The market penetration rate of OPW airbags is expected to increase.

As an essential component of airbags, the demand for airbag cushions continues to grow. However, due to technological and raw material supply constraints, there are currently fewer than 10 companies in China producing airbag cushions, most of which are foreign-invested enterprises.

One-Piece Weaving (OPW) technology involves the simultaneous processing of two layers of fabric during weaving, with the inflation zone formed during the weaving process. OPW airbags, manufactured using this technology, are high-end products. Traditional airbag cushions are typically stitched together from airbag fabric. Compared to traditional airbags, OPW airbags offer advantages such as superior airtightness, higher stability, no need for stitching, excellent elongation properties, and longer inflation retention, making them one of the future directions for the airbag cushion market.

In recent years, benefiting from automotive industry upgrades and increased public safety awareness, the adoption rate and quantity of automotive airbags have been steadily rising. Some vehicle models, such as mainstream models from brands like Tesla, NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto, are now equipped with up to six airbags. As a critical component of airbags, the demand for airbag cushions continues to grow. However, constrained by technology and raw material supply, there are currently fewer than 10 domestic manufacturers of airbag cushions, most of which are foreign-invested enterprises. Against the backdrop of automotive lightweighting, intelligence, and integration, market requirements for airbag cushions, such as inflation retention time and pressure, have increased. Traditional airbag cushions can no longer meet these upgraded demands, giving rise to OPW airbags.

Currently, there are few manufacturers of OPW airbags, and they are primarily used in high-end vehicle models. However, OPW airbags offer higher added value, which helps improve corporate gross margins. As market demand evolves, more companies are expected to enter this market, further boosting the penetration rate of OPW airbags.

Analysts from Xinsijie Industry Research indicate that in the era of autonomous driving, automotive safety and intelligence requirements are continuously rising, leading to an increase in the per-vehicle value of cars, which grew by approximately 10.0% year-on-year in 2021. At the same time, the value of airbag cushions is also rising. As a high-value-added product, OPW airbags will see sustained growth in market penetration. Currently, there are few global manufacturers of OPW airbags, resulting in a supply-demand imbalance. Domestic companies should seize this opportunity to expand OPW airbag production capacity and enhance their competitiveness.