composites mkt europe

Composites Market Report 2011:Market developments, trends, challenges and opportunities The European GRP market – Dr. Elmar Witten (AVK) The global CRP market – Bernhard Jahn (CCeV)

September 2011

26 September 2011 /26 Dr. Elmar Witten

Contents: The European GRP market .............................................................................................................. 3 The European GRP market in 2011 .................................................................................................. 4 Fibre reinforced plastics: Market data and development in 2011 ..................................................... 5 Production of glass fibre reinforced plastics (GRP) in 2011: Overall development ............................ 5 Trends in the Development of Procedures / Components ................................................................ 7 Selecting the "right" process ........................................................................................................... 9 Short fibre reinforced thermoplastics ............................................................................................ 10 Application industries at a glance .................................................................................................. 11 GRP production in 2011: itemised by country ................................................................................ 12 Outlook ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Drivers of market development ..................................................................................................... 15 The global CRP market .................................................................................................................. 17 General ......................................................................................................................................... 18 The global carbon fibre market ..................................................................................................... 18 The global carbon composite market ............................................................................................. 20 CRP market data and developments .............................................................................................. 20 Trends and outlook ....................................................................................................................... 23 Final observations ......................................................................................................................... 25


The European GRP market

The Author Dr. Elmar Witten is Managing Director of the AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe

(Federation of Reinforced Plastics). The AVK, as a professional association for fibre composite

plastics/composites, represents the interests of producers and processors of reinforced

plastics/composites on a national and a European level. Nationally, the AVK is one of the four pillars of

the GKV – Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie and an international member of the

European composites confederation EuCIA – the European Composites Industry Association. In these

organisations, Dr. Witten represents the AVK’s interests as a member of the extended management

(GKV) resp. the board (EuCIA).


The European GRP market in 2011 Moderate growth despite fluctuations and uncertainties The development of the market for glass fibre reinforced plastics (GRP) is currently much more difficult to quantify than it has been in recent years. There are significant divergences between some of the predictions issued by the various market players regarding production volumes to the end of the current year 2011. These are due in part to general uncertainties relating to medium term macroeconomic developments (levels of national debt, developments in commodity markets, …). It is also becoming increasingly difficult to look at the purely European market in isolation as globalisation gathers pace and the network of supplier and buyer markets therefore becomes more complex. Furthermore, short-term commercial contracts also allow non-European markets to react more rapidly to changing requirements within the European market resulting in shifts in market shares.

A simple comparison of this year's figures with those from 2010 shows that the overall production volume of GRP has grown moderately and is now at the same level as in 2008. This year, however, the value of a year-on-year comparison of the market developments is limited as part of the 25 % growth predicted exactly one year ago for 2010 was somewhat delayed and actually only took place in the first half of 2011. Specifically this also means that the growth figures for 2010 need to be revised downwards to a certain extent. However, in the interests of maintaining consistency and continuity in the collected market data, these effects have not been corrected in the annual data.


Fibre reinforced plastics: Market data and development in 2011

As in 2010, the German association AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte

Kunststoffe e.V. (Federation of Reinforced Plastics) conducted a survey to obtain

data regarding European production volumes of glass fibre reinforced plastics in

2011. In order to obtain comparable data, our model for analysing the European

market in this context was once again limited to those countries for which suppliers of

raw materials can supply facts and figures. Short fibre reinforced thermoplastics are

not included in this section but are handled separately at the end of the report.

Production of glass fibre reinforced plastics (GRP) in 2011: Overall development

The production volume of GRP in Europe in 2011 has returned to the level last seen

in 2008 at 1,049 million tonnes (see Fig. 1). However, the simple year-on-year

comparison with 2010 is not an entirely accurate reflection of the real and

increasingly complex development of the market. As predicted in last year's market

report (essentially based on information from producers of raw materials), not all of

the unexpectedly strong growth in volume in 2010 actually took place as production.

Part of the figure reflected increased warehouse stocks. Production volumes in the

first half of 2011 were still very high overall (especially in the 1st quarter) but were

also due to a postponement of part of the growth expected in 2010. Essentially, all

the market partners agree that this strong growth will no longer be sustainable by the

second half of 2011, at the latest. For the reasons outlined above, the forecasts for

further development range from "still good growth" to "zero growth" to the assumption

of declines in production.

These widely differing forecasts are further evidence of the extremely heterogeneous

nature of the market, which varies strongly according to the production processes,

application industries supplied and specific market conditions in the countries in

question.


However, these differences simultaneously highlight the general uncertainties that

currently exist in the markets and the different basic assumptions of the individual

market players in the corresponding stages of production.

At the moment, companies are primarily attempting to take advantage of the very

diverse opportunities in the individual sales markets. Noteworthy areas include the

need for lightweight construction and CO2 reductions in the transport sector,

particularly in automotive, as well as new infrastructure projects in Eastern Europe

and non-European countries. On the other side of the equation, uncertainties

regarding the future development of application industries are delaying the

investment decisions required for continuous growth (e.g. for machines and changes

to production processes).

Fig. 1: GRP production volumes in Europe, itemised by techniques / components (2011* = estimated, 2010** = last year's estimate has been retained and not corrected to take account of real development)

2011* 2010** 2009 2008 Kt Kt Kt Kt SMC 198 198 160 210 BMC 69 69 56 70 ∑ SMC/BMC 267 267 216 280 Hand lay-up 160 160 123 202 Spray-up 98 92 74 103 ∑ Open mould 258 252 197 305 RTM 120 113 94 106 Sheets 77 72 56 69 Pultrusion 51 47 39 46 ∑ Continuous processing 128 119 95 115 Filament winding 86 82 69 79 Centrifugal casting 69 66 55 62 ∑ Pipes and Tanks 155 148 124 141 GMT/LFT 105 100 75 95 Others 16 16 14 16 Sum: 1.049 1.015 815 1.058


Trends in the Development of Procedures / Components

The continuing upswing in demand in the automotive and electro/electronics sectors

has led to continued growth in the production of thermosetting SMC (sheet moulding

compound) and BMC (bulk moulding compound) parts. Over recent years, SMC

parts have accounted for by far the greater part of this production. Generally, growth

of approx. 7 % is expected in this area in 2011. This is not reflected in Fig. 1 for the

following reason: the forecasts for this production segment in 2010 were considerably

higher than the growth actually achieved. In fact, some of this production only

occurred in 2011 – especially in the first half of the year (SMC production was up by

well over 10 % compared with the first half of 2010, BMC was up by approx. 3 – 5

%).

The trend is shifting slightly towards a greater number of applications in the

automobile industry. Structural components may also have the potential to become a

future focus of production in addition to the current major area of car body parts.

Growth in hybrid applications with other materials may also show greater strength

than in previous years and there is also the potential for the development of

applications in completely new sectors, such as renewable energy (e.g. sun

reflectors).

Stagnation has been observed in the production of parts by hand lay-up. For now, a

recovery from the collapse triggered by the economic crisis does not seem possible.

Hand lay-up is the least automated of all the processes and primarily used by many

of the small processors to manufacture large or individual parts and made-to-

measure components. However, it is either being partially substituted by other

methods (e.g. RTM production) or the companies are no longer in the market. For the

spray-up process, the trend is more positive and production is heading back up

towards the levels achieved in 2008. However, these so-called "open processes"

have the lowest growth in the GRP market as a whole. Their share of total production

has fallen during the last few years from over 30 % to 25 %.


Yet the potential of open processes remains strong as they usually require only a

small investment in machinery and are extremely adaptable to individual

specifications.

The future appears bright for RTM (resin transfer moulding) and parts manufactured

using this process. Year-on-year growth was slightly above average. As well as

benefiting from its use as a substitute for open processes, the potential of this sector

is underlined by the growth observed in the use of RTM plants (esp. epoxy), above

all in the automobile industry. The rising demand for equipment in universities and

institutions suggests that additional research is being conducted into specific, novel

applications and there is a need for further optimisation of procedures and

processes. The growth picture for the second half of the year is slightly tarnished by

the stagnation in the wind energy sector.

The market for GRP pultrusion profiles has weathered the crisis relatively well and

continues to show above average growth – albeit at a still relatively low level of

production. Although public sector customers, especially for infrastructure orders,

require very specific marketing activities, their partnerships tend to be more

predictable in the medium-term than those with industrial companies.

Growth in GRP panels manufactured using continuous processes tracks the

development of the main area of application – the commercial vehicle industry. After

a relatively sharp decline during the crisis, this sector is now enjoying comparatively

high levels of growth.

In the area of pipe and tank components, the specialist segment of sewer renovation

using so-called pipe liners continues to deliver above average performance. In

contrast, the production of pipes in Europe continues to lag behind the growth seen

in other regions.


One example of this is the demand from the oil industry in North Africa and the

Middle East, although there is currently stagnation here as well due to the political

uncertainties.There is also potential in Europe especially in the area of sewage and

drinking water treatment plants.

Glass mat reinforced thermoplastics (GMT) and long fibre reinforced thermoplastics

(LFT) are now benefiting from demand in the automobile industry. With LFT, in

particular, several companies have successfully opened up new applications and/or

been able to replace metal materials. Here too – although to a lesser extent – part of

the growth forecast for 2010 was delayed until the first half of 2011, which showed a

double digit growth rate over the production in the same time period in 2010.

The potential for LFT is greater than for GMT. A few years ago, GMT had a 40 %

share of this segment but this has now stabilised at just over 30 %. Many observers

see great potential for LFT materials, particularly in the area of direct processes.

Selecting the "right" process Many people ask which of the above processes is the best or has the best potential

for the future. There is no general answer to this question.

When deciding which specific process to use for manufacturing GRP parts, the most

significant consideration is always the customer's requirements regarding cost-

effectiveness and technology.

Precisely which of the outlined technologies come into question depends on the

number of pieces of a component required per year. Hand lay-up may be most

appropriate for manufacturing unique, individual components or smaller batch sizes,

the RTM process may be suitable for larger batches (e.g. several hundred) or large

components and the SMC process best suited to producing parts by the thousand.

Furthermore, the choice of the "right" process is defined by technical (esp.

mechanical) properties.


So just as GRP can have general advantages (as well as disadvantages) over other

materials, it is also impossible to make meaningful general assertions about which

process is the best. Ultimately, the choice of material or process is defined by the

customer's needs and the required properties of the manufactured part. At the same

time, the wide range of GRP processes available offers an exceptionally broad

spectrum of potential applications in a number of areas and enormous manufacturing

flexibility.

The question is therefore not what the material can do, but what properties are

required of the manufactured part and which manufacturing technique is the most

appropriate.

Short fibre reinforced thermoplastics

Demand for short fibre reinforced thermoplastics is currently growing continuously,

especially for new applications in the automobile industry. The volume of this product

manufactured is not yet included in the data collected by the AVK. Even though many

of the general conditions in this market differ significantly from those for the

processes described above, this segment will be included as a component of the

composite market in the medium- and long-term.

With an average glass content in the total production volume of 30 %, short fibre

reinforced thermoplastics are currently expected to reach a production volume of

over 1 million tonnes and achieve double digit growth in the current year compared to

2010 in countries considered in this report.


Application industries at a glance

The shares of the individual application industries in terms of the total number of

GRP parts continue to be relatively constant over time (see Fig. 2). There has been a

minimal increase here in transport applications and a correspondingly slight, retreat

in the construction sector. Overall, GRP electro/electronic applications have mostly

returned to 2008 levels while construction applications are currently still somewhat

lower.

The key factor in the area of transport is automobile construction. Production is still

rising in several of the European countries observed but with strong regional

differences and with an overall stagnation in growth expected in 2012. The sales

markets in China, India and Russia will experience above average growth as

investments worth billions are expected here. European manufacturers, suppliers

and GRP processors, principally in the strong exporting nations such as Germany,

will participate in these market developments.

35%

14%35%

14% 2%

Transport Electro / ElectronicConstruction Sports & LeisureOthers

Fig. 2: GRP production in Europe for different application industries (year: 2011)


GRP production in 2011: itemised by country

Analysis of GRP production volumes by country is extremely difficult due to the data

base. Forecasts for regional market development vary widely. This is partly due to

the differing forecasts regarding the development of the market in general (see

overall development), but also to the divergences in the types of production that

predominate in the various countries. Forecasts from manufacturers of raw materials

vary widely according to the type of product the materials are used in. The market

forecast should therefore be seen in fundamental rather than absolute terms.

The greatest decline has been observed in Spain/Portugal, particularly in Spain. GRP

production has also fallen in the United Kingdom compared to last year

Relatively speaking, the strongest growth is in Germany and Italy as well as Austria

and Switzerland (though here on a relatively low absolute level). In Germany, this is

mostly attributable to the still prospering automotive sector while in Europe as a

whole declines have already been observed in the first half of 2011. On the other

hand, there are currently signs of comparatively weak growth or even declining

production in Germany, e.g. in open processes, especially compared to countries

such as Poland or even Spain. This is due to the differences that still exist in labour

costs but also partly to the postponed or absent investment by smaller processors in

particular.

Markets for electronic applications are also growing well at the moment, e.g. in

Germany and Scandinavia. In Scandinavia, especially in Finland, GRP production

growth is relatively strong at approx. 10 %.

In all Southern Europe countries, the decline in the construction industry is the major

factor preventing stronger growth.


The above average growth in Eastern Europe shown here for 2011, however, is

primarily due to the larger number of countries included in this study: this year's

report includes GRP production in Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia for the

first time.

Turkey and the Russian market are not included. Turkey is currently – in the global

terms – experiencing above average growth in the GRP market of approx. 10 % per

annum. The scale of the production volume corresponds approximately to the

average level of the five largest European countries (country groups) studied in this

report. The automotive sector and major infrastructure projects are the primary

drivers of growth currently expected in Russia (also indicated, e.g. by investment in

SMC plants).

Globally, the total composites market share is: Europe 25%, America 25% and Asia

50% (including thermoplastic composites). Sales of resin materials for composites

are a useful indicator for the further development of the global market. Currently,

stronger growth is being observed in China, India and Brazil than in the USA/Canada

or Europe. European suppliers must anticipate that Asian processors will increasingly

attempt to take over GRP manufacturing for the European markets as well.


Fig. 3: GRP production volumes in Europe broken down by country / group of countries (2011* = estimated, Eastern Europe = Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The last four of these have been included for the first time in 2011).

Outlook

These discussions are intended to highlight the fact that it is currently no longer

possible to make specific forecasts about the overall market development for GRP –

isolated from an observation of the individual countries, processes and areas of

application. Detailed analyses of the development of the application industries in the

individual countries and the regional opportunities available to GRP processors are

essential. Nevertheless, it is possible to make a few general statements about the

main drivers for the further market development of the individual applications.

2011* 2010 2009 2008 Kt Kt Kt Kt

UK / Ireland 126 130 106

123 Belgium / Netherlands / Luxembourg 42 40 31

38

Finland / Norway / Sweden / Denmark 52 50 52

69

Spain / Portugal 200 217 188

236

Italy 165 154 122

183 France 122 116 87

115

Germany 172 161 118

145

Austria / Switzerland 17 16 13

13

Eastern Europe** 153 131 98

136 Total: 1.049 1.015 815

1.058


Drivers of market development

Indutrial requirements in the area of weight reduction, and therefore lightweight

construction, are a key consideration throughout the transport sector and therefore a

major factor in the continued growth of the composites and GRP industry. However,

vehicle construction faces additional requirements such as aesthetic appeal, which

must be taken into account when designing surface finishes. The current hype

regarding lightweight construction solutions in the automotive sector – especially in

relation to testing the use of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CRP) – will only boost

the market if producers are able to respond by manufacturing new high performance

materials cost-effectively and on an appropriate industrial scale.

Faced with a growing list of requirements from consumers, users of these materials

already face the challenge of comparing the economically viable with the new

possibilities (e.g. with GRP). New production techniques must be tested. Further

automation of processes offers enormous potential for future growth in composites in

general. It should also be remembered that current capacity and demand for CRP is

still low in absolute terms compared to GRP.

In the electro/electronics industry, as well as in sports and leisure applications, the

factors driving further development in the use of GRP are different. Here the

mechanical properties (compared to other materials) and costs of the components

are the primary considerations. Aesthetic appeal is also important in the sports

sector.

The highly diverse nature of GRP construction applications means that this market is

driven by a variety of different factors: in the wind energy sector it is, above all, the

political will/pressure to push forward "green energy". For infrastructure projects, e.g.

in tank and plant construction, the main focus is on special corrosion properties

requirements as well as costs.


The following drivers apply to all the various branches of industry offering all

participants in the market the opportunity to grow with GRP applications:

1. Growing pressure from consumers for products with greater advantages in terms

of sustainability than products made using other materials.

2. The opportunities still available for replacing traditional materials with GRP.

3. The untapped potential offered by innovative applications, which have not yet been

or cannot be realised using other materials (e.g. wind energy).

4. The pressure to achieve further efficiency gains in manufacturing and opportunities

for greater automation.

5. The potential for offering solutions using hybrid constructions in combination with

other materials.

The global CRP market

The Author

Bernhard Jahn is a project architect with Carbon Composites e. V. (CCeV). CCeV is the leading

network of excellence for companies and research institutes in the southern German-speaking world

involving the entire value-added chain of fibre composite technologies. As an industry association, the

CCeV offers its partners an outstanding platform to advance their goal of "developing and marketing

these pioneering technologies both nationally and internationally." The CCeV gathers expertise from

both science and industry and brings together partners from these sectors to discuss, inspire and

implement projects. Marketable and competitive CRP fibre composite structures - this is the product

group CceV focuses on.

26 September 2011 /26 Bernhard Jahn

General An assessment of the CRP market, including statements, forecasts, trends, outlook

etc., can only make sense if it also looks at carbon fibre itself, the basis of all CRP

materials. The market report 2010/2011 will therefore study the market for carbon

fibre as well and take these findings into account.

The global carbon fibre market The carbon fibre market, just like industry in general, suffered a significant decline in

2009 as a result of the global economic and financial crisis. A comparison of the

figures available from the fibre industry show that approx. 33,000 tonnes of carbon

fibre were processed in 2008. In 2009, the crisis year, demand collapsed to approx.

24,000 tonnes. Demand in 2010 totalled approx. 31,000 tonnes and therefore did not

quite fulfil the expectation that it would regain the level achieved in 2008.

However, a significant revitalisation of the market is expected over the next few

years. In 2011 alone, well-known fibre manufacturers expect demand to reach

between 35,000 and 37,000 tonnes. The growth rates associated with this are now

returning to the levels predicted before the economic crisis struck. [ACM], [SGLG],

[TEJL], [CIRFS], [DBG]

A few optimistic market analysts [LUC] are now forecasting carbon fibre consumption

of approx. 38,800 tonnes in 2010, which is already considerably higher than the level

of consumption in 2008. We will base our report this year on the data available from

the fibre industry. Nonetheless, we will watch the figures from these analysts closely

and, if appropriate, include them in future market reports.


Fig. 1: Global demand for carbon fibres 2008 – 2015 (*estimates)

The very encouraging prospects for the sector mean that market leading carbon fibre

manufacturers are already developing plans about how to expand future capacity. A

number of manufacturers have already presented declarations of intent or plans for

expanding capacity. If the calculations and predictions of the analysts are to be

believed, demand in 2015 will already consume all today's available capacity. This

may well be a reason that ambitious Chinese manufacturers now want to play their

part in determining the direction of the carbon fibre market as well. According to the

twelfth 5-year plan for the chemical fibre industry, the Chinese carbon fibre sector

should be expected to have a capacity of approx. 12,000 tonnes of carbon fibre by as

early as 2015. [Ch5P]


Fig. 2: Carbon fibre capacities itemised by manufacturer (2010) in t - [ACM], [SGLG], [TohoT]

The global carbon composite market As the vast majority of carbon fibre produced (over 98 %) is processed into

composite materials of all types, the carbon composite market develops at the same

pace as the CF market. The tonnage of CRP is naturally much higher, however, due

to the addition of the matrix component of approx. 35-40 % (epoxy, phenolic and

polyester resins, thermoplastics, carbon, ceramic, metal etc.). [SGLG]

CRP market data and developments Composites with matrices based on carbon, ceramics, glass or metal are exotic and

intended for use in special applications. The principal of these is space flight but they

are also used on a larger scale as CFC in high performance brake discs. It is

estimated that this class of composites has an absolute market share of approx. 5 %

and the following view of the overall CRP market by volume assumes this market

share to be accurate. The sector with the largest market share is clearly composites

using plastics (e.g. epoxy, phenolic and polyester resins etc. as well as

thermoplastics) as the matrix. [SGLG]; [CCeV]


Fig. 3:Global consumption/demand for CRP 2008 – 2015 (*estimate)

Thermosetting plastics (resins) dominate the market and account for approx. 90 % of

production. The remaining 10 % is made up by thermoplastics such as PEEK, PBI,

PPS, PEI as well as other high performance thermoplastics Epoxy resins are the

leading resins used with a market share of approx. 72 %. [ACM]

Fig. 4: CRP thermosetting plastics - global market shares [ACM]


CRP based on epoxy and phenolic resins are used in a broad spectrum of

applications due to their property profiles. Polyester resins are now increasingly

being used in higher value applications, with the exception of the medical sector, due

to their price-performance ratio. CRP with a polyester resin matrix is the dominant

material in marine applications (e.g. boat building) and the construction sector.

Fig. 5: Applications of CRP with epoxy and/or phenolic resins [ACM]

Fig 6: Applications of CRP with polyester resins [ACM]


Trends and outlook In 2010, the market volume for CRP almost regained the level seen in 2008 and will

significantly surpass it in 2011. Analysts are again forecasting double-digit growth

rates for the years ahead once the economic crisis has been overcome. Apart from

the recovering sectors of sports equipment, industry and aerospace applications, the

following reasons/events are proposed as the root causes of the revitalisation of the

market.

The growing numbers of orders received from the aviation industry and, in particular,

the much greater proportion of CRP used in the structural areas of newly developed

aircraft (Boing B787, Airbus A340-XWB etc.) will generate additional growth in the

market. The weight reductions targeted, especially in the new aircraft models, will

make a significant contribution to raising energy efficiency and hence cutting

operating costs.

Ultimately, the reactor disaster in Fukushima has increased the pressure for

renewable energies to be developed more quickly and more widely.

In the short term, this can only be achieved by installing new large wind turbines

(offshore turbines of more than 5 MW) or by re-powering existing locations. Wind

turbines with a generating capacity of over 5 MW will require even larger rotor

blades, which in turn will also require even greater rigidity. Rotor blades based solely

on GRP cannot fully meet these requirements. Reinforcement bands made of CRP

will be used increasingly in this area.

By the end of 2010, wind turbines with a total generating capacity of approx. 190 GW

had been installed world-wide. As in 2009 and 2010, forecasts suggest that an

additional 30 GW of capacty will be installed annually over the next few years.

However, analysts have not yet taken the Fukushima effect into account in this

figure. [LUC]


Lightweight construction is the order of the day for saving resources while providing

urban mobility using all modes of land, water and air transport. In electric cars, the

extra weight of electric motors, batteries etc. must be balanced by lightweight

construction in other areas. This is the only way to build vehicles with an acceptable

range.

However, vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines can also benefit

from losing weight. A reduction of 100 kg can cut fuel consumption by approx. 0.3 l /

100 km. Incidentally, these cars could also be fuelled by solar and wind energy –

albeit indirectly – via hydrogen (from electrolysis) and synthesised methane.

Reducing weight plays a significant role in cutting costs and raising efficiency

whenever mass is set in motion, whether for our own mobility or in the manufacturing

and transportation of products and goods. Here, CRP can display its outstanding

potential, which outperforms all other materials in lightweight applications. A

component with an optimum CRP design can be made up to 70 % lighter than the

comparable steel part or 30 % lighter than the aluminium version. [CCeV],[SGLG]

Tangible environmental and economic benefits, however, can only be achieved if

lightweight construction is used on a large scale. For this, it is essential that CRP

parts can be mass produced, which in turn demands automation in the manufacturing

process. This is the key to achieving large scale use of CRP components in the

automobile and aviation industries. CF composites with thermoplastic matrices will

assume an important role in achieving this goal. Partnerships and joint ventures

between well-known car manufacturers (Audi, BMW, Toyota and VW) and the CRP

industry (yarn producers, CRP manufacturers and processors) demonstrate that

industry has the will to address the area of CRP materials intensively and

understands the necessity of doing so. [LUC]


Final observations If mankind wishes to secure its existence in the long-term, it will be essential to use

existing resources more efficiently and sustainably. This will be the challenge of the

future. One key aspect of this will be the use of energy. Regardless of whether

energy is generated, consumed or stored, the potential of composites in lightweight

construction offers a host of opportunities and will make a significant contribution to

raising energy efficiency.

The strength and durability of composites as well as the opportunities they offer in

combination with traditional lightweight materials such as aluminium and titanium will

open up new fields for novel applications. Substitution of steel, though much

discussed and desired, is not the only area of interest. The intelligent combination

and integration of steel with CRP can be an environmentally and economically

valuable combination of materials. From the chart below showing current production

volumes, it is obvious that a complete substitution of steel and aluminium by

composites is neither a realistic nor a necessarily desirable goal.

Fig. 8: Global material consumption 2009 in millions of tonnes [LUC], [SGLG]

Market forces will decide which materials and combinations of materials will be

adopted in the various applications. In the future, the ecological rather than the

economic aspects may well be the decisive factor. Objective LCAs for the various

classes and combinations of materials and their consistent use therefore present a

further challenge for the future.


Literature:

[ACM] Acmite Market Intelligence: World Carbon Fiber Composite Market - July 2010

[LUC] Lucintel: Growth Opportunities in Global / Composites Industry 2011-2016 - February 2011

[SGLG] SGL Group – Carbon Fibers & Composites-Ascent to Industrial Engineering Materials

– Bayern Innovativ 05.05.2011 [CIRFS] CIRFS – European man-made fibres association: DIGEST: 17 August, 2010

[TEJL] Teijin Limited: Flash Report FY09 - Financial Performance &FY10 Outlook - May 10, 2010

[TohoT] TohoTenax Europe GmbH: Kohlestofffaserverstärkte Thermoplaste für

Strukturbauteile in der Lustfahrtindustrie (Carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastics for structural components in the aviation industry) - thermocomp, 06.2011

[DBG] Deutsche Bank Group: Paper & Textiles/Textiles Synthetic fiber industry - Synthetic

fiber industry Carbon fiber market prepares for another takeoff - 23 July 2010 [Ch5P] Technology Innovation, the Lighthouse Guiding the Development of Chinese Chemical

Fiber Industry during the 12th Five-year Plan Period. [CCeV] CCeV: Skizze für den Spitzencluster-Wettbewerb des BMBF (Diagram for the

"Spitzencluster" competition run by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) / M A I Carbon - Schlüsseltechnologie für Deutschland. – 30.03-2011

Note: Bernhard Jahn supports the CCeV as a project architect. His work is

supported by the EU through the European Social Fund (ESF).

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