Plastic Industry: Market Research Reports, Statistics and Analysis

Market Segments

Bioplastics are expected to show over 40% yearly growth in the five-year period ending 2015. Bioplastics usage in the US was almost 572,000 in 2010, and almost 1,460,000 in the EU, according to BCC Research. Renewable resources, such as biomass, are used to make bioplastics.

Geosynthetics involve highly durable polymeric products such as geofoam, geocomposites, geomembranes, geogrids and geotextiles. They are commonly used in the lining and covers of landfills, airfields, dams, reservoirs and railroads. Many other industries also use geosynthetics including transportation, agriculture and geoenvironmental industries.

The plastics industry involves other market segments such as medical plastics, environmental (ex: plastic solar cells) and recycling.

Regional Market Share

• With over 18,000 facilities in operation, the US plastics industry represents close to $375 billion in yearly shipments, and employs over 1 million people, says the Plastics Industry Trade Association. The plastics industry ranks third in US industries according to revenue, and shipments have grown close to 3.5% annually over the past 30 years, while manufacturing has expanded 2.5% annually for more than 25 years. The US plastics market has seen the worth of industrial shipments rise by more than 15% over the past decade. In the same period, the cost of materials has increased more than $45 billion, up 25%. New capital spending fell $2 billion in the same period, with payroll down more than $4 billion. Top markets for plastics exports from the US are Canada, Mexico, China, Belgium and Japan; Canada and Mexico represent close to half of overall exports. The US imports plastics from Canada, China, Germany, Mexico and Japan, with Canada and China accounting for around 55% of all imports.

• The UK plastics industry represents more then 2% of the country’s gross domestic product, with sales reaching almost $28 billion, according to the British Plastics Federation. The industry employs 220,000 people, producing 2.5 million tons with exports worth $7.3 billion.

• There are close to 3,200 plastics facilities in operation throughout Canada, where the plastics market is worth close to $26.5 billion, according to the Canadian Plastics Industry Association.

Market Outlook

Plastics are important for their environmental and economic benefits, such as conserving resources and saving energy: 4% of overall energy output in the US is consumed in the creation of plastic products. It also takes 30% less energy to make polystyrene containers than paperboard containers. Plastics have a positive knock-on effect on the environment in so much as their light weight means they cost less to transport than heavier alternatives, requiring less gas. Plastic car parts also reduce gas consumption. With governments putting more legislative measure in place to protect the environment, the demand for plastics is likely to continue growing, especially due to the material’s recyclability.

Leading Industry Associations

• The Plastics Industry Trade Association www.plasticsindustry.org
• American Plastics Council http://plastics.americanchemistry.com   
• Plastics Europe www.plasticseurope.org
• British Plastics Federation http://www.bpf.co.uk  
• Canadian Plastics Industry Association www.plastics.ca