Aerospace Plastics Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The aerospace plastics market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of more than 6.8% during the forecast period (2021-2026).

Unlike most industries, the plastic manufacturing industry witnessed a production increase during a global economic turndown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this growth spur was triggered by the rapid demand increase in the healthcare sector and the demand for aerospace plastics has declined in 2020 due to the reduction in the current manufacturing rate of commercial aircraft. Due to lower passenger traffic, several scheduled deliveries have been deferred which has led to a decline in the demand for aerospace plastic. However, with more airlines opting to retrofit their cabin with modern amenities, the demand has not witnessed a steep decline. Since the effect of COVID-19 has been limited in the military and space sectors, the associated programs are expected to face minor cost escalations and delays in the short term due to the widespread disruption in the supply chain. However, the long terms effects are negated due to the anticipated global economic recovery triggering the demand for military aircraft and space systems.

The market is driven by the increasing demand for new aircraft as part of the fleet expansion and modernization programs initiated by respective end-users in the military, commercial, general aviation, and space sectors. Aerospace grade plastics are required to adhere to several regulations and specifications, such as UL94, FAR 25.853, ASTM, DFAR’s, MIL-PRF-5425, MIL-PRF-8184, and MIL-PRF-25690. The stringent standards that the manufacturers are required to adhere to lead to high R&D costs, thereby limiting the participation of new players lacking the required technical expertise for producing aerospace grade plastics. Moreover, the recent COVID-19 induced disruption in the global raw material supply chain is expected to hinder the growth of the market in focus for a short term during the forecast period.

Key Market Trends

Cabin Applications to Witness Higher Growth During the Forecast Period

The aircraft manufacturing industry is focusing on the reduction of the overall weight of the aircraft while maintaining or even improving its total load-carrying capacity. Thus, the need to design and produce high-performance aircraft within a weight constraint is the main driver for aircraft manufacturers to use lightweight composites in manufacturing. Plastics are used to design and manufacture several cabin components such as air ducts, cabin partitions, floor panels, and overhead luggage bins.

Airlines are focused on maintaining a consistent brand image and capturing the lucrative business traveler consumer segment. Retrofitting activities of old aircraft cabins range from individual seats to entire cabins. Operators are increasingly retrofitting their fleets as cost-effective solutions over procuring new aircraft. Thus, they are striving to achieve the right balance between cost and aesthetics. Such factors drive the adoption of plastics for cabin applications as monetary and safety benefits yielded by plastics render them appropriate for usage in such applications.

North America to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period

The aerospace industry in the region is mature and strongly supported by a robust aviation base. Higher air traffic has resulted in the procurement of several aircraft by the regional and international airline operators in the region. Boeing, one of the major aircraft OEMs based in the US, generates a huge demand for aerospace-grade plastic for structural as well as cabin components. Brackets, gaskets, guides, seals, spacers, and washers are lightweight aerospace components where high-heat plastics can outperform metals.

Moreover, many airline operators in the region have resorted to cabin upgrade to strategize their market positioning in terms of individual brand identity. On this note, post the acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Airlines, the latter has initiated a massive cabin retrofitting program to achieve a more uniform look and feel across the entire fleet. Alaska Airlines refurbished the cabins of its 73 Airbus aircraft by 2019. American Airlines, too, has plans to retrofit more than 200 A321ceo aircraft in its fleet with the latest cabin features of the next-generation A321neo. Also, in April 2019, American Airlines initiated scheduled flights of its newly delivered A321neos, that feature an all-new cabin interior design, including the Airspace XL overhead stowage bin. The airline has outstanding orders for 100 A321neo aircraft that are scheduled for delivery during the forecast period.

Competitive Landscape

The aerospace plastics market is dominated by several players. Therefore, the market in focus is directly influenced by macroeconomic factors and other trends that affect the aerospace industry, such as possible market consolidation through backward integration activities of aircraft OEMs. The revenues of market players also depend on sales to airline operators, aircraft, and space system manufacturers, hence are cyclic in nature.

The manufacturers of aerospace plastics invest in developing advanced systems for integration in modern aircraft to complement or enhance their performance characteristics, including safety. Such programs expose companies to certain risks associated with design responsibility, the development of new production tools, more capital and funding commitments, delivery schedules, and unique contractual requirements. Also, new aircraft programs may be subjected to cost-overruns and delays or even termination, depending on market conditions. Moreover, there are certain risks associated with the transfer of technology, knowledge, and tooling, which can affect the financial status of aircraft ice protection system manufacturers and expose them to revenue fluctuations.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support