ADDITIVE TRENDS IN GLOBAL ENGINEERING PLASTICS INDUSTRY

摘要

Global engineering plastics (ETP's) is a 5,200 kilotonne market with a projected growth rate of approximately two times GDP over the next five years. ETP's, are defined as polyacetals, polyesters, nylon, PPE alloys, polycarbonate. ABS/PC alloys and long fiber reinforced polypropylene (LFRT-PP). A number of changes have impacted this market decisively over the last decade. Increased globalization; larger, more powerful customers, new competitors, industry consolidation and a reduction in the growth rate, have all resulted in loss of pricing power and margin compression for material suppliers and compounders. To partially offset these effects suppliers can take either or a combination of two broad approaches: 1. Emphasize operational excellence, pare costs, produce longer runs of fewer standard products and run the business for cash 2. Segment customers and products and selectively increase investment in innovative product solutions Both of these approaches present opportunities for additive suppliers. The drive for lower manufacturing costs results in a shift in the consumption of higher value specialty additives to an expanded class of smaller customers including master batch producers, compounders and converters. Suppliers taking the latter approach are increasing their use of additive systems to broaden the ETP product performance envelope and develop new materials for specific markets and customers without the major capital expenditures required for new ETP polymer plants. This presentation will review the current trends in the application of additives such as impact modifiers, flame retardants, coupling agents, lubricants and antioxidants to ETP's and their impact on the overall additives market.