Ceramic Matrix Composites Market in Aircraft Engines by Aircraft Type, by Engine Type, by Component Type, by Application Type, by Engine Zone Type, by Material Type, by Manufacturing Process, and by Region Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025

This report identifies and quantifies the opportunities that ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) will have in aircraft engine applications over the next five years (2020-2025). The report mapped all the major CMC applications present currently in aircraft engines as well as the ongoing research & developments for the upcoming engines. The report segments the market in the most comprehensive manner with an aim to present the complete analysis including market assessment till 2025, market competition, upcoming CMC applications, and emerging trends. The report can be decisive for the market participants as well as investors, willing to expedite their growth process and to build growth strategies to achieve their long-term business goals.

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines: Highlights

The airlines’ dire need for fuel-efficient aircraft shows no signs of abating. As pressure for fuel-efficient aircraft continues to mount, ceramic matrix composites (CMC) evolve as they compete with metals for high-pressure and low-pressure applications in aircraft engines. CMCs are as tough as metals and are just one-third the weight of nickel alloys and can operate at 1,300° Celsius. They have the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and require less cooling air to be diverted from the thrust. As of result, engines run at higher thrust. Additionally, engines run hotter, consuming fuel efficiently, and emitting fewer pollutants.

The year 2019 was challenging for the aerospace industry due to the grounding of B737 Max, P&W 1100G engine series failure, and delayed deliveries of upcoming aircraft programs. However, the impact of these challenges was negligible on the CMCs market for aircraft engines. The outbreak of COVID-19 has further triggered the industry’s plight with the reduction in aircraft demand, order cancellations, temporary production halts, and huge revenue losses. All these factors have forced major aircraft OEMs to reduce production rates temporarily. For instance, Airbus has slashed the A320 production rate from 60 aircraft per month in 2019 to 40 aircraft per month. Similarly, A330 and A350 programs are reduced to a rate of two and six aircraft per month, respectively. These production cuts from major aircraft OEMs have devastated the demand for aircraft engines with reduced demand for CMCs.

Despite short term turmoil, the long-term outlook of CMCs in aircraft engines still seems favorable with the recovery in production rates of key aircraft programs such as A320 neo and resumption in the production of B737Max. The market is expected to witness an exceptional CAGR of 27.4% during the forecast period, owing to a continuous replacement of nickel alloys with CMCs owing to their advantages like better oxidation resistance at higher temperatures and comparatively lighter in weight. Further, the market entry of B777X and C919 is like to act as a catalyst towards the growth of the market. In 2019, Lockheed Martin delivered 134 F-35 aircraft (491 aircraft since the inception of the program) and production is expected to continue for many years, considering the US Governments' current inventory objective of 2,456 aircraft and commitments from eight international partner countries and four international. A strong order backlog of F-35 aircraft is likely to drive the demand for CMCs in the military aircraft segment in the long run.

The global ceramic matrix composites market in aircraft engines is segmented based on the aircraft type into commercial aircraft, business jet, military aircraft, and helicopter. Commercial aircraft is forecasted to remain the largest segment of the market over the next five years. The development of CMC parts in the variants of the best-selling aircraft programs, such as B737 Max and A320neo, is the key growth driver of the market. Additionally, the upcoming variant B777x with five CMC applications in its GE9X engine is likely to further elevate the demand for CMC parts in this segment.

Based on the application type, the ceramic matrix composites market in aircraft engines is segmented into shrouds, combustor liner, blades, nozzle, and others. Shrouds are projected to remain the largest application over the next five years, driven by their usage in the Leap engines. Leap engine is certified for the B737 Max, A320neo, and C919 aircraft. CFM International, a JV between GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines, delivered 1,736 Leap engines in 2019 and has an order backlog of 15,614 engines as of December 2019. Furthermore, the development of CMC shrouds in upcoming aircraft engines, such as GE9x, would further accelerate the demand over the next five years. All the major applications including combustor liner, shrouds, blades, and nozzles, are projected to witness healthy growth rates during the forecast period.

Based on the engine zone type, the CMCs market in aircraft engines is segmented as high-pressure zone, low-pressure zone, and engine combustor. High-pressure zone would remain the hotspot during the forecast period. CMCs are ideal materials as they offer a wide spectrum of advantages at high-pressure zones including a reliable performance at the extreme temperatures up to 1,300°C, a significant weight saving compared with nearest rival nickel alloys, and no need for air cooling. This improves the engine thrust and reduces fuel consumption and emits less pollution. All three zones are likely to witness impressive growth rates in the coming five years.

In terms of region, North America is projected to comfortably maintain its lead in the ceramic matrix composites market in aircraft engines during the forecast period. The key CMC players in the region have worked along with government institutions to make sure the commercial viability of CMCs in aircraft engines. The region also owns the presence of the major CMC part manufacturers such as GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney. The key players are rolling out their dedicated CMC plants in North America to address the surging demand for CMCs. In 2019, Pratt & Whitney, US-based aircraft engine manufacturer, announced its plans to open a new ceramic matrix composites research and development facility in California. In March 2018, GE Aviation announced the expansion of the CMC production facility in Asheville, NC, the USA.

The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, CMC part fabricators, aeroengine suppliers, and aircraft OEMs. The key players in the CMCs market are GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Composites Horizons LLC, Safran Ceramics (previously Herakles), COI Ceramics, Inc., Rolls-Royce plc, Honeywell International Inc, IHI Corporation, and Kordsa Teknik Tekstil A.S. The development of new applications, the formation of long-term contracts, and collaboration with OEMs are the key strategies adopted by companies to gain a competitive advantage in the market.

Research Methodology

This report offers high-quality insights and is the outcome of detailed research methodology comprising extensive secondary research, rigorous primary interviews with industry stakeholders, and validation and triangulation with the publisher’s internal database and statistical tools. More than 1,500 authenticated secondary sources, such as company annual reports, fact book, press release, journals, investor presentation, white papers, patents, and articles, have been leveraged to gather the data. The publisher conducted more than 15 detailed primary interviews with the market players across the value chain in all four regions and industry experts to obtain both qualitative and quantitative insights.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence most comprehensively. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights into the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market.

The following are the key features of the report:

• Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis
• Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter’s five forces analysis, SWOT analysis
• Market trend and forecast analysis
• Market segment trend and forecast
• Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, Product portfolio, New Product Launches, etc.
• Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities
• Emerging trends
• Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players
• Key success factors

The Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines is segmented into the following categories:

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Aircraft Type:

• Commercial Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Business Jets (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Military Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Helicopter (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Engine Type:

• Jet Engine (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Helicopter Engine (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Other Engines (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Component Type:

• Static Components (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Rotational Components (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Application Type:

• Combustor Liner (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Shrouds (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Blades (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Nozzles (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Others (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Engine Zone:

• High-Pressure Zone (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Low-Pressure Zone (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Combustor (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Material Type:

• SiC/SiC (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Oxide/Oxide (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Others (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Manufacturing Process Type:

• Melt Infiltration (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Chemical Vapor Infiltration (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Sintering (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)
• Others (Regional Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW)

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) Market in Aircraft Engines, By Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• Rest of the World