Thick Film Materials Market Report 2026

The thick film materials market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $18.58 billion in 2025 to $20.23 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rising demand for printed electronics, growth in automotive electronics, increasing industrial automation, development of ltcc and multilayer ceramics, adoption in medical devices.

The thick film materials market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $28.14 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to expansion of electric vehicles, rise in wearable and flexible electronics, increasing adoption in renewable energy, growth in smart sensors and iot devices, advancements in hybrid thick film materials. Major trends in the forecast period include advanced material formulations, miniaturization of electronic components, high-temperature firing innovations, enhanced conductivity & reliability, integration with flexible & wearable electronics.

The increasing demand for consumer electronics is expected to drive growth in the thick film materials market. Consumer electronics such as smartphones, laptops, televisions, and household gadgets are seeing rising adoption globally, which in turn increases production of electronic components and specialized materials. Thick film materials play a critical role in manufacturing resistors, circuit boards, and hybrid integrated circuits that power these devices. For example, in May 2023, Japan’s electronic equipment production reached approximately USD 5.6 billion, with consumer electronics output rising to around USD 233 million, up from USD 183 million in May 2022. This growing demand underscores the importance of thick film materials in supporting the expanding electronics sector.

Leading companies operating in the thick film materials market are adopting strategic partnerships to strengthen technology integration and expand their market presence. A strategic partnership refers to a collaborative relationship between two or more organizations in which they combine their resources, expertise, and efforts to achieve shared goals or objectives. For example, in January 2024, Sumitomo Metal Mining, a Japan-based mining, smelting, and materials manufacturing company, along with NIMS, N.E. CHEMCAT CORPORATION, and Priways, introduced a new thick-film conductive ink for printed electronics at the 38th Nepcon Japan exhibition (January 24-26, 2024). This innovation integrates Sumitomo Metal Mining’s copper-based metal complex inks with copper particles to enable low-temperature (≈200°C) thick-film wiring on heat-resistant plastic substrates. Designed to be cost-effective and more oxidation-resistant than conventional conductive inks, it delivers film thicknesses more than three times greater than existing solutions, making it well-suited for high-current, large-area applications such as solar panels and large displays.

In February 2024, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., a Japan-based materials supplier, partnered with N.E. CHEMCAT Corporation, Priways Co., Ltd., and the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) to develop thick-film conductive ink for printed electronics. Through this collaboration, Sumitomo Metal Mining, N.E. CHEMCAT, Priways, and NIMS aim to combine their respective expertise in metal complex inks, metallic powder synthesis, and materials research by integrating Sumitomo’s advanced metallic materials with the partners’ conductive ink and printing technologies. The goal is to provide electronics manufacturers with a high-performance solution for printing circuits and sensors on flexible and rigid substrates, improving efficiency, conductivity, and scalability in printed electronics applications. N.E. CHEMCAT Corporation and Priways Co., Ltd. are Japan-based chemical and materials companies specializing in conductive inks and printing materials, while NIMS is a Japan-based national research institute focused on advanced materials and nanotechnology.

Major companies operating in the thick film materials market are Heraeus Holding GmbH, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Parker-Hannifin Corporation, TE Connectivity Ltd., Kyocera Corporation, DuPont de Nemours Inc., Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd., Sun Chemical Corporation, KYOCERA AVX Components Corporation, Vishay Intertechnology Inc., CoorsTek Inc., Morgan Advanced Materials plc, Noritake Co. Limited, Mitsuboshi Belting Ltd., KOA Speer Electronics Inc., Arraycom (India) Limited, CMS Circuit Solutions Inc., Koartan Microelectronic Interconnect Materials Inc., Hybrid Sources Inc., Micro Precision Technologies Inc.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs have posed challenges for the thick film materials market by affecting the import of key raw materials such as silver, gold, and ceramic powders, leading to higher production costs. The electronics, automotive, and industrial segments in regions like Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe are most impacted due to reliance on cross-border supply chains. Some manufacturers benefit from tariffs by investing in local production and sourcing alternatives, which could strengthen regional supply resilience and innovation in thick film material formulations.

The thick film materials market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides thick film materials market statistics, including thick film materials industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the thick film materials market share, thick film materials market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the thick film materials industry. This thick film materials market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

Thick film materials are specialized electronic materials designed to create conductive, resistive, or dielectric layers on various substrates using printing and high-temperature firing techniques. They consist of finely ground inorganic powders, such as metals, oxides, or ceramics, combined with organic binders and solvents, allowing them to be applied as pastes or inks. During firing, the organic components burn off, leaving a dense, adherent, and functional layer with precise electrical properties.

The main types of thick film materials include conductive thick film materials, insulative thick film materials, and hybrid thick film materials. Conductive thick film materials are pastes containing metal particles and glass frit, which are screen-printed and fired onto substrates to form durable conductive pathways in electronic components. Based on formulation, they include water-based, solvent-based, and paste formulations. These materials are used in applications such as circuit boards, electronic components, low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC), sensors, photovoltaics, automotive electronics, and more. Key end-use industries include automotive electronics, industrial electronics, medical electronics, and aerospace.Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the thick film materials market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the thick film materials market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the thick film materials market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The thick film materials market consists of sales of carbon pastes, overcoat pastes, polyimide-forming pastes, gold and platinum conductor pastes, and stretchable pastes. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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