Solid or malleable, colored, durable, and inexpensive: Thanks to additives, plastics are becoming virtually invincible materials. Additives are usually only added in small quantities, but without them plastic products would not stand a chance against heat, UV rays, and oxidation. More than 10,000 different chemicals are used to improve the properties of plastics, including fillers, plasticizers, pigments and colorants, flame retardants, antioxidants, light stabilizers and heat stabilizers, blowing agents for foams, impact modifiers, and lubricants. The demand for these additives is growing in line with the constant increase in plastics production: According to the latest market study by Ceresana, around 36.7 million tonnes of plastic additives are already consumed worldwide every year.
Tonnes of Plasticizers and Fillers
Elastic cable sheathing or floor coverings do not necessarily have to be made of flexible polyvinyl chloride, a type of plastic that contains up to 70% plasticizers. But most of the time they are: PVC manufacturers in particular ensure that more than 8 million tonnes of plasticizers are sold every year, especially phthalates. However, the plastic additives used in the largest quantities overall are fillers: More than 19.5 million tonnes of calcium carbonates, kaolin, and other filling materials are added to plastics to make them cheaper or to specifically change other properties. All ingredients, whether individually or as premixed masterbatches, must meet the requirements for the respective end products. For example, they often have to comply with food contact regulations in packaging or be compatible with the trend towards bioplastics. The current Ceresana study examines the use of additives not only in PVC, but also in polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, engineering plastics, and other types of plastic.
Increasing Demand for Plastic Additives
Ceresana has been analyzing the market size and development of plastics and their various ingredients for more than 20 years. The latest market report forecasts that sales of plastic additives will grow by an average of 3.3% per year until 2033. The Asia-Pacific region currently accounts for more than half of total demand for plastic additives, followed by North America and Western Europe. The market study examines in detail the development of the individual additive types in the various regions of the world as well as in the 29 largest national sales markets. The largest application area for plastic additives is construction products, such as insulation materials, films, or door and window frames. Traditional materials such as wood, metal, and glass are increasingly being replaced by plastics, and not only in the construction industry: The demand for plastic additives is also increasing due to the consumption of rigid packaging, packaging films, and flexible packaging. Vehicle manufacturers and the electrical and electronics industry are important consumers as well.
The Current Market Study “Plastic Additives – World (4th Edition)”:
Chapter 1 provides a description and analysis of the global market for plastic additives – including forecasts up to 2033: For each region of the world, such as Western Europe or North America, demand in metric tonnes and revenues in US dollars and euros are given. Furthermore, global and regional demand and revenues per application area are analyzed. In addition to market development, demand for product types and plastic types is also analyzed. These plastic additive types are examined in detail: Fillers (divided into GCC, PCC, kaolin, talc, other plastic fillers), Plasticizers (divided into DEHP, DINP/DIPD, other phthalates, non-phthalates), Pigments (divided into titanium dioxide, carbon black, iron oxide, other inorganic pigments, organic pigments), Flame retardants (divided into ATH, brominated flame retardants, chlorinated products, organophosphorus, ATO, other flame retardants), Stabilizers (divided into tin, lead, calcium-based, liquid mixed metal stabilizers and other products), Impact modifiers, Lubricants, Antioxidants, Blowing agents and other plastic additives. Application areas analyzed in this study: Packaging, Construction industry, Transportation, especially the automotive industry, Electrical & electronics, Industry and other applications. The following plastic types are considered individually: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Polyethylene (PE), Polyurethane (PUR), Engineering plastics and other plastics.
In Chapter 2, 29 countries are examined individually, particularly large national markets such as the USA, China, Japan, or Germany. Country-specific demand, demand per additive type, additive demand per plastic type as well as revenues are depicted. Furthermore, demand and revenues are analyzed split by the individual application areas.
Chapter 3 provides company profiles of the largest manufacturers of plastic additives – clearly arranged according to contact details, revenues, net income, product range, production sites, and profile summary. In-depth profiles of 68 manufacturers are given, for example of BASF, Evonik, INEOS, 3M, ExxonMobil, Dow, Mitsubishi Chemical, and LG Chem.
Further information on the new edition of the market study “Plastic Additives – World Report” (4th edition): https://ceresana.com/en/produkt/plastic-additives-market-report
About Ceresana
As one of the world’s leading market research institutes, Ceresana specializes in the chemicals, plastics, packaging, and industrial goods sectors. Special focus areas are bio-economy and automotive / mobility. Companies have been benefiting from our high-quality industry analyses and forecasts since 2002 More than 250 market studies provide more than 10,000 customers around the world with the knowledge base for their sustainable success.
Learn more about Ceresana at www.ceresana.com
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