Carbon Fibre Tape Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Form (Prepreg Tapes and Dry Tapes), By End User (Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Sports & Leisure, Other), By Region and Competition, 2020-2030F

Market Overview

The Global Carbon Fibre Tape Market, valued at USD 2.86 Billion in 2024, is projected to experience a CAGR of 10.35% to reach USD 5.17 Billion by 2030. Carbon fibre tape is a high-performance material consisting of continuous carbon fibers, often in a resin-impregnated or dry format, characterized by an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, stiffness, and durability. Key drivers propelling this market include rising demand for lightweight materials in aerospace and defense, automotive, and wind energy sectors, driven by objectives for improved fuel efficiency, emission reduction, and enhanced structural performance. Expanding applications within infrastructure also contribute to growth.

According to Composites United e. V. , the global average demand for carbon fibers reached approximately 117,500 tons in 2023 and grew to about 126,500 tonnes in 2024, indicating consistent growth in the overarching carbon fiber market. A significant challenge impeding market expansion stems from the high production costs, encompassing expensive precursor materials, energy-intensive manufacturing, and considerable initial capital investments, which restrict broader adoption.

Key Market Drivers

The increasing demand for lightweight materials represents a primary driver for the global carbon fibre tape market in sectors such as aerospace and automotive. Manufacturers actively seek to integrate advanced composites to enhance product performance, durability, and operational efficiency. Carbon fibre tapes, with their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, enable significant weight reductions unattainable with traditional metals. For example, in automotive applications, carbon fiber can achieve weight reductions of up to 70% compared to steel, according to Wolf Composites in July 2025 in "Carbon Fiber in the Automotive Industry: Lightweight Performance for the Road Ahead". This material advantage is crucial for improving vehicle dynamics and enabling new design possibilities, directly fueling the adoption of carbon fibre tape solutions.

Concurrently, a growing emphasis on fuel efficiency and emission reduction profoundly shapes the market for carbon fibre tapes. Global regulatory pressures and consumer preferences for environmentally responsible products compel industries to innovate material choices. By reducing overall vehicle or aircraft mass, carbon fibre tapes directly contribute to lower fuel consumption and a decreased carbon footprint. As an illustration, the European Union has set an average target of 93.6 grams per kilometer of CO2 across its cumulative fleet from 2025, a 15% reduction from 2021 levels, according to Autovista24 in October 2024 in "New EU CO2 targets for 2025: Challenges and opportunities for car manufacturers". This imperative is also evident in the energy sector, where approximately 35% of global carbon fiber production is utilized in wind energy for manufacturing larger, more efficient turbine blades, as noted by Carbon Fiber Innovations in May 2025 in "Carbon Fiber Innovations: Lightweighting for Aerospace, Bikes, and Automotive Applications". These pressures highlight the indispensable role of carbon fibre tapes in achieving future sustainability objectives.

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Key Market Challenges

The high production costs for carbon fibre tape present a significant impediment to the broader expansion of the market. This challenge stems from several factors, including the inherently expensive precursor materials required for carbon fiber production. The complex manufacturing processes are also energy-intensive, adding considerably to operational expenses. Furthermore, establishing or expanding production capabilities for carbon fibre tape demands considerable initial capital investments, creating substantial barriers to entry for new market participants and limiting the scaling efforts of existing manufacturers.

These elevated production expenses translate directly into higher end-product prices for carbon fibre tape, which can restrict its adoption across various industries, particularly in cost-sensitive applications. Despite the material's superior performance characteristics, the cost factor influences procurement decisions and project feasibility for potential end-users. According to the American Composites Manufacturers Association, the global carbon fiber industry reached a value of $3.2 billion in 2023, indicating a substantial market size; however, the persistent high cost of manufacturing continues to limit its pervasive integration into a wider array of products and sectors. The requirement for significant upfront investment in facilities and equipment also constrains the pace at which manufacturing capacity can grow to meet rising demand.

Key Market Trends

The increasing adoption of thermoplastic carbon fiber tapes represents a pivotal trend, driven by their inherent advantages over traditional thermoset counterparts, particularly in applications demanding faster processing cycles, recyclability, and enhanced damage tolerance. These materials offer improved formability and weldability, which are critical for high-volume manufacturing sectors such as automotive and urban air mobility. According to EuCIA, in 2023, the European market for thermoplastic composites reached a total volume of 1,423 kilotons, underscoring significant market engagement with these advanced materials. Victrex plc observed in May 2024 that its Transport segment, which includes aerospace and automotive, experienced an 18% increase in Aerospace sales and a 14% increase in Automotive sales, contributing to a 15% overall rise in Transport sales volume to 532 tonnes in the first half of 2024 compared to 463 tonnes in the first half of 2023, as thermoplastic composites gained traction. This growth highlights a strategic shift towards materials supporting both performance and sustainable manufacturing practices, influencing component design and production methodologies across diverse industries.

The integration of Automated Tape Laying (ATL) and Fiber Placement (AFP) technologies is another significant trend transforming carbon fiber tape manufacturing. These advanced automated processes allow for precise and efficient deposition of carbon fiber tapes, enabling the production of complex geometries with superior accuracy and repeatability, reducing labor costs and material waste. The global composites market experienced a 5% growth in volume in 2023, totaling 13 million tons, compared to 12.3 million tons in 2022, as reported by EuCIA citing JEC Composites. This broader market expansion indicates a favorable environment for advanced manufacturing technologies like ATL and AFP within the composites sector. The GKN Aerospace-led ASCEND program, concluded in March 2025, showcased enhanced FibreFORM pick and place end effectors for manipulating large carbon fiber plies into complex profiles for automated layup, demonstrating advancements in high-rate composite technology. Such automation is essential for scaling up production to meet the rising demand for lightweight, high-performance composite structures in aerospace, automotive, and wind energy sectors.

Segmental Insights

The Prepreg Tapes segment is experiencing rapid growth within the Global Carbon Fibre Tape Market due to several key advantages in high-performance applications. These tapes, pre-impregnated with a resin matrix, offer superior quality control and consistent resin content, which minimizes variability during manufacturing processes. This consistency, along with their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and ability to achieve complex shapes, makes them highly desirable across industries. Specifically, the aerospace and automotive sectors are significant drivers of this growth, as Prepreg Tapes enable the production of lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft and vehicles, contributing to enhanced performance and reduced emissions. Furthermore, their ease of use, reduced processing time, and cleaner manufacturing environment compared to traditional methods further contribute to their increasing adoption.

Regional Insights

North America leads the Global Carbon Fibre Tape Market, primarily driven by its robust aerospace and defense industries, coupled with a strong automotive sector focused on lightweighting. The region benefits from substantial demand for high-strength, low-weight materials in aircraft manufacturing, including major companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and for military applications, often supported by significant government defense spending. Additionally, increasing emphasis on fuel efficiency and emission reduction in the automotive industry, particularly for electric vehicles, accelerates the adoption of carbon fibre tapes in North America. The presence of advanced manufacturing capabilities and leading research institutions further underpins its market dominance.

Recent Developments

• In May 2025, Porsche revealed its development of a new carbon fiber-reinforced tape, named TABASKO, for lightweight construction in automotive applications. This innovative material, comprising a polypropylene film embedded with continuous carbon fiber strands, aimed to dramatically increase component strength while simultaneously reducing weight. Porsche engineers successfully tested TABASKO in a prototype luggage tray for a Porsche Taycan, demonstrating significantly improved rigidity and impact resistance with only a small percentage of carbon fiber by weight. The company indicated that preliminary development was complete, with interest shown in series production for future vehicles.

• In March 2025, McLaren announced a new method of carbon fiber production, integrating an aerospace industry technique known as Automated Rapid Tape (ART) production into its manufacturing processes. This breakthrough allowed for the creation of lighter, stiffer, and stronger carbon fiber structures for its supercars, with increased consistency and reduced material waste. A prototype high-rate deposition machine was installed at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre, with plans for upscaling to an industrial-spec machine later in 2025. This technology aimed to unlock new possibilities for next-generation carbon fiber architectures in automotive applications.

• In December 2024, the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) announced a breakthrough in materials science with the development of highly oriented tapes made from recycled carbon fibers (rCF). This research established a method to reuse rCF in high-performance applications, such as structural components for the automotive sector. The "Infinity" research project demonstrated that composite material created from these rCF tapes achieved 88 percent of the tensile strength and modulus of comparable virgin fiber products. Furthermore, the global warming potential of using pyrolysis fibers was reduced by approximately 49 percent, highlighting a significant advancement towards sustainable carbon fiber composites for various industries.

• In August 2024, SGL Carbon launched a new SIGRAFIL carbon fiber tape production line at its facility in Meitingen, Germany. This advanced production line incorporated Industry 4.0 technologies, including real-time quality monitoring and predictive maintenance systems, to enhance manufacturing efficiency and precision. The facility was designed to produce specialized carbon fiber tapes specifically tailored for wind energy applications. These tapes offered enhanced fatigue resistance and environmental durability, crucial for offshore turbine installations. This expansion aimed to meet the growing demand for high-performance, lightweight materials in the renewable energy sector.

Key Market Players

• Evonik Industries AG
• Saudi Basic Industries Corporation
• Solvay S.A.
• Hexcel Corporation
• TenCate Protective Fabrics
• SGL Carbon SE
• TEIJIN LIMITED
• BASF SE
• Celanese Corporation
• Victrex plc

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Carbon Fibre Tape Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Carbon Fibre Tape Market, By Form:

o   Dry Tapes

o   Prepreg Tapes

• Carbon Fibre Tape Market, By End User:

o   Aerospace & Defense

o   Automotive

o   Sports & Leisure

o   Other

• Carbon Fibre Tape Market, By Region:

o   North America

§  United States

§  Canada

§  Mexico

o   Asia Pacific

§  China

§  India

§  Japan

§  Australia

§  South Korea

o   Europe

§  France

§  United Kingdom

§  Italy

§  Germany

§  Spain

o   South America

§  Brazil

§  Argentina

§  Colombia

o   Middle East & Africa

§  South Africa

§  Saudi Arabia

§  UAE

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies presents in the Global Carbon Fibre Tape Market.

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Company Information

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