Light and Strong: Ceresana Study on the Global Market for Automotive Plastics

Konstanz, Germany, December 01, 2016 --(PR.com)-- The automotive industry is a dynamically growing market for plastics: In addition to the global stock of already more than 1.2 billion vehicles, more than 90 million units are added every year. There are many examples of applications for plastics in the automotive industry: door trim, headlights, switches and handles, seating components, dashboard, windows, and also less visible parts such as plug connectors, battery casings, oil pans, fuel pumps, filter casings, or cooling water tanks. Replacing metal, rubber, and glass by plastics can reduce weight - but performance remains the same or is even improved.

Millions of Tonnes Come onto the Roads

The market research company Ceresana analyzed this application area in particular: Global demand of the automotive industry for plastics amounts to more than 15 million tonnes per year. This new study by Ceresana registers all parts made of plastics that are produced by either suppliers or vehicle manufactures themselves and are used in road vehicles. The application in passenger cars as well as in trucks, transporters, and buses, both in new constructions and in spare parts is examined.

Plastics All Around

The segments seats and upholstery, interior trim, dashboard, bumpers and lighting, exterior trim, under the hood and fuel system, electric and electronics, and others are differentiated. In 2015, the segment under the hood and fuel system was the most important application area with a demand of around 2.6 million tonnes of plastics. Demand for exterior trim is especially likely to grow further: at rates of presumably 4.5% per year.

Safe on the Road with Polypropylene

The most commonly used plastic in automobiles is polypropylene (PP): This type accounts for about 28% of total demand. In the past eight years, demand for polypropylene in the automotive industry increased by, on average, 3.1% per year. About one third of the PP consumed in the production of vehicles is used by the segment bumpers and lighting. The polyethylene types HDPE, LDPE, and LLDPE are used in vehicles mainly under the hood and for fuel systems. This segment accounts for about 45% of demand with HDPE being the dominant product type. Demand for polyethylene amounts to almost 3 million tonnes which is slightly more than demand volume of polyurethane (PUR). Demand for PUR increased by 3.6% per year since 2007, especially for the segment seats and upholstery.

The Study in Brief:

Chapter 1 provides a presentation of the global market for plastics in the automotive industry – including forecasts up to 2023. Data on demand and revenues is analyzed in the regions Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

Chapter 2 provides market data for the 16 most important countries, that is, country-specific information on demand and revenues. Demand is analyzed in detail split by several application areas and plastic types.

Chapter 3 thoroughly examines the application areas for automotive plastics: seats / upholstery, interior trim, dashboard, E&E / others, bumpers / lighting, exterior trim, under the hood / fuel system. These sales markets are split by both the world regions and the most important countries.

Chapter 4 examines the demand for the individual types of plastics: polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE), polyurethane (PUR), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), as well as other types of plastics.

Chapter 5 provides profiles of the largest manufacturers of automotive plastics – clearly arranged according to contact details, turnover, profit, product range, production sites, and profile summary. Extensive profiles of 84 manufacturers are given, for example of Celanese Corp., China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), Grupa Azoty S.A., INEOS Group Ltd., LG Chem Ltd., Lotte Chemical Corp., Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp., National Petrochemical Company (NPC), Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC), and Versalis S.p.A.

About Ceresana
Ceresana is an internationally leading market research and consulting company for the industry. For more than 10 years, Ceresana has been supplying several thousand customers from 60 countries with up-to-date market intelligence. Extensive market knowledge creates new prospects for strategic and operational decisions. Ceresana's clients profit from implementation-oriented consulting services, tailor-made single-client studies and more than 100 independent multi-client market studies. Ceresana's analysts are experts on the following markets: chemicals, plastics, industrial goods, and packaging.