The ultra-thin glass market is slated to record lucrative growth through 2028 owing to increasing demand for glass in various sectors. In addition, surging consumer interest in electronic items, such as TVs and smartphones, is likely to further bolster market deployment over the forecast timeline.

Ultra-thin glass is a type of glass with thickness under 0.5mm and finds extensive usage in multiple commercial and consumer end-uses like protective glass for photovoltaic solar panels, display glass for electronics, automotive glass, interior architectural glass, electric wafers, and so forth. It has numerous benefits like retrofitting, lightweight dual skin, and insulated glass unit (IGU) with many cavities, which has fueled market demand significantly.

Over the years, burgeoning demand for smartphones, LEDs, and LCDs worldwide, coupled with technological advancements in electronics, has contributed to the revenue growth of the industry. Moreover, prominent research activities in the field have positively impacted the product scenario of the ultra-thin glass market.

For instance, in August 2021, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted a research study, wherein they discovered a new liquid phase that occurs when ultra-thin films of glass are directly deposited onto cooled substrates, offering a framework for manufacturing new devices and applications with better design.

Similarly, in a June 2022 study published in Optics Letters, a team of researchers devised a novel ultra-thin film that can generate 3D images, which can be viewed under normal illumination. This innovation could enable the development of visual features that do not require any specific reading devices or illumination.

Overall, the ultra-thin glass market has been bifurcated in terms of thickness, production process, application, and region.

With reference to thickness, the market has been divided into less than 0.1 mm, 0.1 to 0.5 mm, and 0.5 to 1.2 mm. Out of these, the 0.5 to 1.2 mm segment is anticipated to hold a volume share of over 30% by the end of the forecast period.

On the basis of production process, the ultra-thin glass market has been segregated into overflow-fusion process, downdraw process, and float process. Among these, the float process segment is expected to surpass 1,173.5 million square meters by 2028.

With regards to application, the ultra-thin glass industry has been classified into flat-panel displays, semiconductors substrate, touch-control devices, and others. The semiconductors substrate segment is speculated to observe robust growth through 2028 backed by growing demand for consumer electronics.

From the regional standpoint, the Middle East & Africa ultra-thin glass market is primed to generate $1,691.3 million in revenue by the end of 2028.