The Plastics Compounding Market Outside North America

Report Highlights

The global market for thermoplastic compounds should reach 544.0 billion pounds by 2021 from 431.9 billion pounds in 2016 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7%, from 2016 to 2021.

Report Includes

• An overview of the plastics compounding market outside of North America.
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2015, estimates for 2016, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2021.
• 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.

Report Scope

This report covers the compounding of major thermoplastic resins. The high-volume commodity resins include HDPE, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, PP, PS, PVC and thermoplastic polyesters (primarily PET). Engineering thermoplastics covered include polybutylene terephthalate, nylons (PAs), PCs, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers and some real specialties such as polyacetals and polysulfones. This report also includes an introduction to TPEs 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 U.S. dollars are estimated for the years 2015 and 2016 and for a five-year forecast through 2021. 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 estimates are mostly for the global market (excluding North America). This report breaks the global market down to five segments: China, Europe, Asia (excluding China), South America and the Rest of the World (ROW). The ROW market includes Africa and Oceania. The market of North America is discussed in another BCC Research report—PLS018E: The Plastics Compounding Market.

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 (CNTs) 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

Jason Chen has been an analyst and consultant for the polymer, composite, fiber, textile and energy industries for 18 years. He works as a researcher, writer and/or editor for the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), China Textile Academy (CTA), China Chemical Fiber Association (CCFA), International Fiber Journal, Filtration News, Platts Emission Daily, Vision Systems Design, Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News and MobileTex. Currently he is the chief scientist of a company endeavoring to reduce China's air and water pollution. He has a degree in Civil Engineering, Chemicals and Advanced Materials from Shantou University.