Statistics: trends in production of fibre reinforced composite materials in Europe, October 2023

Statistics: trends in production of fibre reinforced composite materials in Europe, October 2023

This report includes statistical data and analysis of fibre reinforced composite materials production in Europe, and it provides breakdowns for each of the following categories: thermoplastics; thermosets; and carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs). Also, it provides an outlook for the future. European production of fibre reinforced composite materials is estimated to have declined by 6.1% to 2.8 mn tons in 2022. The decline represented the third in four years and it reflected sharp increases in the costs of raw materials, energy and logistics--primarily as a result of the war in Ukraine. The largest segment of the European thermoplastic composites industry in 2022 was that of short fibre reinforced thermoplastics while the remainder was accounted for by glass mat reinforced thermoplastics (GMT), long fibre reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) and continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP). Within the total for thermoset composites, the largest segment in 2022 was that of sheet moulding compound (SMC) components and bulk moulding compound (BMC) components. Second in importance was that of non-crimp fabrics, followed by products made using open mould processes, sheet components and pultruded components made using continuous processes, products made using resin transfer moulding (RTM), and pipes and tanks. Looking ahead, the European composites industry is expected to expand over the long term as new opportunities arise in existing markets and in new markets, and as research into further applications bears fruit. However, a number of challenges remain in the short- to medium-term, including high inflation, low consumer confidence, weak private consumption and public spending, the threat of recession, and political tensions.