New market research on coated and bonded abrasives, published this month, gives a clearer picture of where demand is actually moving inside the abrasives category. Sanding belts still hold the largest share of the coated abrasives market, but discs are the format gaining ground fastest, and the reason comes down to what shops are actually making.
What the numbers show
The global coated abrasives market was valued near $14.4 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach roughly $21.4 billion by 2033, a compound annual growth rate of about 5% a year. Belts hold the largest single share of that market, around 38%, because they remain the most efficient format for continuous grinding and polishing of large or irregular workpieces. Discs are the segment forecast to expand the fastest from here.
On the bonded side, the picture is different but related. Grinding wheels still make up roughly half of the bonded abrasives market by product type, and automotive end use accounts for about 41% of that market on its own. Across both coated and bonded categories, automotive remains the largest single buyer, while aerospace is the fastest-growing end use as aircraft production and maintenance volumes climb.
Why the format mix is shifting
Belts win on large flat or curved surfaces where a shop needs to remove material fast and keep a consistent finish over a long run. Discs are better suited to irregular geometry, tight access, and the kind of variable, job-to-job work that shows up in fabrication and repair shops rather than high-volume production lines. As more finishing work moves toward smaller batches, custom parts, and touch-up work on already-machined components, disc formats pick up a larger share of the job even where belts remain the workhorse for volume production.
Aerospace is a good example of why. Maintenance and repair work on aircraft components tends to be low-volume and highly specific to each part, which favors discs and hand-held finishing over belt-driven line work. Automotive, by contrast, still runs enough high-volume body and component finishing that belts and grinding wheels keep the larger overall share there.
What this means for WA customers
- Don't assume a single format covers your shop's finishing needs. If your work mix has shifted toward smaller runs, custom fabrication, or repair jobs, it's worth checking whether your disc inventory matches that shift, even if belts remain your highest-volume consumable.
- Automotive-adjacent shops should expect belts and grinding wheels to stay the default for volume work, but keep a disc assortment on hand for the touch-up and irregular-geometry jobs that come with any body or component line.
- Shops doing aerospace-adjacent subcontract work, or any low-volume precision finishing, should weight their stock toward discs and hand-held formats rather than assuming belt-line economics apply.
- Review your current mix against your actual job list rather than your historical order pattern. Consumable spend often lags behind a real shift in the work.
Browse WA's current abrasives catalog to compare belt, disc, and wheel options against your shop's actual job mix.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Are sanding belts becoming obsolete?
A: No. Belts still hold the largest share of the coated abrasives market and remain the most efficient choice for continuous grinding and polishing of large or irregular workpieces. Discs are simply growing faster from a smaller base.
Q: Why is aerospace driving disc demand specifically?
A: Aerospace maintenance and repair work is typically low-volume and part-specific, which favors discs and hand-held finishing over the continuous, high-volume runs that favor belts.
Q: Should a fabrication shop change its abrasives stock based on this data?
A: It's worth checking your current stock against your actual job mix. A shop that has shifted toward smaller runs or repair work may need a larger disc assortment even if belts remain the highest-volume item on the shelf.