Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market

Global Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market: Overview

Fiber optic cables are used for digital transmission of data, as they are hardly affected by internal and external interferences. Fiber optic cable can be made of high quality glass (silica) or plastics. Fiber optics cable materials cover a range of applications such as communication, fiber optic sensors, illumination, and medical. Fiber optic cable comprises a core, which is surrounded by a cladding. The core and cladding are generally fused silica glass, which is covered by plastic coating that protects the glass fiber from harsh environments such as moisture and chemicals. Fiber optic cable made of glass is used widely in communication applications. In single mode fiber optic cable, there is only one path for light take down the cable and in multimode, there is more than one path. Compared to metal wires, fiber optic cables have advantages such as broad bandwidth (completely independent of the cable size), electrical insulator, immunity to electromagnetic interference, low induced noise and cross talks, and low attenuation loss over long distances.

Global Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market: Drivers

Rise in demand from the communication sector is driving the global fiber optic cable materials market. Demand for applications such as telecom as well as sensors has been rising. This is anticipated to propel the fiber optic cable materials market in the near future. Increase in awareness about data security during transmission is the key driver of the fiber optic cable materials market. Furthermore, rise in demand for internet is boosting the fiber optic cable materials market. Growth in applications such as cloud computing, data storage, and Internet of Things can also be considered key driver of the fiber optics cable materials market. Advancements in technology and growth in demand for Internet are potential opportunities identified in the fiber optic cable materials market.

Global Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market: Key Segments

Based on type, the fiber optic cable materials market can be classified into glass, plastic, fluoride, and phosphates. Materials used for commercialized fiber optic cables include glass or silicone oxide, plastic, or combination of both. Plastic optical fibers have the advantage of being made of cheaper materials than glass. They can also be operated in a visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The buffer tube of the fiber optic cable is made either of silicon or epoxy resin. Polyurethane can be added for the cushioning purposes. As an external protective layer, PVC and polyurethane can be used. In terms of end-use application, fiber optic cable materials market can be segmented into electronics & communication (telecom, television, broadband, and data networks), commercial (buildings, premises, offices, etc.), defense, and health care.

The global fiber optic cable materials market witnessed strong growth in 2017. This trend is estimated to continue during the forecast period. North America and Europe are the key regions expected to exhibit significant growth owing to the rise in demand from metrology, power transmission, electronic automation, data transmission and defense sectors. Asia Pacific is estimated to exhibit relatively high growth in the near future; China is the key consumer of fiber optic cable materials market. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are also contributing significantly to the global fiber optic cable materials market. Increase in awareness about the health care sector is anticipated to offer lucrative growth opportunities for Latin America and Middle East & Africa.

Global Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market: Key Players

Key players operating in the global Fiber Optic Cable Materials Market include Shin-Etsu Chemical, Molex, SCHOTT AG, and Draka.