Beryllium Matrix Composite Market - Forecast(2023 - 2028)

Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Overview

The Beryllium Matrix Composite market size is forecast to reach US$136.8 million by 2027 after growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period 2022-2027. Beryllium is one of the lightest of all metals. On account of its unique chemical properties, beryllium is vital for many products and components used in the aerospace and defense, electronics, and automotive industries. Beryllium copper alloys are manufactured by making a master alloy containing 3.5% – 10% beryllium in a copper matrix. Beryllium-copper alloys are used as contacts and connectors, and heat sinks. Beryllium-aluminum metal composites, which combine the ease of fabrication of aluminum alloys with the thermal conductivity and highly elastic modulus of beryllium, are ideal for producing aircraft and satellite structural components. These matrix composites are generally produced by powder metallurgy. The growth of the internet of things drives the beryllium matrix composite market.

COVID-19 Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every sphere of life and every industry has felt its impact. The manufacturing sector took a hard hit. Due to lockdowns imposed by the government, manufacturing was halted. According to the National Association of Manufacturers, the pandemic had a financial impact on the businesses of about 80% of manufacturers. Raw materials were in shortage and supply chain disruptions didn’t help the situation. According to the Critical Raw Materials Alliance, world producers of beryllium metal, and beryllium alloys are the USA, Kazakhstan, Japan, and China. As per the United States Geological Survey (USGS), during the first 6 months of 2020, the leading US beryllium producer reported that net sales of its beryllium alloy strip and bulk products and beryllium metal and composite products were 24% lower than those during the first 6 months of 2019. Thus, the beryllium matrix composite industry was impacted by the pandemic.

Report Coverage

The report: “Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Report – Forecast (2022-2027)”, by IndustryARC, covers an in-depth analysis of the following segments of the beryllium matrix composite industry.

By Type: Beryllium Aluminum Matrix Composite, Beryllium Copper Composite, Beryllium Titanium Composite, and Others
By Application: Aerospace & Defense (Bushings, Bearings, and Others), Electronics (Heat Sinks, Battery Contacts, Springs, and Others), Construction, Automotive (Wire Harness, Braking System, and Others), and Others
By Geography: North America (USA, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Rest of APAC), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Rest of South America), Rest of the World (Middle East, and Africa)

Key Takeaways

• Asia-Pacific dominates the Beryllium Matrix Composite Market on account of the automotive and electronics industry in the region. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, the electronics industry in India is expected to reach US$540 billion by 2025. 
• Beryllium matrix composites are usually beryllium aluminum alloys or beryllium copper alloys derived by powder metallurgy process. 
• Beryllium matrix composites are widely used in the aerospace and defense industry.

Figure: Asia-Pacific Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Revenue, 2021-2027 (US$ Million)

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Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Segment Analysis – By Type

The beryllium aluminum matrix composites held the largest share in the beryllium matrix composite market in 2021 and is growing at a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period. Beryllium-aluminum alloys are extraordinarily strong but also lightweight. That makes it ideal for applications where weight reduction is highly prized such as in satellites and rockets. Beryllium-aluminum alloys add lightness and strength to many aerospace applications. They are also highly resistant to corrosion & oxidation and can withstand rapid environmental changes without losing structural integrity. Nuclear Metals Inc. and Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles have developed patented beryllium-aluminum alloys called Beralcast. Beralcast is used for several advanced aerospace applications, such as the RAH-66 Comanche helicopter and F-22 jet fighter.

Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Segment Analysis – By Application

The aerospace and defense segment held the largest share in the beryllium matrix composite market in 2021 and is growing at a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. The aerospace industry always seeks materials that can help reduce weight to save on fuel costs. The use of aluminum–beryllium metal matrix composite, is an effective way to reduce the size and weight of many structural aerospace components that are currently made out of aluminum and titanium alloys. The composite’s high stiffness and its above-average strength-to-weight ratio make it an ideal material to increase the performance of weight-critical aerospace components. In commercial aircraft, landing gear bushings and bearings made from beryllium copper alloys handle great compressive and wear forces despite corrosive atmospheres and exposure to wide ranges of temperature. The high strength of beryllium-copper compared to bronze landing gear materials allows the bearings to be made smaller and lighter. These weight savings, in turn, make planes more fuel-efficient. In aviation, a general rule of thumb is that each 1% reduction in weight leads to a reduction in fuel consumption of about 0.75%. According to the Air Transport Association, every dollar increase per barrel (42 gallons) drives an additional $415 million in annual fuel expenses for U.S. passengers and cargo airlines. Fuel expenses range from 25-40% of the total airline operating costs. Therefore, the aerospace segment is set to dominate the beryllium matrix composite market.

Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Segment Analysis – By Geography

Asia-Pacific region held the largest share in the beryllium matrix composite market in 2021 up to 44% owing to the automotive and electronics industries in the region. Because of its high strength, conductivity, and resistance to stress relaxation, beryllium-copper is used as a contact material in automotive applications and high-performance electronics. According to data from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), in India, 3.6 million cars were sold in 2021 compared to 2.85 million cars in 2020. In China, 21.41 million cars were sold in 2021 compared to 19.99 million cars in 2020. The electric vehicles (EVs) segment is also growing in this region. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the increase in EV sales in 2021 was primarily led by China, which accounted for half of the growth. More vehicles were sold in China in 2021 (3.3 million) than in the entire world in 2020. Q1 2022 showed similar trends, with sales in China more than doubling compared with the first quarter of 2021. Beryllium copper alloys are used in electrical and electronic components, especially springs, contactors, switches, and relays. China is the largest producer and exporter of electronic components. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology aims to bring the country’s total sales of basic electronic components to more than US$300 billion a year by 2023 as part of its three-year action plan announced in January 2021. Therefore, this region is anticipated to dominate the beryllium matrix composite market during the forecast period.

Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Drivers

Recovering Automotive Industry

The pandemic caused severe damage to the global automotive industry in terms of halted production during lockdowns, unavailability of raw materials and supply chain constraints. However, the industry has been on a recovery path. Data from OICA confirms this. In China, 26 million vehicles were sold in 2021 compared to 25.2 million in 2020. In India, 4.4 million vehicles were sold in 2021 compared to 3.3 million in 2020. In the US, 9.2 million vehicles were sold in 2021 compared to 8.8 million in 2020. Beryllium-aluminum alloy has thermal characteristics that make it attractive for high-performance automotive racing engines and brakes. Lightweight beryllium alloy connectors are used throughout the electrical systems of cars and trucks for their reliability and to improve vehicle fuel efficiency. The need for beryllium copper alloys will continue to increase as vehicle production and the number of electronic components per vehicle continues to grow. Thus, the automotive industry acts as a driver for the beryllium matrix composite market. 

Growth of Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) describes the network of physical objects or things that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. As IoT continues to grow through thermostats, home security systems, wearable devices, household appliances and more, the demand for computer chips is rising sharply. According to Cisco, 500 billion devices are expected to be connected to the internet by 2030. Beryllium-aluminum alloy parts have a high modulus and a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Due to this beryllium-aluminum parts resist vibration and high-stress forces, and don’t change size, shape, or fitting with extreme temperature changes. This makes them key in the manufacturing of high-precision computer chips that are essential in IoT. IoT is experiencing steady growth, a trend that is expected to continue with 5G technology being rolled out. Therefore, the growth of the internet of things drives the beryllium matrix composite market.

Beryllium Matrix Composite Market Challenges

Health Risks associated with Beryllium Compounds

All beryllium-aluminum alloys are generally manufactured through the powder metallurgy process. This approach involves a high cost of manufacture. The materials to be combined first have to be melted. Then they are formed into powders, which have to be handled very carefully due to health and safety concerns. Workers employed in the beryllium manufacturing industries face significant health risks through the inhalation of the specks of dust and fumes that different beryllium compounds emit. Inhaling or contacting beryllium can cause an immune response that results in becoming sensitized to beryllium. Individuals with beryllium sensitization are at risk for developing a disease of the lungs called chronic beryllium disease (CBD). CBD is irreversible and sometimes fatal scarring of the lungs. As per Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers processing beryllium metal, alloys, and composites are at risk of exposure to beryllium. OSHA estimates that approximately 62,000 workers are potentially exposed to beryllium. Due to this, other composites are being used in place of beryllium composites to mitigate the health risks associated with beryllium compounds and this may restrain the beryllium matrix composite market.

Beryllium Matrix Composite Industry Outlook

Product launches, acquisitions, and R&D activities are key strategies adopted by players in the beryllium matrix composite market. beryllium matrix composite market top 10 companies are:

1. Materion Inc.
2. American Elements
3. IBC Advanced Alloys
4. Acal BFI
5. Nuclear Metals Inc.
6. Aviva Metals
7. NGK Metals
8. AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.
9. Daido Metal Corp

Recent Developments

• In June 2022, Amphenol RF announced the expansion of its popular SMA connector series with additional reverse polarity (RP) configurations. RP-SMA plugs and jacks provide excellent electrical performance up to 6 GHz and are manufactured with durable gold plated, brass bodies and gold-plated, beryllium copper contacts. 
• In April 2022, IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., leading beryllium and copper advanced alloys company, launched copper alloy casting at its new and expanded copper alloy foundry facility in Franklin, Indiana. The IBC team successfully produced several two-ton billets of beryllium-copper alloy material at the expanded Franklin plant.
• In August 2020, IBC Advanced Alloys Corp., announced that it has been awarded US$1.9 million in new orders for investment-cast, beryllium-aluminum (BeAl) components from a major U.S. defense contractor. 

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