US Plastic Containers Market
US demand to grow 5.4% annually through 2012
US demand for plastic containers will grow 5.4 percent annually through 2012 to nearly $32 billion, creating a demand for 15.7 billion pounds of resin. Gains will be bolstered by plastic’s many benefits relative to other packaging media, including light weight, shatter resistance, design flexibility, clarity, strength and effective barrier properties. However, demand will be limited by increasing maturity in such key markets as soft drinks and household chemicals. Growth in resin volume will be restrained by lightweighting and downgauging efforts aimed at reducing resin consumption. Unit expansion will outpace volume gains as a result of consumer preferences for smaller, single-serving containers in large markets like food and beverages.
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- INTRODUCTION
- I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- II. MARKET ENVIRONMENT
- General
- Macroeconomic Outlook
- Demographic & Household Trends
- Consumer Income & Spending Trends
- Manufacturing Outlook
- Packaging Trends
- Thermoplastic Resin Industry Outlook
- Historical Market Trends
- Pricing Trends
- Environmental & Regulatory Considerations
- International Activity
- Foreign Trade
- III. CONTAINER RESINS
- General
- Polyethylene Terephthalate
- High Density Polyethylene
- Polypropylene
- Polystyrene
- Polyvinyl Chloride
- Low Density Polyethylene
- Other Resins
- IV. CONTAINER OVERVIEW
- General
- Units
- Weight
- V. BOTTLES & JARS
- General
- Bottles & Jars by Weight
- Bottles & Jars by Resin
- Beverages
- Beverage Industry Outlook
- Plastic Beverage Bottles
- Bottled Water
- Bottled Water Outlook
- Plastic Water Bottles
- Carbonated Soft Drinks
- Carbonated Soft Drink Outlook
- Carbonated Soft Drink Bottles
- Carbonated Soft Drink Bottles by Size
- Milk
- Milk Outlook
- Plastic Milk Bottles
- Other Beverages
- Fruit Beverages
- Sports Drinks
- Other Nonalcoholic Ready-to-Drink Beverages
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Distilled Spirits
- Beer
- Wine
- Food
- Food Industry Outlook
- Plastic Food Bottles & Jars
- Sauces & Condiments
- Dairy Products
- Edible Oils
- Other
- Household Cleaning Chemicals
- Household Cleaning Chemicals Outlook
- Plastic Household Cleaning Chemical Bottles
- Detergents
- Dishwashing
- Laundry
- Kitchen & Bath Cleaners
- Fabric Softeners
- Bleach
- Other Household Cleaning Chemicals
- Cosmetics & Toiletries
- Cosmetic & Toiletry Industry Outlook
- Plastic Cosmetic & Toiletry Bottles & Jars
- Hair Care
- Skin Care
- Other Cosmetic & Toiletry Products
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pharmaceutical Industry Outlook
- Plastic Pharmaceutical Bottles & Jars
- Liquids
- Powders, Tablets & Capsules
- Industrial & Institutional Cleaning Chemicals
- I&I Cleaning Chemicals Outlook
- Plastic I&I Cleaning Chemical Bottles
- Automotive Chemicals
- Automotive Chemical Industry Outlook
- Plastic Automotive Chemical Bottles
- Automotive Lubricants
- Antifreeze
- Other Automotive Chemicals
- Other Bottle & Jar Markets
- VI. OTHER PLASTIC CONTAINERS
- General
- Pails
- Open-Head
- Tight-Head
- Tubs, Cups & Bowls
- Resins
- Producers
- Trays
- Foamed Polystyrene Trays
- Crystallized PET Trays
- Polypropylene Trays
- APET & Other Trays
- Cans
- Applications
- Producers
- Egg Cartons
- Squeeze Tubes
- All Other Containers
- VII. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- General
- Industry Composition
- Market Leaders
- Graham Packaging
- Amcor
- Plastipak Packaging
- Consolidated Container
- Coca-Cola Enterprises
- Constar International
- Ball
- Berry Plastics
- Silgan Holdings
- Other Leaders
- Acquisitions & Divestitures
- Marketing & Distribution
- Manufacturing
- Research & Development
- Competitive Strategies
- Cooperative Agreements
- Company Profiles
- Alcan, see Rio Tinto Group
- Alcoa Incorporated
- Alga Plastics, see Sealed Air
- Alpla-Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Company KG
- Amcor Limited
- Anchor Packaging Company
- Airopack, see PVC Container
- Ball Corporation
- Bemis Company Incorporated
- Berry Plastics Group Incorporated
- Biosphere Industries, see Sealed Air
- BWAY Corporation
- Captive Plastics, see Berry Plastics Group
- CKS Packaging Incorporated
- Clear Pack, see Sonoco Products
- Coca-Cola Enterprises Incorporated
- Consolidated Container Company LLC
- Constar International Incorporated
- Cryovac Food Packaging, see Sealed Air
- Curwood, see Bemis
- Dart Container Corporation
- Dolco Packaging, see Tekni-Plex
- Drug Plastics and Glass Company Incorporated
- Fabri-Kal Corporation
- Genpak LLC, see Pattison (Jim) Group
- GRAFCO PET Packaging Technologies, see Berry Plastics
- Graham Packaging Holdings Company
- Huhtamaki Oyj
- Industrial Containers, see BWAY
- Letica Corporation
- LINPAC Group Limited
- Liquid Container/Plaxicon Company
- Marpac, see PVC Container
- Matrix Packaging, see Sonoco Products
- Newspring Industrial, see Pactiv
- NOVAPAK, see PVC Container
- Owens-Illinois Group Incorporated
- Pactiv Corporation
- Pattison (Jim) Group
- Plastican Incorporated
- Plastipak Holdings Incorporated
- Polytainers Limited
- Prairie Packaging, see Pactiv
- Pretium Packaging LLC
- PVC Container Corporation
- Rank Group Limited
- Rexam plc
- Ring Container Technologies
- Rio Tinto Group
- Sealed Air Corporation
- Silgan Holdings Incorporated
- Solo Cup Company
- Sonoco Products Company
- Tekni-Plex Incorporated
- Other Companies Mentioned in the Study
- LIST OF TABLES
- SECTION I -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Summary Table
- SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
- 1 Macroeconomic Indicators
- 2 Population & Households
- 3 Personal Consumption Expenditures
- 4 Manufacturers’ Shipments
- 5 Packaging Supply & Demand
- 6 Thermoplastic Resin Demand
- 7 Plastic Container Market, 1997-2007
- 8 Thermoplastic Resin Pricing
- 9 US Foreign Trade in Plastic Bottles
- SECTION III -- CONTAINER RESINS
- 1 Plastic Container Demand by Resin
- 2 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Demand in Plastic Containers
- 3 High Density Polyethylene Demand in Plastic Containers
- 4 Polypropylene Demand in Plastic Containers
- 5 Polystyrene Demand in Plastic Containers
- 6 Polyvinyl Chloride Demand in Plastic Containers
- 7 Low Density Polyethylene Demand in Plastic Containers
- 8 Other Resin Demand in Plastic Containers
- SECTION IV -- CONTAINER OVERVIEW
- 1 Plastic Container Demand in Units
- 2 Plastic Container Demand by Weight
- SECTION V -- BOTTLES & JARS
- 1 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Market in Units
- 2 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Market in Pounds
- 3 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Resin
- 4 Beverage Production
- 5 Plastic Beverage Bottle Demand
- 6 Plastic Water Bottle Demand
- 7 Plastic Carbonated Soft Drink Bottle Demand
- 8 Plastic Carbonated Soft Drink Bottle Demand by Size
- 9 Plastic Milk Bottle Demand
- 10 Other Plastic Beverage Bottle Demand
- 11 Plastic Fruit Beverage Bottle Demand
- 12 Plastic Sports Drink Bottle Demand
- 13 Other Nonalcoholic Beverage Plastic Bottle Demand
- 14 Plastic Alcoholic Beverage Bottle Demand
- 15 Food Product Shipments
- 16 Plastic Food Bottle & Jar Demand
- 17 Plastic Sauce & Condiment Bottle & Jar Demand
- 18 Plastic Dairy Bottle Demand
- 19 Plastic Edible Oils Bottle & Jar Demand
- 20 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand for Other Food
- 21 Household Cleaning Chemical Shipments
- 22 Plastic Household Cleaning Chemical Bottle Demand
- 23 Plastic Detergent Bottle Demand
- 24 Plastic Dishwashing Detergent Bottle Demand
- 25 Plastic Laundry Detergent Bottle Demand
- 26 Plastic Kitchen & Bath Cleaner Bottle Demand
- 27 Plastic Fabric Softener Bottle Demand
- 28 Plastic Bleach Bottle Demand
- 29 Other Plastic Household Cleaning Chemical Bottle Demand
- 30 Cosmetic & Toiletry Shipments
- 31 Plastic Cosmetic & Toiletry Bottle & Jar Demand
- 32 Plastic Hair Care Product Bottle & Jar Demand
- 33 Plastic Skin Care Product Bottle & Jar Demand
- 34 Other Plastic Cosmetic & Toiletry Bottle & Jar Demand
- 35 Pharmaceutical Supply & Demand
- 36 Plastic Pharmaceutical Bottle & Jar Demand
- 37 Plastic Liquid Pharmaceutical Bottle & Jar Demand
- 38 Plastic Powder, Tablet & Capsule Bottle & Jar Demand
- 39 I&I Cleaning Chemical Shipments
- 40 Plastic I&I Cleaning Chemical Bottle Demand
- 41 Automotive Chemical Demand
- 42 Plastic Automotive Chemical Bottle Demand
- 43 Plastic Automotive Lubricant Bottle Demand
- 44 Plastic Antifreeze Bottle Demand
- 45 Other Plastic Automotive Chemical Bottle Demand
- 46 Other Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand
- SECTION VI -- OTHER PLASTIC CONTAINERS
- 1 Other Plastic Container Demand
- 2 Plastic Pail Demand
- 3 Plastic Tub, Cup & Bowl Demand
- 4 Plastic Tray Demand
- 5 Plastic Can Demand
- 6 Plastic Egg Carton Demand
- 7 Plastic Squeeze Tube Demand
- 8 All Other Plastic Container Demand
- SECTION VII -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- 1 US Plastic Container Sales by Company, 2007
- 2 Selected Acquisitions & Divestitures
- 3 Selected Cooperative Agreements
- LIST OF CHARTS
- SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
- 1 Thermoplastic Resin Demand, 2007
- 2 Plastic Container Market, 1997-2007
- SECTION III -- CONTAINER RESINS
- 1 Plastic Container Demand by Resin, 2007
- SECTION IV -- CONTAINER OVERVIEW
- 1 Plastic Container Demand in Units, 2007
- 2 Plastic Container Demand by Weight, 2007
- SECTION V -- BOTTLES & JARS
- 1 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Market in Units, 2007
- 2 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Market in Pounds, 2007
- 3 Plastic Bottle & Jar Demand by Resin, 2007
- 4 Plastic Carbonated Soft Drink Bottle Demand by Size, 2007
- 5 Plastic Household Cleaning Chemical Bottle Demand, 2007
- SECTION VI -- OTHER PLASTIC CONTAINERS
- 1 Other Plastic Container Demand by Type, 2007
- SECTION VII -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
- 1 US Plastic Container Industry Market Share, 2007
More DetailsBottled water to spur growth for bottles and jarsPlastic bottles and jars, which accounted for 78 percent of total plastic container volume in 2007, will remain the leading container type through 2012. Demand for resin used in plastic bottles and jars will advance 3.0 percent annually to 12.3 billion pounds in 2012, with unit demand increasing 4.8 percent annually to 168 billion units. While resin growth will be hindered by a shift to smaller bottles in laundry detergent packaging, unit growth will be supported by the popularity of smaller-sized beverage bottles and continued expansion of the bottled water market, the largest single market for plastic bottles. The food market will also provide above-average opportunities as the improved barrier properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) will expand the use of plastic bottles and jars in hot-fill applications. In the pharmaceuticals market, the aging population will benefit plastic bottle and jar demand, as senior citizens tend to be among the heaviest consumers of packaged medications. In markets such as household chemicals and automotive fluids, market maturity will result in below-average bottle and jar gains.
Other segments of the plastic container industry will have varied prospects, with containers such as cans, squeeze tubes and trays registering the fastest gains. Aggregate demand for these other containers will increase 3.6 percent per annum to 1.1 billion pounds in 2012. Can demand will be bolstered by further inroads into the paint market, while squeeze tube gains will be aided by increasing shipments of skin care products. Tray demand will be supported by increasing use of dual-ovenable trays that can be used in microwave and conventional ovens. Plastic pails will see below-average growth based on competition from alternative packaging such as drums and intermediate bulk containers. Demand for plastic tubs, cups and bowls will benefit from ongoing use in the packaging of such foods as yogurt, cottage cheese and dips.
PET will remain dominant resin, PP fastest growingPET will continue to be the dominant plastic container resin, expanding at a 4.4 percent annual rate through 2012 to 7.9 billion pounds as a result of healthy growth in bottled water and increasing usage in other applications like food. High density polyethylene will remain the second most widely used container resin based on its entrenched position in many key markets, such as milk and household cleaning chemicals. Polypropylene will see the most rapid growth as a result of ongoing development of clarified grades and higher processing rates, making it more competitive with high-volume resins.
Study coveragePlastic Containers, a new Freedonia industry study, is available for $4600. It presents historical data (1997, 2002 and 2007) plus forecasts to 2012 and 2017. Plastic container demand is provided in pounds and units by product, resin and market. This study also assesses principal technological factors, evaluates market share and profiles 37 US industry players.
