Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market by Aircraft Type, by Product Type, by Distribution Type, by Ampere Type, and by Region

It is Estimated that the Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market will Reach US$ 481.3 Million in 2026

Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market Insights

In the aircraft industry, electrical systems play the most critical role as these systems ensure the smooth supply of power to the necessary aircraft systems. Electrical systems are broadly classified into power generation, power distribution, power conversion, and energy storage. Power generation and power distribution are the pith elements in aircraft electrical systems in which power generation system comprises main generators, auxiliary power unit generators, and emergency power unit generators, whereas power distribution system mainly comprises relays, contactors, circuit breakers, fuses, and solid-state power controllers (SSPCs). The power distribution system is further classified as primary and secondary power distribution. Relays are generally a part of secondary power distribution, whereas contactors are generally a part of primary power distribution.

Relays & contactors are electromechanical switches that help in operating contact terminals and are used to channel the power from one electrical device to another. They control the electrical circuit by opening and closing contacts in other circuits and are useful in protecting the electrical system from arc faults and overloads. Both relays and contactors can purely be electromechanical or can incorporate circuitry for time delay as well as circuit protection. There is a growing interest in integrating sensors into relays and contactors used for the aircraft industry for the enhancement of their overall efficiency.

The aircraft relays & contactors market is subjected to the organic growth of aircraft production and is also dependent upon several other factors such as aircraft fleet size and penetration of relays and contactors. In the pre-COVID scenario, the market was likely to exhibit impressive growth in 2020 attributed to various growth factors such as an expected increase in aircraft production/deliveries and return to service of B737Max. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has devastated the growth trajectory of the entire aerospace industry, ruining the industry stakeholders’ 16-years boon. Relays & contactors, one of the major segments of the aircraft electrical distribution system, could not escape themselves from such trends and are estimated to experience a significant decline in 2020.

Despite such worrisome situations, the market is likely to experience a strong comeback in the post-pandemic market developments, backed by strong industry fundamentals such as a huge pile of backlog orders of commercial and regional aircraft, large aircraft fleet size, and increasing defense spending by the governments of major nations. The trend of more electric aircraft and industry desire to achieve SWaP reductions are some other key factors that are likely to further substantiate the market demand in a long-term scenario. It is estimated that the aircraft relays & contactors market will reach US$ 481.3 million in 2026. Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market Share by Aircraft Type

The publisher has firstly segmented the aircraft relays & contactors market based on the aircraft type commercial aircraft, regional aircraft, general aviation, military aircraft, and helicopter. It is estimated that commercial aircraft, regional aircraft, and general aviation are proving to the biggest prey of the pandemic. Despite a huge decline in the demand for relays & contactors, commercial aircraft are likely to remain the most dominant aircraft type during the forecast period. B737 including Max, B787, A320 including neo, and A350XWB are the commercial aircraft’s top brass, capturing the lion’s share. The upcoming aircraft programs, such as C919, B777x, and MC-21, are estimated to be the biggest contributors to the demand for relays & contractors in the commercial aircraft segment.

Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market Share by Product Type

The analysis based on the market segment of the product type suggests that contactors are expected to remain the dominant product type between relays and contactors. Contactors are generally of high power and are high-value products as compared to relays. A paradigm shift in design, especially in developing high-performance contactors with lower dissipation, is leading to the development of smart contactors, addressing additional market requirements of weight and size.

Aircraft Relays & Contactors Market Share by Ampere Type

Relays and contactors used in the aircraft industry come in a wide range of ampere ratings, ranging from small ampere ratings to hundreds of amperes. The market is segmented based on ampere type as 0-5 Amp, 5-25 Amp, and 25+ Amp. Contactors are generally rated to switch higher loads and come in a high-ampere rating range, whereas relays are generally having a low-ampere rating range. The rating has been designed to meet the application requirements. 25+ amp is likely to remain the largest segment in the foreseen future.

Regional Insights

In terms of region, North America is projected to remain the largest market for aircraft relays & contactors during the forecast period. The USA is the world’s largest hub of the aircraft industry with the presence of various tier players as well as OEMs in the region. Asia-Pacific is likely to experience the least decline among the pandemic among all regions and is also likely to exhibit the highest long-term growth in the post-pandemic market developments. Opening of assembly plants of Boeing and Airbus in China, upcoming indigenous commercial aircraft COMAC C919, rising aircraft fleet size, and increasing military spending by China and India, is likely to rejuvenate the region’s demand for relays & contactors in the aircraft industry in the long-term.

Key Players

In recent years, the market has witnessed a gradual consolidation as major players are acquiring other players to strengthen their product portfolio and expand their geographical reach. Some of the foremost mergers & acquisitions that took place in the market include the acquisition of Zodiac Aerospace by Safran S.A in 2018 and the acquisition of aerospace power distribution system and cockpit division of Eaton Corporation by Safran S.A. in 2014. More recently in 2019, TE Connectivity, leading connectivity, and sensor solution provider acquired Kissling Group, which is a German high-power and high-voltage relays supplier for various industries including aerospace.

The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, relay & contactor manufacturers, distributors/part brokers, tier players, aircraft OEMs, MRO companies, and aircraft leasing companies.

The key players in the aircraft relays & contactors market are:

• Esterline Technologies Corporation
• Safran S.A.
• Collins Aerospace
• Amtek Inc.
• FIRST SwitchTech
• Teledyne Technologies
• TE Connectivity.

The formation of long-term contracts, the development of highly efficient and lightweight components, and strategic alliances are the key strategies adopted by major players to gain a competitive edge in the market.