The Plastics Compounding Market

Report Highlights

The North American market for thermoplastic compounds reached 87.33 billion pounds in 2014. This market is expected to grow from 88.78 billion pounds in 2015 to 100.2 billion pounds by 2020, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4% over the next five years.

Report Includes

• An overview of the plastics compounding market.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2014, estimates for 2015, and projections of CAGRs through 2020.
• Coverage of the major thermoplastic resins and thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs); the resins include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene, polystyrene, and engineering thermoplastics (ETPs): the major representatives being nylons, polycarbonates, polyacetals, PET, and PBT; the report also includes bio compounds, or plastics that are made from plants instead of hydrocarbons.
• Identifications of major resin producers, key plastics processors, and independent compounders, along with activities, product lines, and estimated sales for the major independent compounders.
• Reviews of key plastics additives used in plastics compounding and advances in plastics compounding machinery/equipment.
• Information on major fillers/reinforcements.
• Developments in carbon fiber and carbon nanotubes, and advances in natural fibers.

SCOPE OF THE REPORT

This report covers the compounding of major thermoplastic resins. The high-volume commodity resins include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic polyesters (primarily PET). Engineering thermoplastics (ETPs) covered include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), nylons (polyamides), polycarbonates, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers (ABS) and some real specialties like polyacetals and polysulfones. This report also includes an introduction to thermoplastic elastomers and some biocompounds—plastics that are made from plants instead of hydrocarbons. It excludes thermosetting resins, since they have different chemistries and are usually processed differently.

The plastics compounding market is segmented by each of the above resins and by each of the three plastics compounding groups. Applications and markets by volume in pounds or value in dollars are estimated for the years 2014, 2015, and a five-year forecast to 2020. Major resin producers, key plastics processors and independent compounders are identified. We discuss the activities, product lines and other information for the major independent compounders.

Our market estimates are mostly for markets for the United States or North America. Other features in this report include the following:

• Review of key plastics additives used in plastics compounding.
• Important information on major fillers/reinforcements.
• Developments in carbon fiber and carbon nanotubes for reinforcement of thermoplastics.
• Advances in natural fiber reinforcements.
• Regulatory and environmental developments shaping compounds, ranging from phthalate plasticizers to halogenated flame retardants.
• Key suppliers of plastics additives and fillers/reinforcements.
• Notes of some recent advances in plastics compounding and machinery.

Analyst Credentials

Dr. J. Charles Forman has been a research analyst for BCC Research covering polymers and chemicals for more than two decades. His work in the industry includes 21 years at Abbott Laboratories in R&D and manufacturing management. Dr. Forman has researched and written more than 70 multi-client market research reports on a variety of subjects, ranging from building construction materials and spectroscopy to several studies on plastic packaging. He holds a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, all in chemical engineering. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.).