Sales, plastics

The plasticization of PVC accounts for the vast majority of plasticizer sales. However, significant amounts of plasticizers are used in non-PVC polymers and this may become increasingly important in the future. Although PVC stands alone in its abiUty to accept and retain large quantities of commercial plasticizer, effective plasticization of other resins using slightly modified plasticizers may be possible if certain conditions specific to the polymer of interest are met. 

Decade, it is not difficult to foresee an even more incredible growth for the plastics industry—The Golden Decade will spill over its dynamic surge into the Soaring 70 s. An industry whose growth rate of 13 to 15% per year will continue into the 70 s, (compared with all other industry of 4-5% a year), presents a formidable challenge to the plastics sales organization. It will demand flexibility in sales policies and procedures and it will, of necessity, require a specialization that we have talked about but hesitated to do much about. 

The change to meet the challenge of the 70 s will add a new dimension to the plastics sales organization it shall couple foresight with action. 

I believe the computer and computerized techniques will come into prominence as a sales aid in the 70 s—with its proper application being, for example, to advise when to and when not to sell direct and which areas to emphasize. Utilization of computer-generated data by competition will prove a strong challenge to the domestic plastics sales organization in the 70,s. Skilled programming of computers can provide in short time periods your complete costs of solicitation in one area vs. another, which are the most profitable areas, which are the least profitable, and what variable can influence each of these. 

Harnessing this power of the computer to his sales vehicle will enable the plastics sales executive to grasp the concept of his business as a completely integrated system—one which encompasses the contributions of all the individual salesman, the organization, his services, his staff functions, and the customer—toward the common goals of each—fair and reasonable profits. 

Putting the computer to use effectively offers not only a challenge but a great opportunity for all of chemical marketing in the future. This will certainly be one of the real challenges of the 70 s for plastics sales. 

Being an integral part of our lives—which are under constant change —why cannot plastics sales of the 70s accept this challenge of change for the better—better products, better satisfaction, and better profits. 

Direct feed of whole batteries. Some processes allow the direct charging of whole batteries to the furnace. This process uses the polypropylene cases, separators, and other plastic materials as the reducing agent in the furnace rather than coke or coal. Some smelters use the cases intermittently, as dictated by the plastic sale price with respect to the cost of coke or coal. 

Nylon, the first commercial thermoplastic engineering polymer, is the prototype for the whole family of polyamides. Nylon 6,6 began at Du Pont with the polymer experiments of Wallace Carothers in 1928, and made its commercial debut as a fiber in 1938 and as a molding compound in 19A1. By 1953, 10 million lbs of nylon 6,6 molding compound represented the entire annual engineering plastic sales. 

Advanced polymer composites, which are high-performance materials consisting of a polymer matrix resin reinforced with fibers such as carbon, graphite, aramid, boron, or S-glass, have their market in aerospace. This is also expected to be the fastest growing sector of plastics sales, with growth projected at 22% a year. 

By using different additives, fillers, and so on with the different plastics, more than 17,000 compounds are commercially available worldwide. They are used in the different processes to meet the processes specific melt-flow characteristics or provide cost-to-product performance advantages. They are classified as commodity plastics or engineering plastics. Commodities such as PEs, PVCs, PPs, and PSs (see Appendix A, List of Abbreviations) account for over two-thirds of plastics sales. 

It is possible for additive suppliers with relatively novel products to sell more product each year even when plastics sales are level, by persuading customers that it reduces process costs, improves end-product quality or achieves better comphance with regulations. The additives business is one where technical excellence creates new markets. Special factors such as new fire regulations increase sales of flame retardants. Increased use of agricultural film favours greater use of stabilisers. Changes in social habits (such as increased consumption of ready-to-eat meals or bottled mineral water) also stimulate additive sales. 

Some additives are closely tied to specific polymers. Heat stabilisers are targeted exclusively at PVC, and it is sales of PVC rather than overall plastics sales that matter to the heat stabiliser supplier. Increased sales of polypropylene do not compensate at all. Plasticisers are almost as dependent on PVC as heat stabilisers. 

The contraction in plastics sales in 2002 was reflected in reduced sales of additives such as flame retardants. Suppliers faced severe difSculties, with many announcing job cuts. The Dow Jones Eurostoxx 50 index declined over a period of two and a half years by more than half from its peak value of over 5000 to less than 2500 by mid-2003. The year 2004 began more optimistically, but after an encouraging start the stock markets faltered again for a time in the summer and the Eurostoxx had still not reached 3000 by mid-autumn 2004. 

Factors Influencing Additive Sales When Plastic Sales Remain Constant... 

Other factors (besides plastics sales) that could influence additive sales by value, even with a constant level of demand for plastics, are trends such as ... 

To day in Europe at least 30% of all engineering plastic sales are coming from automotive applications. 

Society of the Plastics Industry n (SPI) An organization whose members include companies from all areas of plastics materials producers, plastics sales people, processors and fabricators, designers and users of plastics products, and a few individual members. SPFs main address is 1275 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005. 

The pie chart in Figure 1.6 shows the distribution of the use of thermoplastics in selected industries—the greatest uses being in building and construction, and packaging. Figure 1.7 shows plastics sales in 2009 compared to 2008. As the chart in Figure 1.7 shows the production and sales were about 100 billion pounds in 2008 and 2009. ... 

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