Changes in production of various molding processes/materials in European composite production (unit: 10,000 tons)
Market segment review
SMC/BMC
In 2023, the processing volume of SMC (sheet molding compound) and BMC (bulk molding compound) in Europe was 281,000 tons, and their products are the largest market segment in the thermosetting FRP industry. This semi-finished product is formed into products by compression molding and injection molding.
SMC/BMC is mainly used for (large-scale) series production of products. Both materials have been successfully used in the electrical/electronics and transportation industries for many years. These two uses together account for an estimated 90% of the SMC/BMC market, of which the transportation industry accounts for more than 60% of the total.
Typical application products include headlight systems, lampshades, control cabinets, housings and external components for commercial vehicles, cars and public transportation vehicles. In recent years, the application in the field of electric transportation has been increasing, especially in battery boxes, covers and charging infrastructure.
Non-crimp fabrics
The main application areas of non-crimp fabrics are wind power and shipbuilding. There are also applications in the fields of transportation, public transportation, sports and entertainment, construction and infrastructure.
Despite the current weak market in Europe, the future market for non-crimp fabrics is expected to show a very positive trend, mainly driven by wind energy.
Open Moulding
The open moulding methods – hand lay-up and spraying – remain one of the largest segments for FRP in Europe. However, this segment also declines significantly in 2023.
Overall, open moulding methods will still make an important contribution to GRP production in the coming years. Due to their low investment costs, these processes are often the method of choice, especially in special production, one-off production or small batches.
RTM
In this report, RTM (resin transfer moulding) includes all processes where the resin is injected/infused into a closed mold cavity, such as HP-RTM, P-RTM, RTM Light, etc., but does not include those RTM processes using the above-mentioned non-crimp fabrics.
The manufacturing range of this technology is very wide and the process variations are very diverse. In addition to small batches, larger product series can be produced. Both small and large products can be produced. In addition, a wide range of different fibers and matrix resins can be used. Appropriate preforms are generally also used.
Continuous Forming
Continuous forming refers to pultrusion and flat sheet manufacturing.
FRP flat sheets have been manufactured for many years and are mainly used in vehicles (e.g. truck side panels), RV superstructures or for commercial vehicle conversion. They are also used as exterior panels for buildings.
Pultrusion is used to produce continuous profiles. Like SMC/BMC technology and thermoplastic reinforced plastic processes, pultrusion is generally considered to have excellent prospects.
Pipes and Tanks
The market for FRP pipes and tanks manufactured by centrifugal casting or winding fell by 12.3% in 2023, the largest decline in the market.
The main application areas of FRP pipes and tanks are plant construction, public and private pipeline construction, oil/gas industry and chemical industry.
LFT/GMT/CFRTP
In 2023, the production of LFT (long fiber reinforced thermoplastics), GMT (glass mat reinforced thermoplastics) and CFRTP (continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics) decreased compared with the previous year. This market segment is particularly associated with the transportation industry.
Short glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics
These materials contain glass fibers that are generally less than 2 mm long. Although their properties differ greatly from those of long-fiber and continuous-fiber-reinforced plastics, they still offer significantly higher performance levels than unreinforced materials, with a positive effect on the modulus of elasticity and stiffness in particular. As the fiber length increases, the strength and impact properties of the material also increase. The plastics used are mainly polyamides, followed by polypropylene, which account for more than 80% of the plastics used. In the above-mentioned LFT sectors, polypropylene is the most widely used.
Short glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics remain by far the largest market segment in the European composites industry, with a production volume of 1.3 million tonnes in 2023.
Other composites: carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and natural fiber-reinforced plastics
The market for carbon fiber-reinforced plastics develops very dynamically in 2023, with an increase of 10.5% compared to 2022, and the total volume in Europe increases to 63,000 tonnes.
Regarding natural fiber-reinforced plastics, no new information is available. The largest application area for natural fiber-reinforced plastics is the automotive industry, followed by the consumer goods industry. Flax, hemp, jute and kenaf are mainly processed. The main molding method is compression molding, but injection molding and extrusion are also used.
