Fiberglass, The Invisible Industrial Silk
I. Fiberglass
Glass is melted and drawn into fine filaments to create fiberglass filaments, fiberglass cloth, fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP), and composite material sheets.
A single fiberglass fiber is only a few micrometers to twenty micrometers in diameter, thinner than a human hair. While seemingly soft and easily broken, it possesses astonishing performance when combined.
Glass provides strength, and fiber provides toughness; their combination creates fiberglass's irreplaceable industrial value.
II. Penetration into Various Industries
1. Wind and Solar Power
Giant wind turbine blades need to withstand the impact of strong winds, requiring both lightweight construction to reduce rotational energy consumption and structural stability.
Fiberglass composite materials perfectly meet these requirements. Currently, over 90% of wind turbine blades in China rely on fiberglass, making it a key material for cost reduction and efficiency improvement in wind power.
2. Transportation
In the automotive industry, fiberglass composite materials are used in bumpers, body panels, seat frames, and other components, effectively reducing vehicle weight and lowering fuel and electricity consumption.
High-speed rail carriages, subway interiors, ship hulls, and yacht structures all utilize fiberglass extensively, balancing strength with noise reduction and corrosion resistance.
3. Infrastructure
Fiberglass grating is used for road and bridge reinforcement, delaying road surface cracking and extending the lifespan of infrastructure; fiberglass insulation boards and fireproof boards are core materials for building energy conservation and fire safety; even waterproof membranes and bathroom fixtures rely heavily on fiberglass.
III. The Rise of Domestic Fiberglass
The fiberglass industry was once monopolized by foreign companies. Now, after years of technological breakthroughs, China has become the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of fiberglass, leading the world in both production capacity and technology.
From fragile glass to the backbone of industry, a thin fiberglass filament connects technology, infrastructure, and the future.
IV. Reasons for Today's Surge in the Fiberglass Sector
Funds are revaluing fiberglass from a "traditional cyclical stock" to a new material for upstream AI hardware.
1. Melting and drawing glass into fibers → Fiberglass
2. Fiberglass filament weaving → Electronic cloth
3. Impregnating electronic cloth with resin → Copper Clad Laminate
4. Copper Clad Laminate → PCB Circuit Board
A leading copper clad laminate manufacturer announced a price increase. On May 27th, Kingboard Laminates, a global leader in copper clad laminates, issued a price increase notice, with a uniform 10% increase in board materials and a 20% increase in PP bonding sheets, directly igniting sentiment in the industry chain.
Copper clad laminate (CCL) is the core substrate of PCBs, and electronic-grade fiberglass cloth is the core raw material for CCL. Downstream AI servers and high-speed switches have full order books, while upstream fiberglass supply is tight. The price increase signal is directly transmitted upstream, becoming the direct driver of today's surge.
