PLASTICS INDUSTRY
The plastics industry is largely driven by the combination of end-use performance requirements and the capabilities of the various polymers available to this market place. At the same time it is a large market for non-polymer raw materials used for decorative purposes or to modify the characteristics of the base polymer for specific applications
The Western U.S. plastics industry is small by the standards of the Midwest or East, but encompasses all of the end-use applications found elsewhere and is characterized by many local and regional companies. It includes a large fraction of commodity molded and extruded applications as well as high end fiber, film, and electronics applications. The market is primarily served through color concentrate/masterbatch operations, but a significant portion is served in-house from raw material through finished part.
A large part of the raw material work in this very competitive market is cost driven. There are, however, significant opportunities for the introduction of new raw materials in areas such as conductivity, UV absorption, anti-oxidation, dispersion, hydrophilic modification, and novel optical effects.
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