# Plastics industry

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Industrial sector

The **plastics industry** manufactures [polymer](/source/Polymer) materials—commonly called [plastics](/source/Plastics)—and offers services in plastics important to a range of industries, including [packaging](/source/Packaging), building and [construction](/source/Construction), [electronics](/source/Electronics), [aerospace](/source/Aerospace), [manufacturing](/source/Manufacturing) and [transportation](/source/Transportation).

It is part of the [chemical industry](/source/Chemical_industry). In addition, as [mineral oil](/source/Mineral_oil) is the major constituent of plastics, it therefore forms part of the [petrochemical industry](/source/Petrochemical_industry).

Besides plastics production, [plastics engineering](/source/Plastics_engineering) is an important part of the industrial sector. The latter field is dominated by [engineering plastic](/source/Engineering_plastic) as [raw material](/source/Raw_material) because of its better mechanical and thermal properties than the more widely used [commodity plastics](/source/Commodity_plastics).

## Companies

Further information: [Category:Plastics companies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Plastics_companies)

## Markets

According to PlasticsEurope, the top three markets for plastics are [packaging](/source/Packaging_industry), building and [construction](/source/Construction_industry), and [automotive](/source/Automotive_industry).[1]

See also: [Plastics in the construction industry](/source/Plastics_in_the_construction_industry)

## Production

Global plastic production (1950–2022)[2]

Plastics production has been growing globally. The numbers include [thermoplastics](/source/Thermoplastics) and [polyurethanes](/source/Polyurethanes), as well as [thermosets](/source/Thermosets), [adhesives](/source/Adhesives), [coatings](/source/Coatings), [sealants](/source/Sealants), and [PP](/source/Polypropylene)-fibers.[1] Data was gathered by PlasticsEurope (PEMRG) and Consultic, or the nova-institute.[3][4]

World plastics production in Mt year Megatonnes 2002 204 2007 257 2009 250 2011 279 2012 288 2013 299 2018 370.5 2022 400.3

However, in 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has had a [devastating effect on the fossil fuel and petrochemical industry](/source/Financial_market_impact_of_the_COVID-19_pandemic). Natural gas prices have dropped so low that gas producers were [burning if off on-site](/source/Flaring) (not being worth the cost to transport it to [cracking facilities](/source/Ethane#Uses)). In addition, bans on single-use consumer plastic (in China, the European Union, Canada, and many countries in Africa), and bans on plastic bags (in several states in the USA) has reduced demand for plastics considerably. Many cracking facilities in the USA have been suspended. The petrochemical industry has been trying to save itself by attempting to rapidly expand demand for plastic products worldwide (i.e. through pushbacks on plastic bans and by increasing the number of products wrapped in plastic in countries where plastic use is not already as widespread (i.e. developing nations)).[5]

## History

Further information: [Timeline of plastic development](/source/Timeline_of_plastic_development)

- [Alexander Crum Brown](/source/Alexander_Crum_Brown) discovered the carbon double bond in ethylene

- [James Swinburne](/source/James_Swinburne), the Father of British Plastics, revolutionized the plastics industry in Europe.

- [Leo Baekeland](/source/Leo_Baekeland), who created the first plastic, Bakelite.

- [Hermann Staudinger](/source/Hermann_Staudinger), who received the Nobel Prize for his discoveries of Macromolecules and Polymers, the chemical backbone of plastics.

## Associations

### United States

- [American Plastics Council](/source/American_Plastics_Council) ([trade association](/source/Trade_association))

- [Society of the Plastics Industry](/source/Society_of_the_Plastics_Industry)

- [American Chemistry Council](/source/American_Chemistry_Council)

### Europe

- [European Polymer Federation](/source/European_Polymer_Federation) (scientific)

### United Kingdom

- [British Plastics Federation](/source/British_Plastics_Federation) (trade association)

### India

- [Plastindia](/source/Plastindia)

### International

- International Association of Plastics Distributors

- [Society of Plastics Engineers](/source/Society_of_Plastics_Engineers)

## Countries and sites

- [Beccles](/source/Beccles) is a town in England which is a center of the plastics industry

- [Erie, Pennsylvania](/source/Erie%2C_Pennsylvania) is a center of the plastics industry in the United States

- [Oyonnax](/source/Oyonnax) is called Plastic Valley in France

- [Stenungsund](/source/Stenungsund) is a town in Sweden which is considered to be a centre for the plastic industry in Scandinavia

## Initiatives

- Plastics 2020 Challenge

- [Plastics Free July](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Plastics_Free_July&action=edit&redlink=1)

## Journals and conferences

- [Plastics News](/source/Plastics_News)

- [Plastics News Global Group](/source/Plastics_News_Global_Group)

## Trade Shows

- NPE – National Plastics Expo (USA)

- [Chinaplas](/source/Chinaplas) (China)

- K (Germany)

- Plastimagen (Mexico)

- Plastindia and Plastivision (India)

- Plastpol (Poland)

- Interplas (United Kingdom)

- Interplastica (Russia)

## See also

- [Economics of plastics processing](/source/Economics_of_plastics_processing)

- [Plastic pollution](/source/Plastic_pollution)

- [Dedicated bio-based chemical](/source/Dedicated_bio-based_chemical)

- [Drop-in bioplastic](/source/Drop-in_bioplastic)

- [Thermoplastic](/source/Thermoplastic)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pe_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pe_1-1) ["Plastics – the fast Facts 2023; An analysis of European plastics production, demand and waste data"](https://plasticseurope.org/knowledge-hub/plastics-the-fast-facts-2023/). www.plasticseurope.org.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Enviraj_Charts_2-0)** Enviraj Charts ["Global Plastic Production (1950-2022)"](https://oer.enviraj.com/charts/global-plastic-production/) *oer.enviraj.com* (2024)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["consultic – consultic"](http://www.consultic.de/en/). *www.consultic.de*. Retrieved 17 April 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Chinthapalli, Raj; Skoczinski, Pia; Carus, Michael; Baltus, Wolfgang; de Guzman, Doris; Käb, Harald; Raschka, Achim; Ravenstijn, Jan (2019-08-01). ["Biobased Building Blocks and Polymers—Global Capacities, Production and Trends, 2018–2023"](https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ind.2019.29179.rch). *Industrial Biotechnology*. **15** (4): 237–241. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1089/ind.2019.29179.rch](https://doi.org/10.1089%2Find.2019.29179.rch). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1550-9087](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1550-9087).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Will coronavirus be the death or salvation of Big Plastic ?](https://time.com/5831005/coronavirus-plastic-industry/)

- Media related to [Plastics industry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Plastics_industry) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Plastics Chemical types Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX, XLPE) Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) Poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) Polyacrylic acid (PAA) Polyamide (PA) Polybutylene (PB) Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) Polycarbonate (PC) Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Polyester (PEs) Polyethylene (PE) Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, PETE) Polyimide (PI) Polylactic acid (PLA) Polyoxymethylene (POM) Polyphenyl ether (PPE) Poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) Polypropylene (PP) Polystyrene (PS) Polysulfone (PES) Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Polyurethane (PU) Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) Styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) Styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) Tritan copolyester Mechanical types Thermoplastic Thermosetting polymer Fibre-reinforced plastic Corrugated plastic Polymeric foam High-performance plastics Additives Polymer additive Colorants Plasticizer Polymer stabilizers Biodegradable additives Filler (materials) Plastics processing Injection moulding Plastic extrusion Blow molding Film blowing Thermoforming Compression molding Calendering Transfer molding Laminating Fiberglass molding Pultrusion Plastic welding Filament winding Solvent bonding Vacuum forming Rotational molding Products Plastics industry segments Commodity plastics Construction Engineering plastics Geosynthetics High-performance plastics Nurdle Category:Plastics applications Plasticulture (Agriculture) Specific goods Blister pack Chairs Packaging film Bottles Bags Cutlery Shopping bags Foam food containers Environment and health v t e Health issues of plastics and polyhalogenated compounds (PHCs) Plasticizers: Phthalates DIBP DBP BBP (BBzP) DIHP DEHP (DOP) DIDP DINP Miscellaneous plasticizers Organophosphates Adipates (DEHA DOA) Monomers Bisphenol A (BPA, in Polycarbonates) Vinyl chloride (in PVC) Miscellaneous additives incl. PHCs PBDEs PCBs Organotins PFCs Perfluorooctanoic acid Health issues Teratogen Carcinogen Endocrine disruptor Diabetes Obesity Polymer fume fever Pollution Plastic pollution Rubber pollution Great Pacific Garbage Patch Persistent organic pollutant Dioxins List of environmental health hazards Regulations California Proposition 65 European REACH regulation Japan Toxic Substances Law Toxic Substances Control Act Waste Plastic pollution Garbage patch Great Pacific Garbage Patch Persistent organic pollutant Dioxins List of environmental health hazards Plastic recycling Biodegradable plastic Identification codes

v t e Major industries by economic sector Primary sector or ′Natural sector′ (raw materials) Biotic Agriculture Arable farming Cereals Legumes Vegetables Fiber crops Oilseeds Sugar Tobacco Permanent crops Apples et al. Berries Citrus Stone fruits Tropical fruit Viticulture Cocoa Coffee Tea Nuts Olives Medicinal plants Spices Horticulture Flowers Seeds Animal husbandry Beef cattle Dairy farming Fur farming Horses Other livestock Pig Wool Poultry Beekeeping Cochineal Shellac Silk Hunting Fur trapping Forestry Silviculture Bamboo Logging Firewood Rattan Tree tapping Frankincense Gum arabic Gutta-percha Maple syrup Mastic Natural rubber Palm sugar, syrup, & wine Pine resin Wild mushrooms Fungiculture Truffles Aquatic Fishing Anchovies Herring Sardines Cod Haddock Pollock Mackerel Shark Swordfish Tuna Crabs Lobsters Sea urchins Squid Whaling Aquaculture Carp Catfish Tilapia Abalone Mussels Oysters Pearls Microalgae Seaweed Both Clams Sea cucumbers Scallops Salmon Shrimp Geological Fossil fuels Coal Peat Natural gas Oil shale Petroleum Tar sands Mining of ores Aluminum Copper Iron Gold Silver Palladium Platinum Lithium Rare-earth metals Uranium Other minerals Gemstones Phosphorus Potash Salt Sulfur Quarrying Gravel Sand Chalk Clay Gypsum Limestone Dimension stone Granite Marble Secondary sector or ′Industrial sector′ (goods manufacturing) Manufacturing Light industry Food Animal feed Baking Canning Dairy products Flour Meat Prepared Preserved Sweets Vegetable oils Beverages Beer Bottled water Liquor Soft drinks Wine Textiles Carding Dyeing Prints Spinning Weaving Carpets Lace Linens Rope Clothing Accessories Dressmaking Furs Hatmaking Sewing Shoemaking Tailoring Printing Bookbinding Embossing Engraving Secure Typesetting Media reproduction Cassette tapes Phonographs Optical discs Metal fabrication Boilermaking Builders' & household hardware Cutlery Gunsmithing Locksmithing Machining Other smithing Powder metallurgy Prefabrication Surface finishing Other fabrication 3D printing Blow molding Drawing Extrusion Glassblowing Injection moulding Pottery Sintering Stonemasonry Woodworking Furniture Other goods Baggage Bicycles Jewellery Medical supplies Musical instruments Office supplies Outdoors & sports equipment Personal protective equipment Toys Electrical & optical Electronics Components Circuit boards Semiconductors Computers Computer systems Parts & peripherals Blank storage media Communications equipment Mobile phones Network infrastructure Consumer electronics Televisions Video game consoles Instrumentation Clocks and watches GPS devices Scientific instruments Medical imaging systems Optical instruments Cameras Gun & spotting scopes Laser construction Lens grinding Microscopes Telescopes Electrical equipment Batteries Electrical & fiber optic cables Electric lighting Electric motors Home appliances Transformers Chemicals Coal & oil refining Bitumen Coke Diesel fuel Fuel oil Gasoline Jet fuel Kerosene Mineral oil Paraffin wax Petrochemicals Petroleum jelly Propane Synthetic oil Tar Commodity chemicals Fertilizers Industrial gases Pigments Pure elements Speciality chemicals Adhesives Agrochemicals Aroma compounds Cleaning products Cosmetics Explosives Fireworks Paints & inks Perfumes Soap Toiletries Fine chemicals Pharmaceuticals Antibiotics Blood products Chemical & hormonal contraceptives Generic drugs Illegal drugs Supplements Vaccines Materials Leather Liming & deliming Tanning Currying & oiling Wood Drying Sawmilling Engineered Lumber Composite Paper Sizing Cardboard Pulp Tissue Rubber Tires Vulcanized rubber Plastics Commodity Engineered Specialty Pellets Synthetic fibers Thermoplastics & thermosets Glass Borosilicate Fused quartz Soda-lime Float glass Glass fiber Glass wool & fiberglass Safety glass Ceramics Brick Earthenware Porcelain Refractory Tile Cement Mortar Plaster Ready-mix concrete Other mineral Abrasives Carbon fibers & advanced materials Mineral wool Synthetic gems Metal refining Iron Aluminum Copper Alloys Steel Formed metal Rolled Forged Cast metal Heavy industry Machinery Conveyors Heavy Hydraulic Machine tools Power & wind turbines Automobiles Other heavy vehicles Aerospace & space Rail vehicles Ships & offshore platforms Weapons Utilities Power Electric Gas distribution Renewable Water Sewage Waste management Collection Dumping Hazardous Recycling Remediation Telecom networks Cable TV Internet Mobile Satellite Telephone Construction Buildings Commercial Industrial Residential Civil engineering Bridges Railways Roads Tunnels Canals Dams Dredging Harbors Specialty trades Cabinetry Demolition Electrical wiring Elevators HVAC Painting and decorating Plumbing Site preparation Tertiary sector or ′Service sector′ (services) Sales Retail Car dealership Consumer goods General store Grocery store Department store Mail order E-commerce Online shopping Specialty store Wholesale Auction Brokerage Distribution Transport & Storage Cargo Air cargo Intermodal Mail Moving company Rail Trucking Passenger transport Airlines Car rentals Passenger rail Ridesharing Taxis Warehousing Self storage Hospitality Food service Drink service Cafés Catering Fast food Food delivery Restaurants Teahouses Hotels Asset management Financial services Banking Credit Financial advice Holding company Money transfer Payment cards Risk management Securities Insurance Health Life Pension funding Property Reinsurance Real estate Brokerage Property management Professional Accounting Assurance Audit Bookkeeping Tax advice Architecture & engineering Inspection Surveying Physical, product, & system testing Design Fashion Interior Product Legal services Management Consulting Public relations Marketing Advertising Creative Language Research and development Basic research Healthcare Medicine Dentist offices Hospitals Nursing Residential care Veterinary medicine Entertainment & leisure Audio-visual Film Music Video games Broadcasting News Radio Television Sport Travel Business travel Cruise lines Tourism Gambling Online Venues Arcades Amusement parks Fairgrounds Nightclubs Tabletop games Publishing & Mass media Written Books Periodicals Software Internet Hosting Social networks Streaming Websites Education Primary Secondary Tertiary Vocational school University Testing Tutoring Other Administrative Customer service Leasing Renting Staffing Private investigation & security Maintenance Janitors Landscaping Repairs Personal services Beauty Dry cleaning Funeral Maid service Pet care Sex Poverty Related Classification standards Production-based ANZSIC ISIC NACE NAICS SIC UKSIC Market-based GICS ICB TRBC Other Aftermarket Generic OEM Inputs & outputs Externalities Community Crime Culture Pollution Well-being Funding Goods Commodities Final Intermediate Raw material Innovation Primary inputs Labor Natural resources Physical capital Services Technology Organization Centralization Cartel Conglomerate Horizontal integration Mergers and acquisitions Monopoly Monopsony Vertical integration Decentralization Enforced breakup Freelancing Homesteading Outsourcing Putting-out system Spinning-off Temporary work Ownership Cooperative Joint-stock company Nationalization Nonprofit organization Partnership 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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Plastics industry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics_industry) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics_industry?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.