Market Highlights
Tooling prepreg is used to make high-quality composite tools, also known as molds, for various industries. It is mainly reinforced with carbon fiber or glass fiber which is impregnated with resins like epoxy, BMI, and others. For the manufacturing of composite parts, tools made from tooling prepregs can withstand several curing cycles. The biggest advantage of tooling prepreg-made molds over metal molds is that its CTE (Coefficient of thermal expansion) is close to the CTE of parts; hence, during cure, shrinkage and thermal expansions of tools and parts are almost similar which helps to maintain the part’s dimensional accuracy.
The tooling prepreg market was severely hit by the pandemic in 2020, majorly influenced by the downfall of end-use industries, such as aerospace, automotive, and industrial. The tooling prepreg market logged a massive decline of -30.7% in 2020, creating a lag of more than 4 years in the market.
In the post-pandemic market developments, the tooling prepreg market is set to grow at an impressive CAGR of 9.1% to reach US$ 0.2 Billion in 2026. An expected recovery in the aerospace and automotive industries coupled with an incessant increase in the penetration of composites is likely to drive the demand for molds in the years come. Furthermore, the inherent benefits of tooling prepregs help the material to gain more acceptance in the market.
Segments' Analysis
Tooling Prepreg Market by End-Use Industry
Based on the end-use industry type, the tooling prepreg market is segmented as aerospace, automotive, industrial, and others. Aerospace is expected to remain the biggest demand generator for tooling prepregs during the forecast period. The industry type is also subjected to grow fastest in the post-pandemic market developments. Prepreg is majorly used in aerospace tooling applications owing to its advantages, such as CTE near to the CTE of the parts, and easy fabrication into complex tool shapes.
Tooling Prepreg Market by Process Type
Based on the process type, the market is segmented as autoclave prepreg and out-of-autoclave (OoA) prepreg. Autoclave is the dominant process type in the market during the forecast period, whereas out-of-autoclave prepreg is expected to experience faster growth during the same period. The dominance of autoclave tooling prepreg is due to its outstanding mechanical properties and service temperature. The out-of-autoclave process is gaining faster acceptance in the market as it provides excellent surface finish and low void content with an overall low equipment cost.
Tooling Prepreg Market by Resin Type
Based on the resin type, the tooling prepreg market is segmented as epoxy prepreg, BMI prepreg, and other prepreg. Epoxy resin is likely to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. Epoxy resin is suitable for low production rates and is used as a low-cost solution for prototype and one-off development tool design. BMI is expected to remain the second-dominant and the highest-growing segment during the forecast period. BMI resin is generally used for high-rate production as it becomes economical, whereas, for a single tool, it is extremely expensive as it requires a master mold.
Tooling Prepreg Market by Fiber Type
Based on the fiber type, the market is segmented as carbon fiber prepreg and glass fiber prepreg. Carbon fiber is expected to remain the most preferred fiber type in the market during the forecast period. Higher specific strength, lightweight, and excellent corrosion resistance are some key factors behind its dominance.
Regional Analysis
In terms of regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for tooling prepregs during the forecast period. The USA is the growth engine of the region’s market with the presence of several tooling prepreg manufacturers, aircraft and automotive OEMs, tier players, and raw material suppliers. Asia-Pacific is likely to experience the fastest growth during the same period, mainly driven by emerging economies such as China and India.
Key Players
The following are the key players in the tooling prepreg market. Most of the major players are providing tooling prepregs for almost all the major end-use industries.
- Toray Advanced Composites
- Hexcel Corporation
- Solvay S.A.
- Airtech Advanced Materials Group
- SHD Composites Material Ltd
- 3M
- PRF Composite Materials
- GMS Composites
Research Methodology
This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today’s tooling prepreg market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner in order to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of the low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as to formulate the growth strategies to expedite their growth process.
This report offers high-quality insights and is the outcome of a detailed research methodology comprising extensive secondary research, rigorous primary interviews with industry stakeholders, and validation and triangulation with Stratview Research’s internal database and statistical tools. More than 1000 authenticated secondary sources, such as company annual reports, fact books, press releases, journals, investor presentations, white papers, patents, and articles, have been leveraged to gather the data. We conducted more than 15 detailed primary interviews with the market players across the value chain in all four regions and industry experts to obtain both qualitative and quantitative insights.
Report Features
This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:
- Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.
- Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter’s five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.
- Market trend and forecast analysis.
- Market segment trend and forecast.
- Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, Product portfolio, New Product Launches, etc.
- Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.
- Emerging trends.
- Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.
- Key success factors.
The tooling prepreg market is segmented into the following categories.
Tooling Prepreg Market Size, Share & Forecast, by End-use Industry Type
- Aerospace (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Automotive (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Industrial (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Others (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
Tooling Prepreg Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Process Type
- Autoclave Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Out-of-Autoclave Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
Tooling Prepreg Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Resin Type
- Epoxy Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- BMI Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Other Prepregs (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
Tooling Prepreg Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Fiber Type
- Carbon Fiber Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
- Glass Fiber Prepreg (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
Tooling Prepreg Market Size, Share & Forecast, by Region
- North America (Country Analysis: The USA, Canada, and Mexico)
- Europe (Country Analysis: Germany, France, the UK, Russia, and Rest of Europe)
- Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan, China, India, and Rest of Asia-Pacific)
- Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil, and Others)
Report Customization Options
With this detailed report, Stratview Research offers one of the following free customization options to our respectable clients:
Company Profiling
- Detailed profiling of additional market players (up to three players)
- SWOT analysis of key players (up to three players)
Competitive Benchmarking
- Benchmarking of key players on the following parameters: Product portfolio, geographical reach, regional presence, and strategic alliances
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