Global plastics industry

Overview of the global plastics industry today and tomorrow... 

Among the most important antioxidants are hindered phenols, which account for more than 50% of the total market for antioxidants sold into the global plastics industry as shown in Figure 8.1. Phosphite esters are second in importance as antioxidants for the global plastics industry. Polyethylene and polypropylene account for approximately of the total market for antioxidants, as shown in Figure 8.2. 

Plastics Engineering Magazine The official pubUca-tion of the Society of Plastics Engineers, the leading technical society of the global plastics industry, http / / www.4SPE.org... 

The author shares his profound knowledge and understanding of the global plastics industry in a very accessible manner. The case studies as presented are impressive and very relevant. This book is a standard, a must-have for every individual with the ambition to understand, build a career, or establish a successful business within the global plastics industry. ... 

Husky is a global supplier of injection molding systems to the plastics industry. Husky designs and manufactures injection molding machines—from 60 to 8000 tonnes, robots, hot runners for a variety of applications, molds for PET preforms, and complete preform molding systems. Customers use Husky s equipment to manufacture a wide range of products in the packaging, automotive and technical industries. The company serves customers in over 100 countries from more than 40 service and sales offices around the world. 

Table 10.4 shows the main trends affecting the overall polymer business. However, differentiation according to polymer type is necessary (Table 10.5). The plastics industry still has a highly fragmented structure, and consolidation will continue in order to meet the demands of global competition, until there are no further incremental efficiencies to be gained. At the present time, the plastics industry is plagued by low profit margins and surplus capacity.

Trends in the use of antimicrobials by the plastics industry are reviewed with details of the market by industry, region, types of antimicrobials used, and the industry s distribution system. Also identified are manufacturers and formulators. Regulations regarding the development for new biocides are examined, and expected growth of the global plastic antimicrobial industry is forecasted, together with details of key drivers for the growth. 

Increasingly, guidelines resulting from political decision process of the European Union influence national markets and global competition. In order to have an influence on behalf of the interests of the plastics industry, the Association of Plastics Producing Industries, (VKE), is reported to wish to intensify its communication with European political institutions. The VKE sees the discussion about the EU book on the environmental problems relating to PVC as particularly controversial, and does not consider that it takes important points of view sufficiently into account. The treatment of the PVC theme, is examined as an example of so-called europisation of the work of associations. (Article translated from Kunststoffe 91 (2001) 4, pp.26-27). 

The world production of plastics in 1900 was about 30,000 tons — in the year 2000 it is expected to reach 151 Mt. The projected saturation level on the global scale (an increase by a factor of ten) is expected to be reached in the middle of the 21st century. The rapidity of the plastics expansion can be best judged by comparing it with steel — aheady in 1992 the annual world production of plastics more than doubled in volume the world production of steel, and nearly tripled its value. Polymers are the fastest growing structural materials. It is noteworthy that the polymer blend segment of the plastics industry increases at a rate about three times higher than the whole. 

The following list, organized alphabetically by country, includes an example of the global list of the plastics industry and other relevant associations. Groups covering all of Europe or all of South America are listed under Pan European and Pan-South American groups. 

Supplier Search Offered by Plastics News and Supply Base Inc., Supplier Search is an interactive, global database designed to help usen find and qualify plastics industry processors and suppliers. Some sections also include detailed Request for Quote forms, http // www.pnsuppliersearch.com... 

Polyolefins are the largest volume, most versatile, most cost effective, industrial plastic resins available in the marketplace today. Together, polyethylene (HDPE, LLDPE, LDPE) and polypropylene represent about 60% of global plastic consumption. 

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