Roll-To-Roll Processing Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Procedure (Printing, Coating And Lamination), By Application (Displays, Photovoltaic Cells, Sensors, Batteries, Others), By End-Users (Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

Roll-to-roll processing refers to a particular type of manufacturing process that continually feeds material from one roller to another while embedding, coating, printing, or laminating various applications onto a flexible rolled substrate material. The web route, which is made primarily from multiple rollers in the roll-to-roll technology, is used to loop the substrate material over and through these rollers as it performs various activities. The process moves along a web, applying additive or subtractive materials to the substrate to generate a product or part. Slitting, winding, and web guiding are some of the most fundamental parts of roll-to-roll processing technology. The efficiency of roll-to-roll processing to commercial manufacture products in enormous batches at a rapid pace is resulting in its adoption across consumer electronics, healthcare, energy, and automotive sectors to produce sensors, batteries, displays, and photovoltaic cells. The developments in roll-to-roll printing technology and the expansion of the consumer electronics sector in anticipated to significantly expand the roll-to-roll processing market over the forecast period.

Market Drivers

• The developments in solar technology

The continuous research projects conducted by solar technology companies and energy labs across the world offer an opportunity for the growth of roll-to-roll processing products. In March 2023, scientists at Swansea University conducting research in solar technology at the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre announced the development of perovskite photovoltaics that can be fully manufactured using roll-to-roll coating and printing utilizing slot die materials. In addition, they revealed that the perovskite photovoltaics manufactured using this particular roll-to-roll method demonstrated an enhancement in its energy conversion power by 10%. The development of perovskite photovoltaics using this method was fueled by research published by scientists working at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization which proved that the application of roll-to-roll printing technology for the manufacture of flexible perovskite solar cells improves the efficiency of solar cells by 16.7%. Therefore, the growing developments in printed and flexible perovskite photovoltaics are expected to be a significant factor driving the roll-to-roll processing market.

• The rising demand for flexible hybrid electronics

The demand for convenient sizing of consumer electronics is promoting the research and development of innovative display panels by leading companies in the consumer electronics sector to accommodate the demands of customers of reducing the size of electronics which is promoting the rise of the flexible hybrid electronics market. For instance, during the first week of its launch, the pre-orders for the foldable phone series Samsung increased from 920,000 units for its first product line of Galaxy Z Fold3 and Flip3 smartphones launched in 2021 to 970,000 units for their second product line of Galaxy Z Fold4 and Flip4 mobile phones launched in 2022. The development of flexible display panels by leading consumer electronics manufacturing companies such as Samsung Electronics and Huawei generates a high demand for the use of roll-to-roll technology to generate the foldable and flexible screens used in newly generated smartphones. Therefore, the rising demand for flexible hybrid electronics is anticipated to contribute majorly to the enlargement of the roll-to-roll processing market over the forecast period.

The tension control issues associated with roll-to-roll processing technology could slow down the expansion of the roll-to-roll processing market. 

The tension or pressure applied on substrate materials during roll-to-roll processing activities must remain constant throughout the procedure. As the material is inserted during roll-to-roll production, the substrate's characteristics could vary. The tension must then be sustained continuously and accurately as the web flows downwards. The procedure carried out in each tension zone must be preserved in direct proportion to that continuous tension. The achieved precision requirement could result in complications of items processed that lead to the restriction of its application across a wide range of fields. However, research into automated tension control solutions is assisting in lowering such incidents.

Key Developments

• In December 2022, DécoAder, a French company involved in the digital printing business announced that it has installed a VUTEk Q5r roll-to-roll LED printer at its manufacturing unit to enhance the quality of its output and gain a competitive advantage against other digital printing businesses.
• In December 2022, Umrao Automation, an Indian company specializing in the production of printing units announced the introduction of a new roll-to-roll screen printing machine with 4-color version features to its existing product line of screen printers used to print labels on different types of medium such as metal substrate and soft plastic circuits. 
• In August 2022, Gallus Holding AG, a Switzerland-based company engaged in the production of label printers announced the introduction of its new roll-to-roll printing press product, Gallus One to its Labelmaster digital press platform. The product is an independent roll-to-roll printer that uses UV inkjet for printing purposes.

North America holds a prominent proportion of the roll-to-roll processing market and is expected to grow in the forecast period.

The North American energy sector is stimulating the growth of the roll-to-roll processing market in North America. The spread of awareness about sustainable energy sources and the international effects by economies around the world to decarbonize the atmosphere is promoting research and collaboration activities in the renewable energy sector and is increasing the demand for sustainable energy among consumers. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the US Government collaborated with Argonne National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to explore roll-to-roll manufacturing techniques to produce enhanced electrolysis electrodes to be employed for reducing hydrogen production expenses. In addition, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory also announced a partnership with various labs in the US to conduct research into roll-to-roll manufacturing materials used in different industries such as the energy sector and other industrial technology. Therefore, the initiatives taken by the US Government are anticipated to prominently increase the size of North America’s roll-to-roll processing market.

Key Market Segments:

• By Procedure

• Printing
• Coating and Lamination

• By Application

• Displays
• Photovoltaic cells
• Sensors
• Batteries
• Others

• By End-Users

• Automotive
• Consumer electronics
• Healthcare 
• Others

• By Geography

• North America

• USA
• Canada
• Mexico

• South America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Others

• Europe

• United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Others

• Middle East and Africa

• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Others

• Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• South Korea
• Australia
• Others