Plastics growth rate

Adipic acid is a very large volume organic chemical. Worldwide production in 1986 reached 1.6 x 10 t (3.5 x 10 lb) (158) and in 1989 was estimated at more than 1.9 x 10 t (Table 7). It is one of the top fifty (159) chemicals produced in the United States in terms of volume, with 1989 production estimated at 745,000 t (160). Growth rate in demand in the United States for the period 1988—1993 is estimated at 2.5% per year based on 1987—1989 (160). Table 7 provides individual capacities for U.S. manufacturers. Western European capacity is essentially equivalent to that in the United States at 800,000 t/yr. Demand is highly cycHc (161), reflecting the automotive and housing markets especially. Prices usually foUow the variabiUty in cmde oil prices. Adipic acid for nylon takes about 60% of U.S. cyclohexane production the remainder goes to caprolactam for nylon-6, export, and miscellaneous uses (162). In 1989 about 88% of U.S. adipic acid production was used in nylon-6,6 (77% fiber and 11% resin), 3% in polyurethanes, 2.5% in plasticizers, 2.7% miscellaneous, and 4.5% exported (160). 

The Cg—0 2 branched, odd and even, linear and internal olefins are used to produce improved flexible poly(vinyl chloride) plastics. Demand for these branched olefins, which are produced from propylene and butylene, is estimated to be increasing at a rate of 2% per year. However, the growth of the linear a-olefins is expected to slow down to a rate of 5% per year from 1992 to 1997 (3), as opposed to growth rates of 7—10% in the 1980s. 

The term amino resin is usually appHed to the broad class of materials regardless of appHcation, whereas the term aminoplast or sometimes amino plastic is more commonly appHed to thermosetting molding compounds based on amino resins. Amino plastics and resins have been in use since the 1920s. Compared to other segments of the plastics industry, they are mature products, and their growth rate is only about half of that of the plastics industry as a whole. They account for about 3% of the United States plastics and resins production. 

The world production of plastics in 1995 is projected at 76 million metric tons (mT) with an annual growth rate (AGR) of 3.7%. The expected AGR of PBAs is 12% and that of composites 16%. In 1987, 21% of polymers were used in blends and 29% in composites and filled plastics [56]. If this trend continues, by 1995 all manufactured resins will be used in multiphase polymeric systems. Two factors moderating the tendency are ... 

The polymer is either produced in a bulk or a solution process. It is among the fastest growing engineering thermoplastics, and leads the market of reinforced plastics with an annual growth rate of 13% ... 

Compared to other material-based industries, plastics have enjoyed an impressive growth rate over a century since their inception, but particularly since about 1940. Hie product-design community was quick to recognize the design freedom and great versatility that plastics materials and pro-... 

Table 1.8 Plastic additives - expected global growth rates...

The ability to downgauge, decrease part weight, improve barrier properties and reach new levels of product performance are propelling polyolefins into new markets previously dominated by other plastics. The high growth rate in PP production capacity is mainly being driven by the ability of PP to replace other resins on a cost/performance basis. For example, functionalisation of PP by incorporation of acrylic functionality has extended its weatherability performance. Interpolymer competition will have a significant impact on the amount and type of additives used. 

The level of U.S. consumption is about 110 times that of the Chinese level for plastics and 180 times for ethylene. Given the absolute shortage of resources relative to its population, China will not be able to attain the level of petrocivilization enjoyed by the U.S., nor is China likely to try. If China s economic planners can quadruple the consumption levels of ethylene (to 1.2 kg/cap) and plastics (2.4 kg/cap) by 1985 (implying an annual growth rate of 32%), they will have done well. 

Year Commodities (million tonnes) Total plastics (million tonnes) Annual growth rate (%)... 

The growth rate, 4-7% per year, is greater than that of the plastics industry as a whole. Table 2.6 and Figure 2.4 show the consumption of composites in North America, Europe and Asia. Approximately 31% of composite matrices are thermoplastics, and 69% are... 

Table 2.10 displays the consumption of the major thermoplastics in 2005 for the three main geographic areas, together with market shares and average annual growth rates (AAGR). These identified thermoplastics represent roughly 70% of the overall global consumption of plastics. 

Table 2.12 (after statistics from the American Plastics Council) displays some estimations of consumptions, market shares and average annual growth rates (AACTR) for thermoplastics in North America. The American market shares are close to the global values with a steady growth rate, roughly 5-6% per annum. 

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