increasingly used in the manufacture of numerous products across end-use industries.
Polyurethane Composites Market Segment Analysis – by End-Use Industries
The transportation segment held a significant share in the polyurethane composites market in 2021 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Lightweight, high stability, increased durability, heat resistance and outstanding 3-D foldability are the advantages of polyurethane composites. This technology is used to make trunk flooring, rear parcel shelves, sunroofs, headliners, trays and semi-structural components in cars and commercial vehicles. The expansion of the global polyurethane market is fueled by the rapid increase in demand for polyurethane composites in the automotive industry due to their reduced weight and high mechanical strength. Besides that, the increasing use of polyurethane composites to manufacture lightweight and highly durable components for commercial aircraft is expected to support the market segment's future growth. The transportation industry is growing globally. For instance, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), automotive production increased by 10% in the first nine months of 2021 to 57.26 million units, up from 52.15 million units in the same period, last year. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), by 2035, the number of automobiles will have increased to 1.7 million worldwide. Thus, the increased demand for these composites in the industry is due to the growth in demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient automobiles all over the world.
Polyurethane Composites Market Segment Analysis – by Geography
Asia-Pacific held the largest share in the polyurethane composites market in 2021, up to 42%. The strong economic growth rate is credited with the expansion, as are large investments in a variety of industries, including automotive, building and construction, electrical and electronics and wind energy. Furthermore, many government programs aimed at attracting foreign investment to support domestic demand; are expected to boost demand for polyurethane composites in this region. This is due to the widespread use of polyurethane composites across several verticals in nations such as China, India and Japan. Increased government attempts to encourage FDI influx will also raise demand for polyurethane composites. According to the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), in 2019, the automotive production in Vietnam grew by 1.2 percent and 5.5 percent from the previous year to 5,71,632 and 2,50,000 units, respectively. In November 2020, Boeing forecasted that China's airlines would spend US$1.4 trillion on 8,600 new planes and US$1.7 trillion on commercial aircraft services over the next 20 years. According to India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India’s domestic automobile production increased at a 2.36 percent CAGR from FY16 to FY20, with 26.36 million vehicles produced in FY20. Domestic auto sales increased at a 1.29 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between FY16 and FY20, with 21.55 million vehicles sold in FY20. According to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), automobile production in Japan increased in November from 6,67,462 units in October to 6,90,311 units. In addition, Japan's electrical and electronics industry is a global leader. As a result, during the forecast period, all these market trends are likely to increase demand for polyurethane composites.
Polyurethane Composites Market Driver
Increasing Building and Construction Industry
Polyurethane composites are often employed in the construction and building industries because of an increase in demand for lightweight, more robust and easily fixable (ready-made) components. They're found in window frame stiffeners, sliding door still frames, lightweight laminate panels, cladding panels and a variety of other applications. The Building and Construction Industry is growing globally. According to International Trade Administration, between 2022 and 2030, China is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8.6% on average, making it the world's largest construction market. According to the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), between April 2000 and December 2021, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the construction development (townships, housing, built-up infrastructure and construction development projects) and construction (infrastructure) activity sectors totaled US$ 26.17 billion and US$ 26.30 billion, respectively. Infrastructure operations accounted for 13% on an overall FDI inflows of US$ 81.72 billion in fiscal year 21. Thus, significant growth in the building and construction industry is fueling the polyurethane composites’ growth in the market.
Technology Advancements Related to Recycled Polyurethane Composites
The polyurethane composites market is expected to grow in response to the rising demand for waste products generated from polyurethane composites for recycling, which are subsequently used as flakes, pellets and powders. There are many recycling procedures for material and chemical recycling of PU materials, with regrinding and glycolysis being by far the most important, have significantly contributed to enhancing the overall image of polyurethane recyclability in recent years. Polyurethane rigid foams and composites can now be recycled in a new, efficient and cost-effective method. The development of recycling processes for polyurethane composites, such as glycolysis and regrinding, has accelerated the global market. Technology advancements are predicted to provide a feasible and cost-effective path for recycling polyurethane composites, recovering important energy value and avoiding the usage of fossil fuels, all of which would help to increase energy recovery.
Polyurethane Composites Market Challenges
Fluctuating Raw Material prices
Price fluctuations in raw materials are a significant concern for the global polyurethane composites market. Raw material prices, such as epoxy, polyurethane and silicone, fluctuated significantly in recent years. Polyols, which are used in the manufacturing of polyurethane, are costly since they are produced from crude oil which often fluctuates in price. Price volatility results in a scarcity of raw materials. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2021 report, crude oil prices have fluctuated in recent years. For instance, the Brent crude oil price decreased from US$52.39/bbl in 2015 to US$43.73/bbl in 2016, then increased from US$54.19/bbl in 2017 to US$71.31/bbl in 2018 and then decreased to US$41.84/bbl in 2020. This results in a considerable increase in resin prices, which drives up manufacturing costs and reduces manufacturers' profit margins, thereby limiting the polyurethane market growth.
Polyurethane Composites Industry Outlook
Technology launches, acquisitions and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the polyurethane composites market. The polyurethane composites market’s top 10 companies are:
- BASF SE
- ELANTAS
- Covestro AG
- Linecross
- Huntsman International LLC
- Henkel Corporation
- Webasto Group
- Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.
- SGL Group
- Toray Industries Inc.
Recent Developments
- In August 2021, Ru-bix launched a new polyurethane tooling board formula. Ru-bix, a thermoset tooling board specialist, has created a whole new chemical formula for their 1200 density board.
- In February 2021, Henkel Adhesive Technologies (Düsseldorf, Germany) announced that it would participate in a research study led by Boeing Germany to find ways to reduce the carbon footprint of composite aerospace parts. Using its Loctite and Bonderite resins, the company will also construct epoxy and polyurethane composite samples with carbon fibers supplied by Teijin Carbon.
- In February 2020, Toyota Boshoku Corporation, a car component manufacturer in Japan, has chosen Covestro to collaborate on the development of a new polyurethane composite material for Toyota Motor Corporation's new electric concept car "LQ".
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