Aerospace Growth and Defense Investments Drive Process Materials Market
The aerospace and defense process materials market is growing steadily, supported by rising aircraft production, defense modernization, and expanding applications of advanced composites. Process materials—including release films, peel plies, breather fabrics, and vacuum bagging films—play a critical role in composite manufacturing by ensuring quality, consistency, and precision during curing and molding. According to Stratview Research, the market is poised to expand at a healthy rate through 2030.
The aerospace & defense process materials market was estimated at USD 410 million in 2024 and is likely to grow at a significant CAGR of 4.7% during 2025-2030 to reach USD 589 million in 2030.
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Market Drivers
A primary driver is the surge in commercial aircraft demand. With Airbus and Boeing ramping up production to meet growing passenger traffic, the use of composites in aircraft structures is increasing. This directly boosts demand for high-performance process materials.
The defense sector is another contributor, with rising investments in military aircraft, UAVs, and rotorcraft programs. Lightweight composites supported by advanced process materials improve performance, stealth, and fuel efficiency.
The space industry is also fueling growth, as process materials are integral to manufacturing satellite structures and launch vehicles where precision and reliability are vital.
Key Trends
A notable trend is the push toward sustainable process materials, such as recyclable release films and bio-based resins, aligning with aerospace industry sustainability goals. Another is the increasing adoption of out-of-autoclave (OOA) manufacturing, requiring innovative process materials that deliver high performance without traditional autoclave curing.
Regionally, North America dominates the market due to its strong aerospace supply chain and defense investments, while Asia-Pacific is emerging as the fastest-growing region with rising aircraft deliveries and defense budgets in China, India, and Japan.
Conclusion
The aerospace and defense process materials market is set for robust growth, driven by aircraft production, defense modernization, and space exploration. With sustainability and OOA technologies shaping the future, process materials will remain critical to enabling advanced composite manufacturing across aerospace and defense platforms.