The plastics industry manufactures polymer materials - commonly called plastics - and offers services in plastics important to a range of industries, including packaging, building and construction, electronics, aerospace, and transportation.

It is part of the chemical industry. In addition, as mineral oil is the major constituent of plastics, it is regarded a part of the petrochemical industry.

Besides plastics production, plastics engineering is an important part of the industrial sector. The latter field is dominated by engineering plastic as raw material because of its better mechanical and thermal properties than the more widely used commodity plastics.

Markets

According to PlasticsEurope, the top three markets for plastics are packaging, building and construction and automotive.

Production

Plastics production grows globally. The numbers include thermoplastics and polyurethanes, as well as thermosets, adhesives, coatings and sealants and PP-fibers. Data was gathered by PlasticsEurope (PEMRG) and Consultic.

Countries and sites

Beccles is a town in England which is a center of the plastics industry

Erie, Pennsylvania is a center of the plastics industry in the United States

Oyonnax is called Plastic Valley in France