JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012 - 29

The Freedonia Group, Inc., is a leading international industry market research company that provides its clients with information and analysis needed to make informed strategic decisions for their businesses. Studies help clients identify business opportunities, develop strategies, make investment decisions and evaluate opportunities and threats. Freedonia covers a diverse group of industries throughout the United States, the emerging China market, and other world markets. Industries analyzed by Freedonia include: chemicals, plastics, life sciences, packaging, building materials, security & electronics, industrial components & equipment, automotive & transportation equipment, household goods, and energy/power equipment.

markets accounted for about 60% of bioplastics demand by volume in 2010. However, the nonpackaging share of the market is slightly higher by value, as nonpackaging applications tend to use higher-performance resins, particularly in durable goods such as automotive and electronics parts. Through 2015 and beyond, packaging markets for bioplastics are expected to grow at a faster pace than nonpackaging demand, as the market emergence of bio-based polyethylene will be initially focused on the packaging market. The difference in growth rates will not be significant, however, and both segments of the bioplastics market will post extremely strong advances

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through the forecast period (see Figure 2). Bioplastics demand in nonpackaging markets will more than triple to 592,000 metric tons in 2015. Among the factors driving advances will be the increasing use of biodegradable plastic bags, the development of higher performing bioplastics for durable applications such as automotive and electronics parts, and increased demand for bioplastic fibre and fabric products. Additionally, the introduction of bio-based polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC to the commercial market will expand applications into areas that other bioplastics have not yet penetrated, such as construction products.

Fig.3: World nonpackaging demand forecast for bioplastics by applications (thousand metric tons)

However, bioplastics will still face cost disadvantages over traditional resins, at least in the near term, which will inhibit more widespread acceptance in nonpackaging markets. Bags were the leading nonpackaging outlet for bioplastics in

2010 – accounting for 40% of demand – and are expected to continue growing at a robust pace through 2015. The automotive and electronics markets will see even faster gains as bioplastics begin to be used for more high-performance durable applications. The fastest growth, however, will be for bioplastics in other, miscellaneous nonpackaging markets. Advances in this market segment will be driven by the penetration of bioplastics into a range of new markets such as pipe and other construction products, as well as fibre and textile applications such as clothing, carpeting and nonwovens (see Figure 3). n
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Fig.2: World demand forecast for bioplastics by applications (thousand metric tons)

No71 March 2012 /

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012

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