The global rCF market is expected to increase by USD 148.0 million, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2023 to 2028, according to the latest edition of the Global Recycled Carbon Fiber Market Report. Carbon fibers are lightweight, high-strength materials that have found extensive use in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, wind energy, sports equipment, and construction. However, the production and disposal of carbon fibers generate a considerable amount of waste, leading to environmental concerns. This waste includes manufacturing scraps, end-of-life products, and unused carbon fiber materials.
The increasing usage of carbon fibers in different end-use industries has contributed to the growing amount of carbon fiber waste. As these industries continue to expand and innovate, the need for sustainable solutions to manage and repurpose carbon fiber waste becomes crucial. This has led to the emergence of the recycled carbon fiber (rCF) industry, which focuses on collecting, processing, and transforming carbon fiber waste into usable materials.
Recycled carbon fibers offer several advantages that make them an attractive alternative to virgin carbon fibers. The recycling process reduces the environmental impact associated with carbon fiber production. By repurposing waste materials, the industry helps conserve resources, reduce energy consumption, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition, rCF retains many of the desirable properties of virgin carbon fibers, such as high strength, stiffness, and corrosion resistance. This makes them suitable for various applications, including the manufacturing of lightweight components and structures. Industries can incorporate recycled carbon fibers into their products, reducing the reliance on virgin carbon fibers and promoting a more sustainable supply chain.
Furthermore, the rCF industry presents economic opportunities, creating a circular economy where waste materials are transformed into valuable resources. The industry supports job creation, technological advancements in recycling processes, and the development of innovative products that utilize recycled carbon fibers.
The report presents statistical information, including market size, market share within various market segments, growth rate, and forecasts specifically tailored to the rCF industry. This data-driven analysis equips industry professionals with essential information to assess the current market landscape, make informed decisions, and identify growth opportunities within the sector.
Research Coverage
This report presents an in-depth analysis and segmentation of the rCF market, with market size forecasts extending until 2028. The market has been categorized based on product, source, end user, and region. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation of key industry players has been conducted to provide valuable insights into their business profiles, product offerings, strategic approaches, partnerships, expansions, and acquisitions pertaining to the rCF market.
The report provides a detailed analysis of the following segments within the rCF market:
Product: chopped recycled carbon fiber, and milled recycled carbon fiber
Source: aerospace scrap, automotive scrap, and others
End user: aerospace and defense, automotive, industrial, sporting goods, wind energy, and others
Region: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and North America
Based on product, the global rCF market is categorized into chopped recycled carbon fiber, and milled recycled carbon fiber. Globally, the milled recycled carbon fiber segment made up the largest share of the rCF market. Milled carbon fibers are fibrous powders manufactured from recycled carbon fiber. They are characterized by their short strand length, typically around 100µm. These milled carbon fibers are commonly used as additives in various applications.
In thermoplastic materials like Nylon, milled carbon fibers are added during the injection molding process. The addition of milled carbon fibers helps to enhance the mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and modulus, of the final product. It also improves the dimensional stability of the thermoplastic material.
In thermoset resins like epoxy, polyurethane, and polyester resin, milled carbon fibers are used for cold casting or vacuum casting applications. The milled carbon fibers are mixed with the resin before casting, resulting in a composite material with improved mechanical properties. These fibers contribute to increased tensile strength, modulus, and dimensional stability of the cured resin.
Additionally, milled carbon fibers can provide electrical and electrostatic conductivity to the composite materials. This conductivity is beneficial in applications where static dissipation or electrical conductivity is required.
On the basis of source, the global rCF market has been segmented into aerospace scrap, automotive scrap, and others. The aerospace scrap segment captured the largest share of the market in 2022. The aerospace industry generates a significant amount of carbon fiber waste, and commercial recycled carbon fiber (rCF) suppliers often rely on the aerospace sector as a key source for recyclate materials. In the aerospace industry, excess materials, typically in the form of uncured thermoset composite prepreg, are collected as waste. These materials can include production waste, offcuts, or end-of-life components from aircraft.
To recycle carbon fiber from these waste materials, the resin that binds the fibers together needs to be removed. There are two common methods used for resin removal: heat treatment through pyrolysis and chemical solvent treatment known as solvolysis.
After resin removal, the recycled carbon fibers can be further processed by milling, chopping, or pelletizing. These processed forms of recycled carbon fiber can be used as feedstock for various applications, including the production of composite materials for automotive, aerospace, construction, and other industries.
The recycling of carbon fiber waste from the aerospace industry plays a crucial role in reducing environmental impact by diverting waste from landfills and conserving valuable resources. It also helps to address the demand-supply gap in carbon fiber availability, as recycling can provide a more sustainable source of carbon fiber.
By end user, the global rCF market has been segmented into aerospace and defense, automotive, industrial, sporting goods, wind energy, and others. The automotive industry has emerged as the largest consumer of recycled carbon fibers, utilizing them in various applications such as battery boxes and compression molding processes for interior and exterior parts of automobiles. This demand is driven by the increasing need for lightweight and environmentally friendly materials, prompted by stringent environmental regulations imposed by regulatory agencies like the European Union (EU) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce carbon emissions.
The rise in demand for recycled carbon fibers is further fueled by the growing focus on electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and connectivity features in cars. These advancements create ample opportunities where composites, including recycled carbon fibers, play a significant role in enhancing performance and efficiency.
One of the key factors driving the market growth is the lower cost of recycled carbon fibers compared to virgin carbon fibers, with cost reductions ranging from around 30 to 40%. This cost advantage makes recycled carbon fibers an attractive choice for automotive manufacturers, enabling them to achieve significant savings without compromising on quality or performance.
The automotive industry’s adoption of recycled carbon fibers aligns with the broader trend of sustainability and circular economy practices. By utilizing recycled materials, automakers can reduce their reliance on virgin resources and contribute to a more sustainable supply chain.
Furthermore, the use of recycled carbon fibers in automotive applications offers several benefits. These fibers possess high strength-to-weight ratios, providing structural integrity while reducing overall vehicle weight. This weight reduction contributes to improved fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, aligning with the industry’s goals of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
In terms of geography, the global rCF market has been segmented into Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and North America. In terms of value, Europe emerged as the dominant player in the recycled carbon fiber market. The region boasts leading manufacturers of recycled carbon fiber, including Gen 2 Carbon Ltd., PROCOTEX Corporation SA, and Alpha Recyclage Composites SAS. These companies have significant opportunities in the European market, driven by the presence of large automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the increasing demand from the automotive industry.
Recycled carbon fiber is extensively used in the manufacturing of composite parts, making it a crucial material in various industries. The growth of the recycled carbon fiber market in Europe is supported by advancements in composite technology solutions and the increasing penetration of composites in sectors such as aerospace and defense, pipe and tank, construction and infrastructure, automotive and transportation, and wind energy.
Governments in various European countries prioritize the use of eco-friendly products, which further fuels the growth of the recycled carbon fiber market in Europe. These initiatives align with the region’s focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, creating a favorable market environment for recycled carbon fiber manufacturers.
Competitive Landscape
The global rCF market is highly competitive. The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players Alpha Recyclage Composites SAS, Bcircular Composites S.L., Carbon Conversions Inc., Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing LLC, CatackH Co. Ltd., Fuji Design Co. Ltd., Gen 2 Carbon Ltd., Hadeg Recycling GmbH, Innovative Recycling SA, Mallinda Inc., Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation, PROCOTEX Corporation SA, SGL Carbon SE, Shocker Composites LLC, Sigmatex Limited, Toray Industries Inc. (Zoltek Corporation), Vartega Inc. These companies play a significant role in driving market growth through their active contributions in innovation and product development within the rCF industry.
Recycled Carbon Fiber Industry Developments
▸ In August 2020, Germany-based Karl Meyer AG has announced the sale of its carboNXT GmbH and CFK Valley Stade Recycling GmbH & Co. KG carbon fiber recycling subsidiaries to Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials GmbH.
▸ In February 2022, Teijin Limited announced that it has agreed to form a business alliance with Fuji Design Co., Ltd., a Japanese manufacturer of recycled carbon fibers to establish a business structure for the production, supply and commercialization of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) products made from recycled carbon fibers using a low environmental impact process.
▸ In February 2020, Zoltek Companies Inc. started using electricity produced from renewable resources at its sprawling Nyergesújfalu plant in Hungary to help produce “green” carbon fiber. The facility, with an annual production capacity of 15,000 metric tons, was touted as the world’s largest fully integrated carbon fiber plant, where polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor, carbon fiber itself, and downstream value-added carbon fiber-based intermediates like fabrics and pultruded goods were all produced at a single site.
▸ In May 2021, ELG Carbon Fibre Limited (ECF) divested its short fiber business to Procotex Corporation SA. Additionally, the management team initiated a new growth platform called Gen 2 Carbon, which focused on the development of the long, recycled carbon fiber business. This business primarily served the composites industry by providing carbon fiber and thermoplastic nonwovens.
▸ In November 2020, CATACK-H announced its plans to open a new, larger facility in Korea by summer 2022. The new facility was expected to have an additional processing capacity of 4,000 tons per year. At that time, the company primarily processed scrap materials obtained from Korean manufacturers. However, the company had longer-term plans for expansion, including sourcing from other regions and establishing recycling facilities in Europe and North America.
Key Questions Answered
What is the projected global market size of rCF by 2028?
Which product segment exhibits dominant control and influence?
Which source segment possesses the largest market share?
Which end user segment demonstrates the most significant dominance?
In terms of market dominance, which region segment prevails in the rCF market?
Who are the key players with the largest market share in the rCF market?
What is the estimated global market size for the rCF market in 2023?
What are the main factors driving the growth of the rCF market?
What is the expected incremental growth of the rCF market during the forecast period?
Table of Contents
1. Scope and Methodology
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Report Scope
1.3 Research Methodology
2. Executive Summary
3. Market Overview
4. Global Recycled Carbon Fiber Market – Product Analysis
4.1 Chopped recycled carbon fiber
4.2 Milled recycled carbon fiber
5. Global Recycled Carbon Fiber Market – Source Analysis
5.1 Aerospace scrap
5.2 Automotive scrap
5.3 Others
6. Global Recycled Carbon Fiber Market – End User Analysis
6.1 Aerospace and defense
6.2 Automotive
6.3 Industrial
6.4 Sporting goods
6.5 Wind energy
6.6 Others
7. Global Recycled Carbon Fiber Market – Region Analysis
7.1 Asia-Pacific
7.2 Europe
7.3 Latin America
7.4 Middle East and Africa
7.5 North America
8. Patents Analysis
9. Competitive Landscape
9.1 Competitive Scenario
9.2 Market Positioning/Share Analysis
9.3 Mergers and Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, Collaborations, and Agreements
10. Company Profiles
10.1 Alpha Recyclage Composites SAS
10.2 Bcircular Composites S.L.
10.3 Carbon Conversions, Inc.
10.4 Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing LLC
10.5 CatackH, Co., Ltd.
10.6 Fuji Design Co., Ltd.
10.7 Gen 2 Carbon Ltd.
10.8 Hadeg Recycling GmbH
10.9 Innovative Recycling SA
10.10 Mallinda Inc.
10.11 Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation
10.12 PROCOTEX Corporation SA
10.13 SGL Carbon SE
10.14 Shocker Composites, LLC
10.15 Sigmatex Limited
10.16 Toray Industries Inc. (Zoltek Corporation)
10.17 Vartega Inc.
APPENDIX
DISCLAIMER
Companies Mentioned
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes:
Alpha Recyclage Composites SAS
Bcircular Composites S.L.
Carbon Conversions, Inc.
Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing LLC
CatackH, Co., Ltd.
Fuji Design Co., Ltd.
Gen 2 Carbon Ltd.
Hadeg Recycling GmbH
Innovative Recycling SA
Mallinda Inc.
Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation
PROCOTEX Corporation SA
SGL Carbon SE
Shocker Composites, LLC
Sigmatex Limited
Toray Industries Inc. (Zoltek Corporation)
Vartega Inc.