Optical Fiber Preform Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type, (Single Mode Fiber Optic, Multi-Mode Fiber Optic, Plastic Optical Fiber Optic), By Technology (OVD, VAD, PCVD, MCVD), By Application (IT and Telecommunication, Oil and Gas, Military and Aerospace, BFSI, Healthcare & Others), By Region 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 6.55 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	22.45%
Fastest Growing Segment	Single Mode Fiber Optic
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 22.08 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Optical Fiber Preform Market will grow from USD 6.55 Billion in 2025 to USD 22.08 Billion by 2031 at a 22.45% CAGR. Optical fiber preforms are high-purity cylindrical glass rods, consisting of a specific core and cladding structure, which serve as the foundational raw material for drawing optical fiber strands. The market is primarily driven by the rising global requirement for high-bandwidth communication infrastructure, specifically the extensive expansion of fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-building networks. Furthermore, the widespread rollout of 5G technology and the rapid capacity expansion of hyperscale data centers necessitate dense optical networks, directly stimulating the production volume of these essential glass preforms.

This sustained momentum in network infrastructure is evidenced by recent deployment figures that dictate upstream preform demand. According to the Fiber Broadband Association, in 2024, fiber broadband deployments in the U.S. reached a record 10.3 million homes passed. Despite this strong consumption trend, the market faces a significant challenge regarding raw material supply chain stability, particularly the price volatility of high-purity silica and helium, which can unpredictably increase manufacturing costs and impede production scalability.

Key Market Drivers

The rapid deployment of 5G telecommunication infrastructure is a primary driver for the optical fiber preform market, fundamentally altering network architecture requirements to support higher frequency bands and massive MIMO technology. Unlike legacy generations, 5G networks demand significantly denser fiber backhaul and fronthaul connections to manage ultra-low latency and expanded capacity, thereby directly boosting the volume of preforms needed for cable manufacturing. This aggressive rollout is evident in global subscription trends that compel network densification; according to Ericsson, June 2024, in the 'Mobility Report', approximately 160 million 5G subscriptions were added globally in just the first quarter of 2024, creating urgent pressure on operators to expand physical transmission capacity. The scale of this infrastructure undertaking is immense; according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in 2024, the total number of 5G base stations in China alone exceeded 4 million, representing a sustained, massive source of demand for the high-purity glass rods essential for producing optical strands.

Simultaneously, the expansion of hyperscale data centers and cloud computing ecosystems is critically influencing market dynamics. The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence has shifted data center architecture towards flattened, spine-leaf topologies that require massive amounts of high-quality fiber for optical interconnects between thousands of GPUs. This transition moves demand beyond standard telecommunications fiber toward specialized, high-density products derived from advanced preforms. The immediate impact of this shift is reflected in manufacturer performance; according to Corning Incorporated, October 2024, in the 'Third-Quarter 2024 Financial Results', the company's Optical Communications sales rose 36% year-over-year, a surge explicitly attributed to the robust demand for optical connectivity products supporting generative AI. This trend indicates that data center investment has evolved from a niche vertical into a dominant force shaping global preform production schedules.

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Key Market Challenges

The instability of the raw material supply chain, specifically the price volatility and scarcity of high-purity helium and silica, acts as a formidable barrier to the growth of the Global Optical Fiber Preform Market. These materials are indispensable for the chemical vapor deposition and cooling phases of preform manufacturing. When input costs fluctuate unpredictably, manufacturers face squeezed profit margins and an inability to accurately forecast operational expenses. This financial uncertainty discourages the substantial capital investment required to build new facilities or expand existing production lines, thereby directly stalling the scalability needed to meet surging global connectivity demands.

Furthermore, supply disruptions lead to operational inefficiencies that reduce overall output. According to SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International), in 2024, helium supply constraints were identified as a critical factor capable of reducing high-tech manufacturing yield efficiency by approximately 15% to 20%. Such reductions in yield significantly hamper the industry's ability to maintain the high production volumes necessary for dense 5G and fiber-to-the-home deployments. Consequently, even with strong downstream orders, the market struggles to fulfill requirements promptly, creating a bottleneck that decelerates the broader adoption of next-generation optical networks.

Key Market Trends

Preform manufacturers are actively responding to a distinct market shift toward producing specialized multi-mode fiber preforms designed to support short-range, ultra-fast data transmission. This trend is directly correlated with the rapid expansion of hyper-scale data centers and enterprise LANs, which require low-latency connections to support heavy cloud computing and generative AI workloads. The urgency of this infrastructure upgrade is reflected in the financial performance of key industry leaders; according to CommScope, May 2025, in the 'First Quarter 2025 Results', the company reported that its enterprise fiber business revenues soared by 88% year-over-year, a surge explicitly driven by the robust demand for connectivity in AI-native data center environments.

Simultaneously, industry players are increasingly adopting environmentally friendly production techniques to reduce the carbon footprint of the energy-intensive preform fabrication process. This trend involves the implementation of helium recovery systems during the cooling phase and the integration of greener raw materials to align with global sustainability standards and "green data center" initiatives. Major manufacturers are successfully quantifying these decarbonization efforts; according to the Prysmian Group, April 2025, in the '2024 Sustainability Highlights', the company achieved a 37% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions compared to its 2019 baseline, directly attributing this progress to significant energy efficiency improvements across its global production sites.

Segmental Insights

Trusted industry analysis identifies the Single Mode Fiber Optic segment as the fastest-growing category in the Global Optical Fiber Preform Market. This trajectory is primarily driven by the global acceleration of 5G infrastructure deployment and expansive fiber-to-the-home projects. Telecommunication providers prioritize this segment due to its efficiency in transmitting data over long distances with minimal signal loss, which is essential for high-capacity network backbones. Consequently, the escalating demand for reliable long-haul communication solutions continues to propel the rapid expansion of single-mode preform production.

Regional Insights

North America commands the leading position in the global optical fiber preform market, driven by extensive investments in telecommunication infrastructure and the rapid expansion of high-speed broadband networks. The region benefits significantly from the widespread deployment of fifth-generation wireless technology and a dense concentration of hyperscale data centers requiring high-capacity fiber connectivity. Additionally, supportive funding initiatives by the Federal Communications Commission regarding rural broadband accessibility directly stimulate the demand for optical fiber components. Consequently, this established industrial framework and consistent network modernization sustain the region's primary status in the global landscape.

Recent Developments

• In July 2025, Sterlite Technologies Limited (STL) announced a strategic collaboration with Hygenco Green Energies to establish a green hydrogen and oxygen production facility in Maharashtra, India. This initiative was specifically designed to supply green hydrogen to the company’s semiconductor-grade glass preform manufacturing plant. The partnership marked a critical step in decarbonizing the optical fiber production process, with the company aiming to utilize 100% green hydrogen for its preform manufacturing operations. This development highlighted the industry's growing focus on sustainable manufacturing practices for the core materials used in global optical networks.
• In July 2025, Prysmian Group announced a strategic investment in Relativity Networks to accelerate the industrialization and global deployment of hollow-core optical fiber technology. This financial commitment followed an earlier agreement to scale up the manufacturing of this proprietary technology, which relies on specialized preform designs distinct from traditional solid glass cores. The collaboration focused on producing advanced fibers that deliver ultra-low latency and reduced signal distortion for high-performance applications such as AI acceleration. The move underscored the evolving demands of the Global Optical Fiber Preform Market as companies pivot toward next-generation infrastructure solutions.
• In August 2024, Corning Incorporated entered into a significant supply agreement with Lumen Technologies to address the surging bandwidth requirements driven by generative artificial intelligence. Under this collaboration, the telecommunications provider reserved 10% of Corning’s global fiber capacity for two years to interconnect AI-enabled data centers. This agreement facilitated the first outside-plant deployment of a new fiber system designed to maximize density in existing conduits. The deal emphasized the essential role of high-quality preform and fiber capacity in supporting the rapid expansion of data center infrastructure required for advanced computing workloads.
• In July 2024, Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company (YOFC) collaborated with ZTE Corporation to successfully demonstrate the real-time transport of ultra-high-power signals over a hollow-core fiber system. The joint research verified the performance of a 20km hollow-core fiber, achieving a key milestone in mitigating non-linear effects and latency for long-distance transmission. This breakthrough highlighted the potential of innovative fiber structures, which require advanced preform manufacturing techniques, to revolutionize future optical communication systems. The project demonstrated the viability of these next-generation materials for supporting high-capacity transport networks.

Key Market Players

• Hengtong Group Co Ltd
• Fujikura Ltd
• Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
• Sterlite Technologies Limited
• Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company
• Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd
• Prysmian Group
• Heraeus Holding
• Corning Incorporated
• OFS Fitel, LLC

By Type,	By Technology	By Application	By Region
Single Mode Fiber Optic Multi-Mode Fiber Optic Plastic Optical Fiber Optic	OVD VAD PCVD MCVD	IT and Telecommunication Oil and Gas Military and Aerospace BFSI Healthcare & Others	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

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

• Optical Fiber Preform Market, By Type,:

• Single Mode Fiber Optic
• Multi-Mode Fiber Optic
• Plastic Optical Fiber Optic

• Optical Fiber Preform Market, By Technology:

• OVD
• VAD
• PCVD
• MCVD

• Optical Fiber Preform Market, By Application:

• IT and Telecommunication
• Oil and Gas
• Military and Aerospace
• BFSI
• Healthcare & Others

• Optical Fiber Preform Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE