Protecting plastics and rubber: Ceresana analyzes the stabilizer market

Citation

(2011), "Protecting plastics and rubber: Ceresana analyzes the stabilizer market", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 40 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2011.12940eaa.022

Protecting plastics and rubber: Ceresana analyzes the stabilizer market

Article Type: Conferences, training and publications From: Pigment & Resin Technology, Volume 40, Issue 5

Stabilizers protect plastics from degradation when exposed to heat and light. “The worldwide market for these indispensable additives will achieve revenues of almost US$4.8 billion by 2018,” forecasts Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana Research. According to the new study of Ceresana, the Asia-Pacific accounts for about half of all demand, followed by Western Europe and North America.

The construction industry determines the demand

Especially polyvinyl chloride has to be protected from degradation. Therefore, heat stabilizers are mainly needed for construction materials made of PVC: more than 85 per cent of all stabilizers sold during 2010 were used in profiles, pipes and cable jackets.

Essential sun protection

The market for light stabilizers is growing worldwide. Particularly hindered amine light stabilizers, used in products made of polypropylene or polyethylene, will see great increases in demand. Ceresana Research anticipates that the Asia-Pacific region will continue to strongly influence the stabilizer market over the next years. In addition, South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East register above-average growth rates of 3.5-4.7 per cent.

Large regional differences

There will be significant changes in the types of stabilizers used. Especially in environmentally friendly Europe, lead stabilizers are increasingly replaced by other types, usually mixed metals. On the other hand, the use of lead stabilizers continues to grow in China and India. Calcium-zinc stabilizers are gaining importance in the fields of pipes, food-wrapping films and packaging. Barium-zinc stabilizers see the greatest increases in demand in the field of floorings.

Practice-oriented market report

The up-to-date study by Ceresana Research summarizes the most important facts on the different types of heat and light stabilizers on 567 pages. The global market is analyzed in detail, above all the 17 countries with the largest demand. Most important application areas, such as pipes, films and elastomers, are examined one by one. Volume II is a useful list of producers, providing 149 profiles of the largest stabilizer manufacturers. The study, available in English or German, forecasts turnover and sales volumes up to 2018. Besides, the study offers a closer look at market opportunities and risks as well as influencing factors, product innovations and trends: www.ceresana.com/en/market-studies/additives/stabilizers/