Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market is projected to reach a value of USD $187.9 million by the year 2026 at a CAGR of 13.75% during the forecast period 2021-2026. Unidirectional (UD) Tapes can be defined as a set of composite materials where the fibers are oriented into a single direction. UD Tapes are usually manufactured using resins like polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), Polyamides and so on. These resins can either be Thermoplastic, which can form reversible bonds with the substrate, or Thermoset, which form permanent bonds that are irreversible. The most commonly used fibers in UD Tapes are carbon fibers and glass fibers although other fibers, like aramid fibres, are used as well. The largest adopter of unidirectional (UD) tapes is the Aerospace and Defense Industry. UD tapes can perform at very high temperatures, are rigid and have high strength. Along with that they’re also used in the oil & gas industry as well as in automotive & transportation.
Impact of Covid-19
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the market saw a decline primarily due to the decrease in demand of the various industries. During the Corona virus pandemic, air travel took one of the largest hits as every state and country went into a lockdown. The production of Cars and Commercial Vehicles also decreased by 16% in 2020 according to Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA). These industries are the primary drivers for the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes market and as such, their decrease in sales and production caused a decline in the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes market as well. However, the demand in the Automotive & Transportation Industry and the Aerospace & Defense Industry is slowly increasing as cities, states and countries are now moving out of lockdown and are trying to recover their economy. This is going to cause an increase in demand in the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes market as well.
Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Segment Analysis – By Resin
Thermoplastic Resins hold the highest market share of 56% in 2020. Thermoplastic Resins are mainly utilized in the aerospace industry for the manufacture of primary and secondary structural materials. This is because thermoplastic Resins showcase excellent durability and strength that are essential factors in the manufacture of lightweight aircrafts and carriers. Unidirectional (UD) tapes comprising of thermoset resins show brilliant impact, creep, and fatigue resistance especially when it comes to very high temperature conditions.
Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Segment Analysis – By Fiber
Carbon Fiber leads the market in regard to fibers with a total revenue share of 43% in 2020. Carbon fiber, with a composite of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or polyamide 12 (PA12), are primarily utilized in applications requiring high strength and durability. One of its key applications is in providing localized reinforcements to airplane wing spars due to properties like high rigidity, strength, and lightness. Carbon Fiber also proves to be lighter in weight than its alternative glass fiber as well as other metals like aluminium and steel. Glass Fiber is another one of the most used fibers in the market. Glass Fibers demonstrate high durability and strength, however, it is most notable for its chemical & corrosion resistance and waterproof properties. Glass Fiber also proves to be a greener solution to taping reinforcements and offers extensive recyclability.
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Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Segment Analysis – By End-Use IndustryAerospace and Defense Industry holds the highest share in the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes market in 2020 and is projected to have a CAGR of 13.98% from 2021-2026. As mentioned earlier, carbon fiber based unidirectional (UD) tapes are a much lighter alternative to aluminium and is one of the primary reasons for its uses in the Aerospace Industry. From frames to structural materials to wing spars, Unidirectional (UD) Tapes are being utilized in every aspect of an aircraft. Similarly, Unidirectional (UD) Tapes provide exceptional tensile strength and durability which is why it is becoming one of the most used composite materials in Defense applications. According to Boeing Commercial Outlook, the total number of aircraft deliveries were 43, 110 units in 2020. Unidirectional Tapes are also one of the key providers for the Automotive Industry as well as the Oil & Gas Industry.
Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Segment Analysis – By Geography
North America holds the largest share, of 42% in 2020. The growth is owing to the increasing demand in the Aerospace Industry. The U.S. is known to be the leading manufacturer of space systems, rotorcrafts, civil aircrafts, Defense systems and hard armor vehicles. North America had a total of 8,995 deliveries alone and accounted for a fleet growth of 1.7% in the year 2020 according to Boeing. Other than North America, Europe is also the key region in terms of demand for UD tapes. This is because Europe is one of the regions for the innovation and growth of automotive with OEMs like BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz. Unidirectional Tapes provide remarkable solutions to structural components and is often used in chassis manufacture due to their excellent rigidity and reinforcement.
Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Drivers
Recyclability & Reusability Glass Fiber Reinforcement : -
Glass Fiber Unidirectional (UD) Tapes are considered to be one of the best options in the market due to its recyclability and reusability factor. It is a far better eco-friendly material composites in comparison to carbon fiber and many industries are now looking to adopt this alternative as a means to reduce carbon footprint. Glass Fiber Reinforcements can be recycled to make Fiber-reinforced concrete which are being adopted more due to its mechanical and durability properties. Glass Fiber can also be reused in gypsum blocks to improve anti-cracking and operation performance of the material.
Lightweight Form Factor of Unidirectional Tapes: -
Both Carbon Fiber and Glass Fiber reinforcement is considerably lighter and more durable than alternative materials like aluminium and steel as mentioned above. Many industries like the Automotive and Transportation Industry are adopting Unidirectional (UD) Tapes as an alternative for their structural materials and composites and to achieve better fuel efficiency. According to Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA), the total number of automotive units produced in the year 2020 was a total of 77.621 million. There is a growing demand for lightweight vehicles, not only in the Automotive & Transportation Industry but also in the Aerospace & Defense Industry. This demand will only prove to be a driver for Unidirectional (UD) Tapes.
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Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Challenges
High Cost of manufacture of Carbon Fiber Reinforcement: -
While Carbon Fiber reinforcement may be lighter and more durable, it is also much more expensive to manufacture. Carbon Fiber Unidirectional (UD) Tapes cost much more in terms of processing, and it also comes across problems with recyclability. Research and Development in various sectors found Carbon Fiber Unidirectional (UD) Tapes to be a better and more viable option but due to its high cost, Carbon Fiber Unidirectional (UD) Tapes are often avoided and its potential hindered. Carbon fiber for automobiles costs $10 to $12 a pound, but steel costs less than a cent. That's dropped from $35 a pound a decade ago, but it has to drop to around $5 or $6 a pound to achieve broad acceptance. Carbon Fiber is a composite of multiple materials which include Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), Rayon, Pitch etc. Once the resin fiber is created from these composite materials, these fibers undergo treatment under chemicals, immense heat and pressure. The raw materials prove to be expensive and it takes a considerable amount of energy to reinforce these fibers with carbon atoms. Due to these factors, Carbon Fibers turn out to be far more expensive than other fibers.
Unidirectional Tapes (UD) Market Landscape
Technology launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes Market. In the Unidirectional (UD) Tapes market, the major key players include:
Cytec Solvay Group
SABIC
Teijin Ltd.
Hexcel Corporation
Evonik Industries
Royal TenCate N.V.
BASF SE
Celanese Corporation
Axiom Materials Inc.
Barrday Corporation, and others.
Acquisitions/Technology Launches
In September 2021, Cytec Solvay Group announced the installation of its new 27,000 sq-ft thermoplastic composites (TPC) manufacturing plant which increases the production yield of Unidirectional Tapes.
In September 2020, Jiangsu Hansu New Material Co. Ltd. announced their new family of Unidirectional Tapes – H-poly-Stallone-CF7000_PEI, in partnership with SABIC, using its ULTEM 1000F3SP Powder.
In February 2019, Teijin Ltd. acquired Renegade, a company well known for its proprietary technologies and solution capabilities in regard to thermoset prepregs.
Key Takeaways
North America has the largest share of 30% in the Unidirectional Tapes market. Their demand for lightweight aircrafts in one of the key factors that makes them dominate in the market. Unidirectional Tapes is one of the most essential components when it comes to lightweight aircrafts.
One of its primary uses is its applications in the wings of aircrafts due to its high impact resistance. Along with that, Unidirectional Tapes provide excellent quality when it comes to structural materials and fairings. All of these factors make Unidirectional Tapes one of the best solutions for the Aerospace and Defense Industry.
Unidirectional Tapes provide excellent strength to weight ratio when it comes to automobiles. This is one of the key factors why Electric Vehicles (EV’s) show reduced automotive emissions and further increases the driving range.
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