Frost & Sullivan: Automotive Carbon Fiber Composites to Grow at a Staggering Growth Rate until 2017

- 90 percent of CFRP automotive applications use carbon-epoxy composites; with the remaining composed of carbon fibers and thermoplastic materials

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, July 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuel efficiency and low carbon emission regulations are playing a major role in raising global demand to incorporate lightweight composites and replace metal parts in automotive components. Furthermore, major Western economies have begun to witness increased consumer spending, particularly in the luxury and super-luxury car segments, the majority of which utilize carbon composite components.

Analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.chemicals.frost.com), Supply Chain Analysis of the Automotive Carbon Fiber Composites Market finds that the market earned revenues of $14.70 million in 2010. This is likely to reach $95.50 million by 2017. Growth is expected to be rapid with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.6 percent.

If you are interested in more information on this research, please send an email to Jeannette Garcia, Corporate Communications, at jeannette.garcia@frost.com, with your full name, company name, job title, telephone number, company email address, company website, city, state and country.

Reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from passenger vehicles is correlated with the overall weight reduction of the vehicle. This will help European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) meet the low carbon emission regulations. The U.S. automakers will also able to achieve the set average fleet fuel efficiency target of 35.0 miles per gallon (mpg) to 39.0 mpg by 2016, in the wake of the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) legislation.

"However, the high costs of carbon fiber and existing production techniques results in higher manufacturing cycle times, which leads to low-volume production," notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Sandeepan Mondal. "Further, there are concerns over providing a waste disposal/recycling system for carbon composite parts, as well as substitution threats from glass-fiber-reinforced plastics." In addition, there is a lack of general engineering experience among OEMs that are reluctant to move away from the metal-based assembly lines, which they have already heavily invested in.

To reduce the overall system cost of automotive components, automotive carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) suppliers should implement new fabrication techniques for CFRP parts such as resin transfer molding (RTM). This could also serve well to reduce the cycle times. Since these high-performance plastics and polymers are lightweight, they are also incorporated into the interiors and in under-the-hood parts, thus reducing the weight of the vehicle.

Carbon-epoxy composites are best suited for automotive applications, given their high tensile strength, fire-retardant properties, and high fatigue resistance. All of these advantages have created increasing awareness of CFRP among automotive OEMs with regard to crashworthiness, styling and parts consolidation.

"CFRPs provide a better alternative to metals and glass-reinforced plastics, as well as innovative fabrication methods should enable high-throughput production," said Mondal. "Hence, an optimum balance between cost and performance can be achieved, which will aid in compliance with fuel economy legislations worldwide."

Further, top-rung automotive companies are collaborating with carbon fiber suppliers to ensure long-term supply and rein in price fluctuations.

Technologically advanced manufacturing techniques, the decreasing prices of CFRPs due to high-volume production, and the increasing frequency of high-value joint development agreements between carbon fiber manufacturers and OEMS are positively influencing the demand for carbon fiber composites.

The widespread adoption of CFRPs in alternative vehicles such as electric/hybrid and fuel cell vehicles, and CO2 emission regulations mandated by the European and U.S. parliaments are also expected to drive the automotive carbon fiber composites market globally.

Supply Chain Analysis of the Automotive Carbon Fiber Composites Market is part of the Chemicals & Materials Growth Partnership Services program, which also includes research in the following markets: Prevalent Substitution Trends within Materials and Chemicals in Automotive Lightweighting, European Markets for High Performance Polymers, Global Markets for Plastics in Passenger Vehicles, European Markets for Naturally-reinforced Plastic Composites, Automotive Light Weighting Mega Trend Effect on Chemicals and Materials Demand. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants.

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

• The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.
• The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible. This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?

Contact Us:     Start the discussion

Join Us:           Join our community

Subscribe:       Newsletter on "the next big thing"

Register:         Gain access to visionary innovation

Supply Chain Analysis of the Automotive Carbon Fiber Composites Market
N9CB-39