MOSCOW (MRC) -- Despite the impact of COVID-19 in 2020, the global plastics industry is expected to rebound in 2021 due to the resumption of activities in its major end markets in line with progressive containment of the pandemic, a new report forecasts, said Canplastics.
In its report, "Industry Convergence to Transform the Global Plastics and Composites Market, Outlook 2021," business consultancy group Frost & Sullivan predicts that global revenue will rise to an estimated USD558.71 billion this year, up from USD533.04 billion in 2020, a CAGR of 4.8%. Moreover, the ongoing focus on the circular economy is likely to stimulate new regulations and product development in the plastics and composites sector.
"The recycling, re-use, and upcycling of plastics and composites are becoming key avenues for product development and value addition,” said Aditya Krishnan, chemicals, materials, and nutrition analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “The increasing relevance of energy efficiency and carbon neutrality goals will also drive new product design and development in several end-use sectors such as automotive, electronics, and consumer goods. Plastics and composites are expected to play an important part due to their versatile properties and longevity."
Krishnan also noted that the trend of reshoring, or having products manufactured locally, is expected to have a significant impact as manufacturers look to secure supply chains by building new facilities and expanding operations in key regions such as Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
As per MRC, Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), increased 1.2% on a sequential three-month-moving-average (3MMA) basis in May. This follows a 1.0% increase in April. The CAB was up 18.6% on a year-on-year (YOY) basis, as the year-ago period included the deep trough of the COVID-19 recession.
As MRC informed before, Russia's output of chemical products rose in March 2021 by 5.4% year on year. Thus, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 6.7% in the first moths months of 2021. March production of polymers in primary form was 958,000 tonnes versus 861,000 tonnes in February. Overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 2,740,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 8.5% year on year.
Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 576,270 tonnes in the first three month of 2021, up by 4% year on year. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market totalled 410,890 tonnes in January-March 2021, up by 56% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and PP block copolymers increased.
MRC