Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
London, United Kingdom
Last Updated: May 2024
SIC C27.310Revenue
£286.7m
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
£XX.Xm
Employees
1,883
Businesses
42
Wages
£XX.Xm
Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry analysis
The Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing industry's revenue is forecast to drop at a compound annual rate of 4.5% over the five years through 2024-25, despite growth of 2.3% in the current year, to £286.7 million; the industry's average profit margin is expected to be 7.9%. Revenue has been driven by investment into superfast broadband networks by the government and telecommunications companies. However, operators have had to contend with high import competition and volatile prices and demand conditions.
Trends and Insights
- Growing infrastructure construction drives demand forwards. The telecoms sector continues to expand its fixed and wireless network across the UK, supported by government funding and policy. This has kept fibre-optic cables in high demand.
- Plastic optical fibre cable sales climb. More and more customers are realising the potential benefits plastic cables offer – they’re more cost-efficient than glass cables because their thicker core makes links, connectors and installation cheaper.
- The South East's high population means fibre-optic cable demand is huge. The region needs a vast telecommunications network to cater to its residents, offering high sales to local manufacturers – that’s why it has the most industry establishments.
- High fragmentation makes competitive pricing essential. Potential buyers have lots of manufacturers to choose from and fibre-optic cables are all much the same, so they’re likely to go for the best value for money.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £286.7m in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Resilient infrastructure construction drives revenue growth
- Telecommunications companies and related infrastructure are a key market for fibre-optic cable makers due to its use data transmission cables.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Public-sector investment in broadband infrastructure propels revenue
- The Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review published by the UK government in July 2018 resulted in the launch of Project Gigabit. The programme aims to make full-fibre broadband available to 15 million premises by 2025 and then nationwide by 2030.
Biggest companies in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (£m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd | 40.3 | |
Huber + Suhner (UK) Ltd | 31.7 | |
CommScope Connectivity UK Ltd | 13.9 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Single-mode optical cable, Multi-mode optical cable and Plastic optical fibre cable. Single-mode optical cable is the largest segment of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Single-mode optical cables use a single ray of light to transmit information
- Single-mode cables have higher transmission rates and cover up to fifty times the distance of multi-mode cables, but the associated installation costs are higher.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Other Electronic Wire & Cable Manufacturing in the UK
Complementors
- Electronic Component Manufacturing in the UK
- Computer & Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing in the UK
- Electronic & Telecommunications Equipment Wholesaling in the UK
International industries
- Wire & Cable Manufacturing in the US
- Wire & Cable Manufacturing in Canada
- Electric Cable and Wire Manufacturing in Australia
- Optical Fiber and Cable Manufacturing in China
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
This industry produces fibre-optic cables that are used to transmit data and live images. The manufacture of glass fibres, strands, optical cable sets or assemblies with connectors is excluded from this industry.
What's included in this industry?
Single-mode optical cablesMulti-mode optical cables Plastic optical fibre cablesCompanies
Prysmian Cables & Systems LtdHuber + Suhner (UK) LtdCommScope Connectivity UK LtdPurchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
FIBRE-TO-THE-HOMEVIDEO-ON-DEMAND SERVICESFIBRE-TO-THE-CABINETIndustry Code
SIC 27.31 - Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Growing infrastructure construction drives demand forwards. The telecoms sector continues to expand its fixed and wireless network across the UK, supported by government fund...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Plastic optical fibre cable sales climb. More and more customers are realising the potential benefits plastic cables offer – they’re more cost-efficient than glass cables bec...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
- International Trade
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
- Total imports, level and trend
- Total exports, level and trend
- Trade Balance
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
- International trade, including imports by country and exports by country
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
- Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The South East's high population means fibre-optic cable demand is huge. The region needs a vast telecommunications network to cater to its residents, offering high sales to ...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
High fragmentation makes competitive pricing essential. Potential buyers have lots of manufacturers to choose from and fibre-optic cables are all much the same, so they’re li...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Prysmian suffers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its sales were hit hard by falling demand from the telecommunications sector over the year, most notably from BT, a k...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
- Overview of Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of Huber + Suhner (UK) Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of CommScope Connectivity UK Ltd's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Huber + Suhner (UK) Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for CommScope Connectivity UK Ltd, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
The Construction Products Regulation includes cables. To abide by these regulations, fibre-optic cables have to carry a CE mark and have a Declaration of Performance.
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Profit varies considerably between companies. It’s driven by factors including the size and scale of a manufacturers’ operations, the type of products made, key markets serve...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
- Assets (2018-2022)
- Liabilities (2018-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?
The market size of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £286.7m in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in 2024?
There are 42 businesses in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 6.3 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK market in United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing market in United Kingdom are Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd, Huber + Suhner (UK) Ltd and CommScope Connectivity UK Ltd
What does the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK in United Kingdom include?
Single-mode optical cables and Multi-mode optical cables are part of the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK in United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in United Kingdom is Prysmian Cables & Systems Ltd.
How competitive is the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Fibre-Optic Cable Manufacturing in the UK industry in United Kingdom.
