Automotive Glazing Market: Technological Advancements and Future Opportunities

The Automotive Glazing Market, by polycarbonate, is estimated to be USD 1.4 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 2.7 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 10.13%. The demand for automotive glazing is driven by the increasing production of passenger cars and SUVs. Passenger cars and SUVs will drive the demand for high potential applications such as sunroof and rear quarter glass.

The automotive glazing market is dominated by global players and comprises several regional players. The key players in the automotive glazing market are SABIC (Suadi Arabia), Covestro (Germany), Teijin (Japan) Webasto (Germany) Freeglass (Germany), and Idemitsu (Japan).

New product development is one of the most prominent strategies adopted in the automotive glazing market. For instance, in April 2016, Covestro AG announced the launch of Makrolon TC8030, a new, thermally conductive polycarbonate. This grade of polycarbonate will be used for automotive lighting.

Supply contract is the second most preferred strategy adopted by industry players. For instance, in January 2015, Webasto announced that it was manufacturing the fixed panorama roof for the third generation of the Smart Fortwo.

Covestro is one of the leading petrochemical companies which has invented the polycarbonate resin. The key strategies adopted by Covestro are new product development, supply contract, and expansion to retain its leading position in the automotive glazing market. In January 2017, Covestro invested USD 21.6 million to expand the production capacity of polycarbonate production at its Dormagen plant in Germany. The polycarbonate products are used in security cards, automotive interiors, medical devices, and displays.

SABIC, a leading player in petrochemical manufacturing headquartered in Saudi Arabia, adopted supply contract and new product development as key strategies to gain traction in the market. For instance, SABIC announced that it was introducing new materials for its customers manufacturing LED automotive lighting parts. LEXAN™ HF4010SR resin was one of the new offerings. This polycarbonate material can help customers develop complex headlight bezels with enhanced aesthetics. SABIC also added new grades to its existing LEXAN XHT resin line, which can offer improved flow at high temperatures compared to other high-heat polycarbonate materials.

Recent Developments

In December 2018, Covestro started to build a new manufacturing line for polycarbonate films at Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Thailand. With this new capacity, the company will serve the fast-growing demand in Asia Pacific and strengthen its own position as a market leader. The project is the first step in a global capacity increase for Covestro´s polycarbonate film production. The total investment of more than USD 115 million also includes an expansion of the associated infrastructure and logistics.

In September 2017, SABIC announced that it is introducing new materials for its customers manufacturing LED automotive lighting parts. LEXAN™ HF4010SR resin is one of the new offerings. This polycarbonate material can help customers develop complex headlight bezels with enhanced aesthetics. SABIC has also added new grades to its existing LEXAN XHT resin line, which can offer improved flow at high temperatures compared to other high-heat polycarbonate materials.

In August 2018, Covestro announced that it would be launching flame-retardant battery housings for electric mobility or transparent and/or light-diffusing polycarbonates for energy-efficient LED lighting technology for automotive.

Related Report-

Automotive Glass Market by Type (Laminated, Tempered), Application (Windshield, Sidelite, Backlite, Rear Quarter Glass, Side & Rear-View Mirrors), Material (IR-PVB, Metal Coated, Tinted), ICE & EV, Aftermarket, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025