Today's composite materials started with the commercial production of continuous glass fiber in the United States in 1938. By 2018, the global output has reached 11.4 million tons, with an output value of 83 billion U.S. dollars. China's composite materials industry started in 1958, with an output of 4.3 million tons in 2018, which is ahead of the combined annual output of composite materials in the three major economies of the United States, the European Union and Japan.
Today's composite materials started with the commercial production of continuous glass fiber in the United States in 1938. By 2018, the global output has reached 11.4 million tons, with an output value of 83 billion U.S. dollars. China's composite materials industry started in 1958, with an output of 4.3 million tons in 2018, which is ahead of the combined annual output of composite materials in the three major economies of the United States, the European Union and Japan.
Global composite raw materials; resins; thermosetting resins account for 58% (3.5 million tons) thermoplastic resins account for 42% (2.5 million tons) reinforced materials; glass fiber accounts for 87.7% (4.8 million tons) natural fibers account for 11% (600,000 tons) Carbon fiber accounts for 1.2% (100,000 tons) and 0.1% aramid fiber (100,000 tons)
China Mainland)
The annual output was 4.3 million tons, a decrease of 3.15% from the previous year. In recent years, compared with thermoset composites, the production capacity of thermoplastic composites has declined, and has begun to show an upward trend, reaching 213 tons, accounting for 49.53% of the total output, which is close to 50.47% of thermoset composites. my country's glass fiber production capacity exceeds half of the world's. In 2018, the output reached 4.68 million tons and the export was 1.5873 million tons, accounting for more than one-third of the output in the same year. The output of carbon fiber in 2018 was 7,000 tons, accounting for a quarter of the world's total. In 2018, the output of carbon fiber composite materials in China was about 37,000 tons (9,000 tons of self-sufficient carbon fiber). The UHMWPE fiber production capacity is 22,500 tons, accounting for 52.3% of the world, and the output is 15,000 tons. The production capacity of unsaturated polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy and phenolic resin is the highest in the world.
North America
In 2018, North America (including Canada) produced 3 million tons, accounting for 26% of the world and 28% of the output value. Among them, thermoplastic composite materials accounted for 50%, and carbon fiber composite materials accounted for 50,000 tons. Among them, the three application areas of aerospace, transportation and engineering construction account for nearly 60% of the US composite material market.
Europe
In 2018, the output of glass fiber composite materials was 1.141 million tons, accounting for 95% of its total composite material output, and carbon fiber composite materials were 52,500 tons.
Germany: The technical level and output rank first. Europe is very innovative, such as multi-axial fabrics, cam steel belt continuous winding pipe production line, centrifugal casting pipe production line, polyurethane reaction injection molding, direct molding/injection of long fiber reinforced thermoplastics, glass fiber felt reinforced thermoplastics
Italy: The technology is practical, and Germany also purchases pipe winding machines.
Russia: The annual output is estimated at 80,000 tons.
Turkey: In 2018, the output of composite materials was 280,000 tons, with an output value of 1.5 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 7%. Main application areas: pipelines, storage tanks, and infrastructure accounted for 35%; transportation and automobiles accounted for 25%; construction industry accounted for 20%.
South America
The output in 2018 was 300,000 tons, mainly Brazil: In 2018, the output value of composite materials was US$685 million, a year-on-year increase of 3.8%, and the consumption of raw materials was estimated to be 202,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.1%.
Asia (excluding China)
Production in 2018 was 2.1 million tons. Among them, India: In 2018, the output of composite materials was 340,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 6.3% (the average annual growth rate of 2013-2018 was 5.9%). The main markets are electronics, electricity, and infrastructure. The output is expected to reach 490,000 tons in 2022. The average annual growth rate in the next 5 years will be 8.2%.
According to analysis, the global output of composite materials will reach 12.9 million tons in 2021, an increase of 13% over 2018, that is, an average annual growth of 4.3%. Develop in innovation, strive to comprehensively improve the level of composite materials in my country, increase the technical content and added value of products, and pay special attention to environmental protection and waste recycling!
