Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast (2026 - 2031)

Global Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) Market Trends and Insights

Surging Adoption in Wind-Turbine Blades

Offshore installations lifted global blade-composite demand by 22% in 2025 as average rotor lengths moved beyond 85 meters in the North Sea and the Taiwan Strait^{[1]Global Wind Energy Council, “Global Wind Report 2026,” gwec.net} . Unsaturated polyester resin remains the default matrix for spar-cap and shell laminates because vacuum-infusion delivers attractive cost-per-kilowatt figures versus epoxy systems. European circular-economy mandates now require end-of-life blade recovery pathways by 2030, which is prompting trials of UPR blends incorporating recycled-PET polyols that can cut decommissioning logistics costs by up to 15%. China’s National Energy Administration allocated USD 18 billion for new offshore capacity in 2025, confirming Asia-Pacific as the primary growth engine through 2031. Blade makers therefore seek resins with documented recyclability, low exotherm, and fatigue durability suitable for 20-year service intervals.

Growth of Automotive and Transportation Sectors

Automotive manufacturers processed roughly 1.8 million t of composite resins in 2025, and 40% of that volume relied on unsaturated polyester resin-based sheet-molding-compound for underbody shields, battery trays, and Class-A body panels. Electric-vehicle platforms need electromagnetic-interference shielding and flame retardancy while maintaining low mass; isoresin and dicyclopentadiene grades therefore gain share. General Motors and Stellantis lifted SMC press capacity by 30% during 2025 to support curb-weight reduction targets that improve driving range by 10–15%. Closed-mold presses eliminate styrene emissions and already comply with California rules that limit volatile-organic compounds to 50 g L⁻¹ for composite parts. Supply contracts increasingly stipulate UL 94 V-0 flame-retardant performance and dimensional stability from −40 °C to 120 °C across a decade of service.

Construction and Infrastructure Boom in Emerging Asia

China started 1.2 billion m² of new residential floor area in 2025, while India earmarked USD 1.4 trillion for roads, railways, and water systems through 2030. Corrosion-resistant unsaturated polyester resin pipes offer 50-year service life at half the installed cost of stainless steel for wastewater, desalination, and chemical-transport lines. Indonesia and Vietnam expect combined infrastructure spending above USD 200 billion by 2027, encouraged by urbanization rates above 3% annually. Municipal owners increasingly demand ISO 14001 documentation of carbon footprints and recyclability, pressuring resin suppliers to publish verified environmental-product declarations.

OEM Shift to Closed-Mold SMC/BMC for E-Mobility

Battery-electric-vehicle output exceeded 14 million units in 2025 and now relies on compression-molded composite housings that resist thermal runaway and absorb crash energy. Closed-mold routes eliminate open-surface emissions and deliver sub-3-minute cycle times compatible with high-volume automotive lines. Purpose-formulated unsaturated polyester resin SMC compounds incorporate halogen-free flame retardants and reach glass-transition temperatures above 150 °C, satisfying UL 94 V-0 and IEC 61249 requirements. Polynt and INEOS co-located compounding and press capacity next to Tier-1 suppliers in Michigan and Baden-Württemberg during 2025, shrinking logistics costs and enabling rapid formulation changes.

Maleic Anhydride Price Volatility

Spot prices swung between USD 1,400 and USD 2,100 t⁻¹ in 2025 as crude-oil and benzene disruptions rippled through the value chain. Resin makers without long-term supply contracts faced margin compression of 200–300 basis points, prompting vertical-integration moves such as Polynt’s 50,000 t y⁻¹ maleic-anhydride acquisition in Italy. China controls 55% of global maleic-anhydride capacity, exposing Western buyers to freight and tariff risks under Section 301 measures in the United States. Alternative bio-based pathways remain pilot-scale and carry 40–60% cost premiums, limiting broad adoption.

Environmental and Regulatory Challenges

The European Industrial Emissions Directive cut allowable styrene emissions from composites manufacturing to 5 mg Nm⁻³ in 2024, compelling small laminators to retrofit solvent-capture systems or shift to closed-mold technologies at capital costs above EUR 0.5 million^{[2]European Commission, “Industrial Emissions Directive Revision 2024,” eur-lex.europa.eu} . California’s Proposition 65 styrene listing triggers warning-label obligations that complicate distribution, and China’s updated Air Pollution Prevention Law imposes real-time monitoring for facilities processing more than 10 t y⁻¹ of volatile organics. End-of-life disposal remains contentious because thermosets resist mechanical recycling and incineration produces hazardous gases; the Ellen MacArthur Foundation excludes conventional unsaturated polyester resin from circular-economy frameworks unless chemical-recovery routes are demonstrated.

Segment Analysis

By Raw Material: Demand Concentrated in Maleic Anhydride

Maleic Anhydride held 51.26% of 2025 revenue within the unsaturated polyester resin market share, underscoring its central role in ortho-phthalic and iso-phthalic backbones that balance cost and mechanical strength. Propylene Glycol is expanding at a 5.70% CAGR through 2031, driven by processors who seek lower viscosity and better wet-out during vacuum-infusion of wind-turbine spar caps. Phthalic Anhydride continues to serve general-purpose ortho grades, while Styrene Monomer remains indispensable as a cross-linking diluent, despite pressure for recovery systems that cap emissions. 

Propylene Glycol growth mirrors wider substitution toward neopentyl glycol and dipropylene glycol co-reactants that enhance hydrolytic stability in marine and chemical-processing equipment. China expanded propylene-glycol capacity by 18% in 2025 on the back of coal-to-olefin routes, reducing delivered costs within Asia. OEM audits now require ISO 9001 certification and batch traceability, reinforcing quality expectations for raw-material suppliers targeting aerospace and medical components.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Product Type: Isoresins Capture Corrosive-Service Growth

Ortho-resins captured 53.31% of 2025 revenue because broad formulation latitude keeps prices competitive across construction and sanitary-ware uses. Isoresins, however, are projected to climb 6.56% CAGR through 2031, propelled by marine vessels, desalination plants, and chemical-processing equipment that demand elevated temperature and corrosion resistance. Dicyclopentadiene resin occupies a niche in wind-turbine nacelles and large storage tanks, where low exotherm enables thick-section casting without cracking. 

Isoresin uptake aligns with the expansion of liquefied-natural-gas terminals, offshore production platforms, and industrial wastewater facilities that specify fiberglass-reinforced equipment meeting EN 13121 flexural-strength thresholds. Suppliers such as AOC and Ashland launched iso-NPG grades in 2025 that provide corrosion resistance while processing on unheated molds, enabling adoption by fabricators with limited capital investment.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Form: Powder Grades Gain Momentum in Automotive

Liquid commanded 85.64% of form-based revenue in 2025 because hand lay-up, spray-up, and vacuum-infusion remain widespread. Powder is forecast to grow at 6.16% CAGR through 2031 as in-mold-coated sheet-molding-compound eliminates separate painting steps and embodies zero volatile-organic-compound releases. 

Electric-vehicle battery enclosures increasingly specify powder-resin SMC underbody shields that blend crash protection with electromagnetic shielding. Allnex and Polynt introduced pre-impregnated powder-resin compounds in 2025, which simplify handling and shorten cure cycles, thereby expanding access for Tier-2 suppliers in Asia. U.S. EPA hazardous-air-pollutant standards classify open-mold composite operations as major styrene sources, so powder systems help processors avoid costly vapor-capture retrofit.

By End-use Industry: Electronics Leads Growth Curve

Building and Construction generated 41.22% of 2025 revenue, reflecting the widespread use of corrosion-resistant unsaturated polyester resin tanks, pipes, and cooling-tower structures that offer 50-year life cycles. Electrical and Electronics is the fastest-growing end use industry at a 6.24% CAGR through 2031 as data-center expansion, renewable-energy grids, and 5G infrastructure require flame-retardant transformer housings, printed-circuit-board laminates, and cable trays. 

China’s State Grid Corporation invested USD 50 billion in ultra-high-voltage links during 2025 and specified glass-fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester resin bushings able to handle 1,000 kV operating voltages. Transportation demand remains steady because lightweight, corrosion-resistant exterior panels and underbody elements help carmakers meet fuel-economy and range mandates. Paints and Coatings leverage fast-cure orthophthalic resins for industrial floorings, while chemical-process vessels rely on bespoke isoresin or vinyl-ester hybrids for aggressive media.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific delivered 43.45% of global revenue in 2025 and is forecast to grow at a 5.78% CAGR to 2031, driven by Chinese infrastructure outlays, India’s housing boom, and Southeast Asian industrial expansion. China allocated USD 800 billion in 2025 for urban rail, water systems, and renewable energy installations that consume corrosion-resistant piping and blade-grade composites. India’s production-linked incentives attracted USD 30 billion in foreign investment, spurring component demand in electric two-wheelers, appliances, and telecom equipment. Regulatory frameworks in the region remain fragmented, yet local compounders adept at navigating GB and BIS standards win share against multinational incumbents. 

North America’s share is anchored by United States demand in automotive composites, wind-energy blades, and chemical-processing equipment. The Inflation Reduction Act unlocked USD 15 billion in composite capital expenditure during 2025 across resin compounding, SMC presses, and blade-molding plants. California Air Resources Board rules speed the migration to closed-mold and low-styrene resin systems, opening premium segments for suppliers with ultra-low emission portfolios. Mexico’s vehicle assemblies exceeded 4 million units in 2025, and local Tier-1s expanded SMC capacity to serve North American and European electric-vehicle programs. 

Europe focuses on high-value marine, automotive, and wind-energy uses. Germany’s carmakers consumed 180,000 t of composite resins in 2025 as Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz integrated SMC battery enclosures and structural components. The Circular Economy Action Plan and stricter Industrial Emissions rules push suppliers toward recyclable, bio-based chemistries. South America and Middle East and Africa remain smaller but fast-growing, buoyed by Brazilian sanitation investments, Saudi chemical diversification, and South African mining infrastructure, each favoring fiberglass-reinforced equipment that lowers total life-cycle costs versus metals.