In 2025, the global aerospace coatings market demonstrated robust performance. Polaris Market Research estimated that the market size is from $2.07 billion to $4 billion, depending on the inclusion of speific maintenance and equipment sectors. According to their research, the market is characterized by a strong post-pandemic recovery drive by increasing air travel and a record-breaking year for aircraft orders.

“The aerospace coatings industry continued to perform strongly in 2025, building on the recovery seen in recent years,” said Michelle Warner, PPG commercial segment manager, Americas, aerospace coatings. “Demand remained healthy across both OEM and aftermarket segments, supported by sustained aircraft production rates and strong global travel demand. While the industry continues to navigate supply chain challenges and cost pressures, overall coatings volumes remained solid across much of the industry. From a commercial perspective, activity was driven by fleet utilization, maintenance requirements for aging aircraft, and continued investment in new platforms.”

“In 2025, performance meant delivering reliability that customers can plan with, from consistent product quality and delivery performance to close day-to-day cooperation across programs,” said René Lang, executive managing director Aviation, Mankiewicz. “This was underscored when Airbus again recognized Mankiewicz within its Supply Chain & Quality Improvement Program, awarding the highest-level “Accredited Supplier” status for the third consecutive year and additionally honoring a digitalization initiative to optimize internal material management.

“We are incredibly proud of our entire team. Receiving both the Accredited Supplier status and the digitalization award is a strong validation of our commitment to customer service, quality, and digital progress. We look forward to continuing our close and trusted collaboration with Airbus.”

“Beyond this recognition, our focus remains on strengthening collaboration with all OEMs and the key players across the aviation market, because long-term performance is always built in partnership. And the outlook into 2026 makes that partnership mindset even more relevant, as airlines are navigating heightened operational uncertainty and cost pressure.”

According to – Ed Hilborne, global marketing & product manager, Aerospace Coatings, AkzoNobel, new orders for aircraft continue to rise. “The order backlog, however, of approximately 15,800 aircraft (as at the end of 2024), is now at an all-time high. That said, the demand for fuel-efficient aircraft to reduce operating costs and meet sustainability goals, and airlines’ aggressive fleet renewal and expansion plans, creates an exciting opportunity and long-term visibility of future work.”

“Within a challenging market, AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has continued to perform well and is well placed to support OEMs when they ramp up production,” he continued. “We’ve shown resilience and our performance last year was boosted by increased demand for our coatings from aircraft maintenance customers, reflecting the strong relationships we’ve developed with maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) partners across the globe.” 

The aerospace coatings market is being driven by increased commercial aircraft production, expanding MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) activities and the demand for energy efficient formulations. 

“Growth in aerospace coatings continues to be driven by several factors,” said Warner. “OEM order backlogs remain strong, creating long term demand tied to new aircraft production. Increased aircraft utilization is also accelerating maintenance cycles, supporting aftermarket demand.

“At the same time, sustainability initiatives are playing a larger role in customer decision making. There is growing interest in non-chrome technologies, lower VOC solutions, and coatings that enable more efficient and automated application processes. Advances in application technologies, including robotic painting and AEROCRON® chrome-free electrocoat primer, are contributing to improved consistency, efficiency, and customer sustainability goals across the industry.”

According to Hilborne, as OEMs recover and recalibrate their production ramp up, AkzoNobel expects demand for aerospace coatings to grow. 

“We are also anticipating significant demand across Asia,” he said. “Asia has become the fastest growing air travel region in the world. Domestic aerospace manufacturing is on the rise, final assembly lines are being moved into Asia, and MRO ‘hubs’ are being established. It is an exciting time to be in this market.

“The General Aviation (GA) business jet segment is also driving growth for aerospace coatings – notably the quality interior and exterior coatings that help operators distinguish their aircraft both inside and out – with bespoke colors and finishes,” Hilborne added. “Airlines are similarly looking to upgrade their assets and embarking on major cabin refurbishment projects. These types of programs are driving growth for a range of stains, topcoats and color systems that can transform the inside of an aircraft, with hard-working, hard-wearing finishes to protect and enhance any interior design.

“Within the military too there will likely be a growing demand for coatings in the context of increased spending on defence. This will be especially so among those European NATO countries needing to invest in additional aerospace programs to address new demands being placed upon them by their
U.S. allies.”

Lang also noted that “the OEM order books remain very full, which keeps newbuild activity and planning horizons high across the industry. Airbus has reported a commercial backlog of around 8,754 aircraft, equating to more than a decade of output at current delivery rates, and Boeing reports a record total backlog of $682 billion driven in part by strong commercial airplane order intake.

“In that environment, growth is being driven by a very practical reality in aviation: airlines and MROs are operating under constant capacity pressure, and any uncertainty quickly turns into cost,” Lang continued. “In 2026, geopolitical volatility and fluctuating kerosene prices are amplifying the focus on efficiency and resilience, because every additional day on the ground matters and every efficiency lever counts.” 

According to Lang, while product innovation and product performance remain fundamental, customers increasingly judge suppliers by two additional factors: supply chain excellence and real operational partnership. “Fuel price pressure sharpens the focus on weight. Every kilogram saved is an efficiency lever, and savings are possible even in very thin coating layers, both in the interior and on the exterior, without compromising durability and appearance. In the cabin interior, multifunctional layer builds such as ALEXIT FST PrimeFill help reduce steps and material, and in the exterior, high-coverage ALEXIT BaseCoat/ClearCoat support lean layer builds without compromising long-term appearance.”

Aerospace coatings customers expect these products to offer superior characteristics. 

“Customers continue to prioritize durability, corrosion protection, and aesthetics, along with coatings that enable operational efficiency,” said Warner. “Extended service life, color and gloss retention, and resistance to harsh operating environments remain key requirements. In parallel, evolving regulatory and sustainability expectations are shaping performance needs. Customers are seeking solutions that maintain high performance standards while reducing the use of hazardous materials, which requires innovative chemistries and close collaboration across the supply chain.”

Customers continue to demand the essential characteristics of protection and durability. “When it comes to structural coatings, OEMs need proven solutions to protect the components you can’t see,” said Hilborne. “This is first and foremost about safety. When it comes to the paint work that you can see, the topcoats and clearcoats, it is durability and aesthetic that are important. Surfaces need to look better for longer, standing up to general wear and tear and withstanding extreme environmental conditions.” 

OEMs and airlines also want features that support lower carbon emissions and improved fuel efficiency.

“They want lightweight coatings like our basecoat/clearcoat system (BCCC), which offers proven performance, significantly extending the durability of the aircraft’s paintwork and reducing the frequency of maintenance throughout its lifecycle,” said Hilborne. “Compared to ‘traditional’ paint systems, AkzoNobel’s BCCC is lighter, and achieves better coverage in fewer coats, which helps reduce the aircraft’s overall weight, which in turn lowers operational fuel costs. The need to use less paint and the absence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) helps support a more sustainable
aviation industry.”

“Customers increasingly demand coating performance that directly supports economical operation, especially through weight reduction, durability and process efficiency,” Lang said. “With volatile kerosene prices, every kilogram becomes an efficiency lever, and that is why airlines and their partners look closely even at thin coating layers, both in the interior and on the exterior, to reduce material without compromising robustness, repairability or appearance. Solving several challenges at once or combining multiple functions in one product is a good approach to doing both, optimising the process and saving weight. With ALEXIT FST PrimeFill, we offer one example of how multifunctional coating concepts can combine pore filler, primer, and filler in one product, saving time during application and reducing weight during operation.”

New Product Offerings
AkzoNobel: Next generation interior cabin coatings

Manufacturers are increasingly embracing automation for high volume production line performance. As such, scientists within AkzoNobel are developing a new generation of products for interior cabin coatings that can be easily accommodated within manual, robotic and automated lines, allowing for higher-speed application and a more efficient coating operation without compromising on quality. This will be especially beneficial when high volumes of cabin product are being manufactured and when sustainability is a key consideration. 

Trials of the new products are being accompanied by the support of AkzoNobel’s Technical Services teams, all of whom are qualified painters with decades of experience to lend practical as well as technical advice on maximizing the benefits of this latest innovation.

In its efforts to support customers, AkzoNobel is looking beyond the paints and coatings.

“One area where we continue to invest is in our Virtual Reality training platform – Aerofleet Training+,” said Hilborne. “This has been created to support businesses to train and upskill painters in a way that is more sustainable and often more practical than ‘traditional’ training methods. Several OEMs and MROs are already using our VR platform – among them International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) – which last year became the first MRO globally to integrate Aerofleet Training+ into its day-to-day operations and is now rolling out the technology at its other sites around the world. The proven success of the VR platform is leading us to create more training modules in response to demand.”

Mankiewicz: “Our developments follow one consistent goal: higher performance with a leaner process, because time slots in paint hangars remain tight and operators cannot afford
avoidable downtime.”

In the exterior segment, Lang said: “Talking about the wings, Mankiewicz launched another product innovation for the exterior: ALEXIT WingFlex, a ‘two-in-one’ coating, can simultaneously be used on the upper and lower wing boxes.” He adds: “And durability is key. In addition, it allows for touch-up and repair which was not possible with state-of-the-art systems, supporting faster turnaround and reducing the risk of unscheduled maintenance or early wing refurbishment. In addition, our exterior portfolio continues to build on basecoat/clearcoat expertise where high hiding power and flexible application properties help shorten turnaround time for complex schemes.

“Beyond exterior systems, we also continue to expand our portfolio for composite preparation in structural applications. Surface correctors such as SprayFill, RapidFill, and KnifingStopper are designed to level typical composite surface defects efficiently, helping reduce scrap parts and create the smooth base required for high-quality finishes. With the RapidFill cartridge concept, the material is mixed just in time for use, supporting more efficient work on larger surfaces with less material loss.”

“For aircraft interiors, our latest highlights focus on multifunctional layer builds that help customers save process steps and weight without compromising the final look, Lang says. “With ALEXIT PrimeFill, Mankiewicz offers a three-in-one product for the efficient preparation of aircraft cabin parts. It is a pore filler, primer and filler in one and can be used on a variety of substrates such as additive printed parts, plastics, honeycomb, sandwich and aluminum, allowing very efficient processes.” Depending on the cabin part and traffic zone, customers also value robust, easy-to-maintain topcoats and defined textures for long-term appearance.

“And beyond preparation layers, interior customers also increasingly value effect solutions that deliver premium looks with efficient application. Our OEM- and BFE-approved FST cabin interior coatings offer a broad portfolio of visual and touch effects to choose from.”

PPG: PPG continues to expand its aerospace portfolio through new and evolving technologies designed to support performance, sustainability, and process efficiency. Recent innovations include advancements in non-chrome primer technologies that provide corrosion protection across a range of aerospace applications, as well as new solutions that support lightweighting and improved application efficiency.

Beyond traditional coatings, PPG is also leveraging qualified aerospace chemistries in areas such as advanced bonding solutions and additive manufacturing to support evolving aircraft design and production needs. CW