Did you know that the typical car contains dozens of metres of metal tubing? It’s vital for various things, including the chassis, fuel delivery system, exhaust, cooling system, and more. A recent forecast estimates demand for automotive stainless steel tubes is about to experience several years of consistent growth. It could see the market almost triple in size by 2032. As a top supplier of ERW tube, we want to have a closer look here.
Drivers
The report points to a few key factors driving the increase in demand for automotive stainless steel tubing. Firstly is the push to make vehicles lighter and more fuel efficient. This is vital for combustion engines, hybrid vehicles, and EVs. Strong, thin wall tube can save a lot of weight while maintaining safety and performance.
Secondly, the growing popularity of EVs means more demand for stainless steel tube. It’s a common choice for systems like battery cooling lines.
Thirdly, consumers want vehicles with longer lifespans. Using the right products is vital here, such as ERW tube and seamless. Crucially, the metal tubes should be strong, durable, and corrosion resistant to withstand harsh conditions. Stainless steel has the ideal properties, so it’s favoured by the automotive industry.
Key developments
There are already a number of signs that the automotive stainless steel market will continue to grow. Several key players, massive businesses in Europe, Japan, and North America, made significant investments in 2025. This includes new machinery to produce compliant tubing and increase capacities. There was even the launch of some new products, including 316L and a newer variant of 304/304L. Interestingly, a lot of focus is on developing tubes for EVs.
Segments
Looking closer at a few of the key market segments provides an even deeper insight into what the experts are forecasting for automotive stainless steel tubing. In terms of the types, the expectation is welded tubes, including ERW tube, will remain the dominant type. It had over 93% of the market share in 2024. Typically users choose it over seamless tube for cost reasons and availability. A number of manufactures only specify seamless and pay the extra for high pressure applications.
The next segment to look at is the type of vehicle. It’s interesting here because stainless steel tubing is viable for almost any application, such as cars, vans, buses, two wheelers, and niche vehicles. The car and commercial segments are the largest, both driving demand as they work to reduce weight and improve efficiency.
Finally, it’s worth looking at the end user market segment. The biggest market share (80% in 2024) and bulk of the demand is from OEMs, especially world renowned manufacturers. The remaining share is aftermarket producers, including companies producing things like replacement parts.
Want to order ERW tube?
Union Steel Tubes has been specialising in ERW tubing for a long time. We’re a leading supplier in the West Midlands, offering a fantastic selection of products with options for various applications. The most noteworthy thing is we offer steel tube in different shapes and sizes, then cut to length here. We also offer finishes like galvanisation and chrome plating.
So, if you want ERW tube, speak to us. We can give you details, including weights and key characteristics to help you decide which type will work best for your application.
