Pradip Shitole
8 May 2025
Get to know why automotive manufacturers are increasingly adopting composites. Here are the leading companies offering automotive composites.
Composites, which are materials typically composed of a matrix reinforced with fibers, have gained significant traction over the past decade. These materials are being increasingly used in various industries owing to the various benefits they have to offer. And the automotive industry is no exception to that.
Curious how automotive manufacturers are leveraging composites to develop components with high strength-to-weight ratios, high corrosion resistance, and excellent design flexibility. This blog post covers the basics of automotive composites and their various benefits. Also, it highlights the top companies offering composites to automotive manufacturers globally. Read on!
Automotive Composites Defined
In essence, automotive composites are advanced materials made using two or more distinct components. These composites typically combine a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement (fiber). The result of this is a material with excellent mechanical and physical properties. Automotive composites are being increasingly used by automotive manufacturers to cater to the rising demand for fuel-efficient and high-performance vehicles.
Types of Automotive Composites
Glass Fiber-Reinforced Plastics (GFRP): This automotive composite type is made using a thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix with glass fiber as reinforcement. GFRP is known for its high tensile strength and impact resistance. Also, it is easy to mold into complex shapes and has a relatively low cost compared to other composites. The uses of GFRP is automotive applications include exterior body shields, headlamp housings, underbody shields, and battery trays.
Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastics (CFRP): CFRP composite typically has a thermosetting (epoxy) matrix, though thermoplastic variants exist. It has woven or unidirectional carbon fibers as reinforcement. CFRP has a high strength-to-weight ratio, offers superior stiffness and fatigue resistance, and provides excellent thermal and chemical stability. It is employed in the production of performance vehicle parts, structural reinforcement, and battery enclosure composite solutions.
Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites: The matrix of natural fiber-reinforced composites is bio-resins or conventional polymers, with the reinforcement being plant-based fibers such as hemp, jute, kenaf, and flax. These composites are biodegradable and sustainable and have lower density than synthetic fibers. The applications of natural fiber-reinforced composites include door panels, seat backs, headliners, trunk liners, package trays, and dashboards, among others.
Hybrid Composites: As their name implies, these composites are a combination of two or more types of fibers. The key characteristics of hybrid composites include tailored mechanical properties, balanced performance and cost, and enhanced design flexibility. Hybrid composites are typically used for semi-structural and aesthetic parts, EVs and mid-range performance vehicles, and parts requiring customized strength or stiffness.
Major Automotive Composites Producers Listed
Teijin Limited
Founded: 1918
Headquarters: Chiyoda City, Tokyo, Japan
Teijin Limited is a global advanced materials company. It has a strong presence in the automotive composites segment and is a key supplier of lightweight composite materials. The company’s automotive composite portfolio includes both GFRP and CFRP. Through its subsidiary, Teijin Automotive Technologies, it offers a wide range of composite solutions used in automotive components, such as structural panels, underbody components, battery enclosures for electric vehicles, and vehicle body panels.
Solvay
Founded: 1863
Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
Solvay is another global leader in specialty materials. The company has carved itself a name in the automotive composites market by offering advanced lightweight solutions that improve vehicle efficiency, performance, and stability. A key offering of the company is the SolvaLite family of thermoset composites. The rapid curing time of these materials makes them an apt choice for high-volume automotive applications. Solvay also offers thermoplastic automotive composites under its Evolite series. These materials are engineered for automotive components needing excellent durability and high impact resistance, such as structural reinforcements and chassis parts.
Owens Corning
Founded: 1938
Headquarters: Toledo, Ohio, US
Owens Corning is a material leader in the roofing, insulation, and composites markets. The company has played a pivotal role in advancing automotive composites to reduce vehicle weight, enhance performance, and improve fuel efficiency. In November 2024, Owens Corning announced the commencement of production on a high-performance glass nonwoven production line in Fort Smith, Texas. The production facility, equipped with advanced machinery supplied by Voith, is designed to produce 90,000 tons of glass nonwovens annually. The materials designed at this facility are critical to various automotive applications, including automotive composites.
Hexcel Corporation
Founded: 1948
Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut, US
Hexcel Corporation is a major supplier of advanced materials. The company has a significant presence in the industrial and aerospace markets, and it has also made major contributions to the automotive composites market. Hexcel offers lightweight, high-performance composite solutions that improve vehicle performance or efficiency. In collaboration with HP Composites S.p.A., the company has developed carbon fiber Class A body panels for high-performance vehicles.
Founded: 1970
Headquarters: Texas, US
Huntsman Corporation offers a comprehensive range of advanced materials and solutions tailored for the automotive sector. Its product portfolio includes specialty foams, coatings, adhesives, lubricants, and composites. In the realm of automotive composites, Huntsman provides specialized resin systems that enable the development of lightweight and durable vehicle components. The company’s composite solutions are used in several automotive components, including wheels, leaf springs, battery housings, and pressure vessels.
Excellent Design Versatility
Automotive manufacturers are increasingly incorporating automotive composites in the production of vehicle parts and components. The lightweight nature of composites, as compared to other traditional materials helps reduce overall vehicle weight and improve efficiency. Also, the high design flexibility and versatility of these materials allow for the development of complex shapes and reduce the number of joints and fixtures, enhancing aesthetics and structural integrity. With innovations in material science, we can expect to see the development of more advanced automotive composites in the coming years.