Composite Materials Market (2026-2036)
The global composite materials market was valued at USD 136.2 billion in 2025. This market is expected to reach USD 248.6 billion by 2036 from an estimated USD 148.4 billion in 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2026-2036.
- Published
- May 2026
- Pages
- 310
- Format
- PDF + Excel
- Report ID
- MR-1962
- Base year
- 2025
- 2025 · BASELINE
- $136.2B
- 2036
- $248.6B
- CAGR 2026–2036
- 5.3%
2025 baseline · 2026–2036 forecast at 5.3% CAGR · hover a bar for the value
Key highlights
The global composite materials market is projected to reach USD 248.6 billion by 2036.
The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2026-2036.
The global market for composite materials was valued at USD 136.2 billion in 2025 and is estimated to reach USD 148.4 billion in 2026.
Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the global composite materials market with the largest market share in 2026, while the Middle East and Africa is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By fiber type, the glass fiber composites segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market in 2026, while the carbon fiber composites segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By resin type, the thermoset resins (epoxy) segment is expected to hold the largest share in 2026, while the thermoplastic resins (PEEK) segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By manufacturing process, the hand lay-up segment is expected to hold the largest share in 2026, while the automated fiber placement segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By application, the wind energy (turbine blades) segment is expected to hold the largest share in 2026, while the aerospace and defense segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By end-use industry, the energy (wind) segment is expected to hold the largest share in 2026, while the automotive and transportation segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
By form, the continuous fiber composites segment is expected to hold the largest share in 2026, while the discontinuous fiber composites segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
Report summary
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Market Size by 2036 | USD 248.6 Billion |
| Market Size in 2026 | USD 148.4 Billion |
| Market Size in 2025 | USD 136.2 Billion |
| Revenue Growth Rate (2026-2036) | CAGR of 5.3% |
| Format | PDF, Excel & Cloud Portal · 310 pages |
| Dominating Fiber Type | Glass Fiber Composites (GFRP) |
| Fastest Growing Fiber Type | Carbon Fiber Composites (CFRP) |
| Dominating Resin Type | Thermoset Resins (Epoxy) |
| Fastest Growing Resin Type | Thermoplastic Resins (PEEK) |
| Dominating Manufacturing Process | Hand Lay-Up |
| Fastest Growing Manufacturing Process | Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) |
| Dominating Application | Wind Energy (Turbine Blades) |
| Fastest Growing Application | Aerospace and Defense |
| Dominating End-Use Industry | Energy (Wind) |
| Fastest Growing End-Use Industry | Automotive & Transportation |
| Dominating Form | Continuous Fiber Composites |
| Fastest Growing Form | Discontinuous Fiber Composites |
| Dominating Geography | Asia-Pacific |
| Fastest Growing Geography | Middle East & Africa |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 to 2036 |
Report overview
Segments covered: fiber type, resin type, manufacturing process, application, end-use industry.
The IEA’s Renewables 2025 report says global renewable electricity capacity additions in 2024 grew 22% to nearly 717 GW, the majority of which was wind and solar, and wind turbine blades are among the most composite-material-intensive manufactured products in the world, with each modern offshore turbine blade consuming several tonnes of glass and carbon fiber reinforced composite material. This renewable energy build-out is one of the most reliable and growing demand drivers for composite materials globally.
Composite materials are engineered combinations of two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics that are superior to those of the individual components alone. In a fiber-reinforced polymer composite, which is the dominant commercial composite category, high-strength fibers of glass, carbon, or aramid are embedded in a polymer matrix resin that binds the fibers, protects them from environmental damage, and transfers loads between them. The result is a material that is significantly lighter than steel or aluminum while delivering comparable or superior structural performance, excellent fatigue resistance, design flexibility enabling complex curved shapes impossible in sheet metal, and inherent corrosion resistance that eliminates the painting and maintenance requirements of metal structures.
The market is growing because the industries that benefit most from lightweight, high-strength materials are expanding simultaneously and in ways that specifically increase composite demand. The IEA’s Renewables 2025 report says global renewable electricity capacity additions in 2024 grew 22% to nearly 717 GW, and each new wind turbine blade requires glass fiber reinforced composite in very large quantities, with a single set of blades for an 8 to 12 megawatt offshore turbine consuming 40 to 60 tonnes of composite material. Airbus and Boeing's combined commercial aircraft delivery targets for 2025, as disclosed in their 2025 investor communications, indicate continuing strong aircraft production that directly drives CFRP demand, as modern widebody aircraft including the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 contain over 50% composite materials by weight. According to the IEA's Global EV Outlook 2025, global electric vehicle sales reached approximately 17-18 million units in 2024, and composite body panels and structural components in EVs are growing as automakers pursue every kilogram of weight reduction to extend battery range.
Two growth opportunities are particularly compelling for the forecast period. The development of thermoplastic composite materials, which can be recycled and reprocessed unlike conventional thermoset composites that are permanently cross-linked and difficult to recycle, is addressing the composites industry's most significant sustainability challenge and is gaining commercial traction in automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods applications. Simultaneously, the enormous offshore wind expansion programs announced by governments in Europe, the U.S., and Asia are creating a multi-decade demand pipeline for very large composite turbine blades, with each new generation of larger offshore turbines requiring more composite material per unit than its predecessor.
Report infographic
Market dynamics
7 factors across 3 forcesRising Use in Renewable Energy (Wind Energy)
Wind energy is the largest single application for composite materials globally by volume, consuming glass fiber reinforced composite in very large quantities for turbine blade manufacturing and representing a demand driver that grows directly with wind capacity additions. According to the IEA's Renewables 2025 report, global wind capacity additions reached approximately 117 GW in 2024, and the IEA projects that rate of global wind capacity additions is set to double between 2024 and 2030 under its Net Zero pathway. Each gigawatt of wind capacity, at typical onshore turbine sizes, requires approximately 200 to 350 tonnes of composite blade material, and offshore turbines at larger sizes require proportionally more. The transition to larger offshore turbines, where blade lengths exceeding 100 meters and per-turbine composite material consumption exceeding 60 tonnes make each installation a very large composite procurement event, is increasing the composite intensity per megawatt of wind capacity over time.
Growth in Aerospace and Automotive Industries
The aerospace industry's post-pandemic production recovery is driving renewed growth in carbon fiber composite demand from its most technically demanding application. Airbus's 2026 target of approximately 870 aircraft deliveries, and Boeing's production ramp-up programs for the 737 MAX and 787, are translating into growing CFRP procurement from the world's two largest commercial aircraft manufacturers. According to Hexcel Corporation's 2025 first-quarter financial results, the company's aerospace revenue was growing above its overall average, confirming that aircraft production growth is being reflected in composite material supplier revenues. In automotive, the IEA's Global EV Outlook 2025 documenting approximately 17-18 million EV sales in 2024 is driving growing adoption of composite body panels, battery enclosures, and structural components in electric vehicles where every kilogram of weight reduction directly extends range, with CFRP and glass fiber composite usage in EVs growing faster than in conventional ICE vehicles.
Table of contents
14 chapters · 181 sections · 310 pages · click to expandSegmental analysis
| Segment | Largest share (2026) | Fastest growth (2026–2036) |
|---|---|---|
| By Fiber Type | Glass Fiber Composites (GFRP) | Carbon fiber composites |
| By Resin Type | Thermoset Resins (Epoxy) | Thermoplastic resins (PEEK) |
| By Application | Wind Energy | Aerospace and defense |
By Fiber Type
- Glass Fiber Composites (GFRP) to Dominate
- The glass fiber composites segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global composite materials market.
- Glass fiber is the most widely used reinforcement fiber globally by volume, consumed in wind turbine blades, boats and marine vessels, construction products, automotive parts, pipes and tanks, and consumer goods in quantities that far exceed carbon and aramid fiber combined.
- The combination of good mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and relatively low cost makes GFRP the standard composite choice for the very large wind energy and marine application markets.
- Owens Corning and Jushi Group, the world's two largest glass fiber manufacturers, both reported strong revenues in their 2025 financial results, reflecting the sustained large-scale demand from wind energy and construction applications.
- However, the carbon fiber composites segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
- The combination of aerospace production recovery, growing EV structural application, and the transition of some wind turbine blade manufacturers from glass to carbon fiber in the spar caps of very large offshore blades is driving CFRP demand growth above the overall composite market rate.
- Toray's disclosure in its 2025 annual report of strong growth in aerospace CFRP demand and growing automotive carbon fiber composite adoption confirms this above-average growth trajectory.
By Resin Type
- Thermoset Resins (Epoxy) to Hold the Largest Share
- The thermoset resins segment, particularly epoxy, is expected to account for the largest share of the global composite materials market.
- Epoxy resins provide the best combination of mechanical performance, fiber-matrix adhesion, and chemical resistance of any thermoset matrix system, making them the standard resin for aerospace, high-performance automotive, and wind turbine blade applications where maximum structural performance is required.
- The very large installed base of epoxy composite processing equipment and the qualification of epoxy-based material systems across aerospace and defense programs means epoxy will remain the dominant thermoset for high-performance applications through the forecast period.
- However, the thermoplastic resins segment, particularly PEEK and advanced engineering thermoplastics, is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
- The sustainability pressure to develop recyclable composite materials, combined with the growing qualification of thermoplastic composite processes in aerospace and automotive production, is driving above-average growth in thermoplastic composite resin demand.
- According to Solvay's 2025 first-quarter results commentary, its thermoplastic composite materials for aerospace applications were seeing strong growth driven by both new aircraft program qualifications and the industry's sustainability agenda.
By Application
- Wind Energy to Hold the Largest Share
- The wind energy application segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global composite materials market.
- Wind turbine blades are the highest single-application consumer of glass fiber composite material globally by weight, and the very large annual volumes of new blade manufacturing driven by the global wind energy expansion program make wind energy the dominant composite application.
- The transition to larger offshore turbines requiring longer blades further increases per-turbine composite material consumption.
- According to the IEA's Renewables 2024 report and the Global Wind Energy Council's 2025 data, global wind capacity additions remain at record levels, sustaining the wind energy segment's dominant position in composite material demand.
- However, the aerospace and defense segment is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.
- The post-pandemic aerospace production recovery, the production ramp-up of composite-intensive widebody aircraft, and the growing demand for CFRP in defense applications including unmanned aerial vehicles and advanced military aircraft structures are driving aerospace composite demand growth at above-average rates.
- Hexcel's 2025 financial results and Toray's 2025 annual report disclosures both confirm aerospace as a fast-recovering and growing composite application.
Geographic analysis
Asia-Pacific
Largest shareIn 2026, Asia-Pacific is expected to account for the largest share of the global composite materials market. The region's dominance reflects China's position as both the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer and blade producer and the home of the world's largest glass fiber manufacturing companies. Jushi Group, headquartered in China, is the world's largest single glass fiber producer, and China hosts multiple other large glass fiber manufacturers including CPIC (China Jushi) and Taishan Fiberglass that collectively account for a very large share of global glass fiber supply. China's record wind energy installations, with the National Energy Administration of China reporting approximately 80 GW of new wind capacity added in 2024, generate very large domestic composite blade material demand. Japan is home to Toray Industries, the world's largest carbon fiber manufacturer, and Teijin, the second-largest, making Japan the center of global carbon fiber composite supply for aerospace and high-performance applications. South Korea's and Taiwan's advanced electronics and industrial sectors are also meaningful composite consumers. India's growing wind energy program and rapidly expanding automotive and infrastructure sectors are creating growing composite material demand from a large and expanding industrial base.
Middle East & Africa
Fastest growthHowever, the Middle East and Africa region is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. The Middle East's large-scale renewable energy programs, including Saudi Arabia's National Renewable Energy Program targeting 130 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 according to the Saudi Arabian government's 2025 communications and the UAE's renewable energy targets, are creating growing wind and solar composite material demand from a very low current base. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 industrial diversification programs are investing in domestic manufacturing capacity across multiple sectors that will consume composite materials, and the kingdom's NEOM mega-project and related construction programs are generating demand for construction composite applications. Sub-Saharan African infrastructure development and growing industrial investment are adding to the regional demand trajectory. The combination of large renewable energy investment, infrastructure construction, and industrial development from a currently low composite penetration base creates the conditions for the highest percentage growth rate of any region.
North America
North America is a large and technologically sophisticated composite materials market, anchored by the United States which has the world's largest commercial aerospace industry, very large wind energy installations, and an advanced automotive composite development ecosystem. The U.S. defense sector is also a major consumer of advanced carbon fiber composites for military aircraft and equipment.
Europe
Europe is characterized by very strong composite technology capabilities, world-leading wind energy adoption particularly in Germany, the UK, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and a sophisticated aerospace supply chain anchored by Airbus and its European suppliers. Norway, listed in the European geography section of this report, is home to Hexagon Composites ASA, a leading supplier of composite pressure vessels and gas storage systems.
Latin America
Latin America's Brazil and Chile are growing composite consumers through their respective wind energy and infrastructure programs.
Competitive landscape
- Toray Industries Inc. · Japan
- Hexcel Corporation (U.S.)
- Owens Corning (U.S.)
- Teijin Limited · Japan
- SGL Carbon SE · Germany
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation · Japan
- Solvay S.A. · Belgium
- BASF SE · Germany
- Huntsman Corporation (U.S.)
- Jushi Group Co. Ltd. · China
- Gurit Holding AG · Switzerland
- Hexagon Composites ASA · Norway
- Avient Corporation (U.S.)
- Nippon Electric Glass Co. Ltd. · Japan
- Chomarat Group · France
Frequently asked questions
The global composite materials market is expected to reach USD 248.6 billion by 2036 from an estimated USD 148.4 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period 2026-2036.
Cite this report
Meticulous Research. (2026). Composite Materials Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast (2026-2036) (Report No. MR-1962). Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/composite-materials-market-6645