Plastic and Flame Retardants
Special
Report
Plastic Additive: A Techno-Commercial Profile
B.G. SAMPAT
E-mail: bgsampat@bom3.vsnl.net.in
INTRODUCTION
Every activity in modern life is influenced by plastics and many depend entirely on plastic products. All these plastic products are made from the essential polymer mixed with a complex blend of materials known collectively as additives.
Without additives, plastics would not work, but with them they can be made safer, cleaner, tougher and more colourful. Additives cost money, of course, but by reducing production costs and making products last longer, they help us to save money and conserve the worlds precious raw material reserves.
It is also clear that additive materials are necessary to modify a resin, to improve properties that are desirable and to eliminate or mitigate properties that are undesirable.
Additives make plastics easier to process. They make plastics look good and save money. They also make plastics safe and sound and clean and healthy. Additives also make plastics work longer and respect the environment.
Global demand for plastic additives
Globally, plastics use is growing as polymers continue to replace traditional materials. Additive growth is driven by growing plastics use in developing regions, where per capita plastics consumption is still far below the developed nations. Key issues affecting the additives market include feedstock costs, increasing global competitiveness, the growing importance of China in the global market, and continuing environmental and regulatory issues.
Chemical Weekly May 1, 2007
is still far below that in developed nations, note industry experts. Globally, plastic use is growing as polymers continue to replace traditional materials.
Fig. 1: Plastic additives by value
The global plastics additives market was about 21.8 billion lbs in 2004, valued at US$19-bn. North America, Europe,
China, and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region consumed 21-23% of additives by volume, with the remainder going to
Report
Plastic Additive: A Techno-Commercial Profile
B.G. SAMPAT
E-mail: bgsampat@bom3.vsnl.net.in
INTRODUCTION
Every activity in modern life is influenced by plastics and many depend entirely on plastic products. All these plastic products are made from the essential polymer mixed with a complex blend of materials known collectively as additives.
Without additives, plastics would not work, but with them they can be made safer, cleaner, tougher and more colourful. Additives cost money, of course, but by reducing production costs and making products last longer, they help us to save money and conserve the worlds precious raw material reserves.
It is also clear that additive materials are necessary to modify a resin, to improve properties that are desirable and to eliminate or mitigate properties that are undesirable.
Additives make plastics easier to process. They make plastics look good and save money. They also make plastics safe and sound and clean and healthy. Additives also make plastics work longer and respect the environment.
Global demand for plastic additives
Globally, plastics use is growing as polymers continue to replace traditional materials. Additive growth is driven by growing plastics use in developing regions, where per capita plastics consumption is still far below the developed nations. Key issues affecting the additives market include feedstock costs, increasing global competitiveness, the growing importance of China in the global market, and continuing environmental and regulatory issues.
Chemical Weekly May 1, 2007
is still far below that in developed nations, note industry experts. Globally, plastic use is growing as polymers continue to replace traditional materials.
Fig. 1: Plastic additives by value
The global plastics additives market was about 21.8 billion lbs in 2004, valued at US$19-bn. North America, Europe,
China, and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region consumed 21-23% of additives by volume, with the remainder going to