STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

Additives for plastics often are the ignored components of plastics materials. When discussing the market's success and the progress of a variety of plastics materials, only the plastics as used by the processors and converters are mentioned. But no real credit is given to the dynamic chemical additives, which are an integral part of the plastic composition. It is these additives that make plastics materials as useful and versatile as they are.

In practice, these additives form an essential part of most plastics formulations. They ensure the efficient processing of the materials and enhance the key performance properties in order to achieve the desired application and long term use.

The main objectives of this report are to highlight the key market segments within the European plastics industry and to analyze the technological and marketing aspects of the plastics additives used in Western Europe.

REASON FOR DOING THE STUDY

The reason for this report is to review the developments and trends in this important industry sector as an effective source of information for the manufacturers and users of plastics additives.

The development and applications of plastics additives are governed by the developments in the plastics material manufacturing industry and some other important factors such as, legislation, environmental issues, customer and market pressures and of course achieving the right balance between the cost and performance.

The shape of the plastics additive industry is constantly changing in response to the above factors and thus is an important growth area. In fact, growth in this area tracks the growth of the plastics manufacturing industry as a whole.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY AND FOR WHOM

The report is an ideal and up-to-date guide on the European plastics additives market and attempts to answer the questions for all:

• Management in the raw material supply sector
• Management in compounding sector
• Consulting engineers, technical experts and specifiers in the plastics sector
• Financial advisors, consultants and strategists
• Mergers and acquisition specialists exploring European expansion possibilities.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

This report examines the technological and commercial aspects of the developments in the European plastics additives market.

The main types of plastics additives for which the statistical information is provided include:

• antioxidants
• antistatic agents
• heat stabilizers
• light stabilizers
• lubricants and processing aids
• flame retardants
• plasticizers
• impact modifiers
• other specialist additives (antimicrobials, blowing agents, nucleating agents, etc.)

The European countries covered in this report include:

• The United Kingdom
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Benelux countries
• Scandinavian countries
• Other Western European countries.

The statistical data provided are estimates and forecasts through to the year 2006. The volume data are shown in metric tonnes and sales figures are in constant U.S. dollars.

This report looks at the changes in the marketplace and provides forecasts for growth of the various types of plastics additives. It discusses the supply and demand situations and predicts the developments over the next 5 years. It gives a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturers in Europe and end users, including plastics raw material manufacturers and the compounders.

The report starts with an executive summary and is followed by a discussion of the different individual additive types, their applications and volume growths. Only relevant references are made to the individual plastics materials, where appropriate, rather than going into too many details of the plastics raw material manufacturing sector. The markets for each individual additive are analyzed both overall and per country. The new technological advances have been described in detail, as is the information on the latest mergers and acquisitions. Finally, profiles of leading companies in the industry are given.

Fillers and colorants, which sometimes are classed as additives, are not discussed in this report. These specialist materials are a topic of vast importance in their own rights and therefore need separate analytical reporting. They will form topics of future separate BCC reports.

METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES

The data provided in this report is based on a substantial research covering various aspects of the plastics additives industry. A variety of technical and trade magazines have been used as data sources. The data published by various government and trade associations/sources has also been referenced.

In-depth analysis has been carried out by telephone discussions and face to face interviews, where possible, with major manufacturers of additives, distributors, suppliers and the end users including the compounding companies.

The World Wide Web and Internet technology have been used extensively to obtain information on major players involved in the industry. Their official and published financial information has been analyzed to ascertain their market share, volumes, and sales revenues in the plastics additives markets. The latest product information brochures from such major companies have also been referred to where available. E-mail communications including "feedback" options have been used to gather and verify the data.

The information from all of the above sources was assembled and a thorough analysis and assessment was carried out to forecast future trends and developments.

RELATED BCC WORK

This report is the update of the previous BCC report P-163 published in 1997. Likewise it is intended that BCC will publish further updated reports as plastics additives technology and markets keep changing their shape and structure. Fillers and Colorants, which have not been included in this report, will again form topics of separate BCC reports in the near future.

• P-172 Synthetic Paper Industry
• P-133R Outlook for PVC in Major Markets: Highlighting Competitive Scenario? Updated Edition
• P-223R High-Performance Films? Updated Edition
• P-147R Post-Polymerization Polymer Modification: Materials and Applications? Updated Edition
• P-175 Biodegradable Polymers
• P-152 Styrenics
• P-053X Transparent Plastics
• Flame Retardancy News (a monthly BCC newsletter).

DISCLAIMER

Since the estimate figures for the plastics additives market depend on what is defined as an "additive," a perfectly accurate estimate is very difficult to ascertain. This report reviews only the performance additives and excludes fillers and colorants whereas some other sources include them in their estimates. The estimates presented in this report might, therefore, be different from some other published reports of a similar nature.

The author assumes no liability for the reported information or for its use. In our opinion, however, the estimate figures presented in this report represent the best assessments of the future trends, which are based on the past and current industry facts and figures. They are intended to be as reliable as possible and are of a professional nature. This report is not a legal or accounting document and the author assumes no liability for any loss or damage as a result of any reliance on any reported information in this report.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title P.Nos. INTRODUCTION X STUDY GOAL AND OBJECTIVES X REASON FOR DOING THE STUDY X CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY AND FOR WHOM X SCOPE AND FORMAT XI METHODOLOGY AND INFORMATION SOURCES XII DISCLAIMER XIII BCC ON-LINE SERVICES XIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY XV INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 1 INDUSTRY BACKGROUND 1 ADDITIVES INDUSTRY STRUCTURE 1 END USERS 2 ADDITIVE MARKETS OVERVIEW 3 ADDITIVES INDUSTRY: GLOBALIZATION, MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS 4 TECHNOLOGY 6 ANTIOXIDANTS 6 ANTIOXIDANT TYPES 6 Primary Antioxidants 7 Hindered Phenols 7 Aromatic Amines 7 Secondary Antioxidants 8 Phosphite Antioxidants 8 Thioesters 8 ANTISTATIC AGENTS 8 ANTISTATIC AGENT CLASSES 9 ANTISTATIC AGENT TYPES 10 ANTISTATIC AGENTS IN MAJOR THERMOPLASTICS 10 HEAT STABILIZERS 11 HEAT STABILIZER TYPES 11 Organotin Compounds 12 Lead Stabilizers 13 Mixed Metal Heat Stabilizers 13 Barium/Cadmium Compounds 14 Barium/Zinc and Calcium/Zinc Compounds 14 LIGHT STABILIZERS 16 UV STABILIZER TYPES 17 UV Light Absorbers 17 Light Scavengers/Decomposers 17 Quenchers 18 LUBRICANTS 18 LUBRICANT CLASSES 18 Internal Lubricants 18 External Lubricants 19 LUBRICANT TYPES 19 Fatty Acids and Derivatives 19 Waxes 20 FLAME RETARDANTS 21 CHOICE OF FLAME RETARDANT SYSTEMS 21 TYPES OF FLAME RETARDANT ADDITIVES 22 Halogenated Compounds 22 Chlorinated Compounds 22 Brominated Flame Retardants 22 Phosphorus Compounds 24 Alumina Trihydrates 25 Antimony Oxides 25 Boron Compounds 26 Magnesium Hydroxide 26 Melamine Compounds 27 PLASTICIZERS 27 CLASSES OF PLASTICIZERS 28 External Plasticizers 28 PLASTICIZER TYPES 29 Phthalate Plasticizers 29 Aliphatic Plasticizers 30 Trimellitate Plasticizers 30 Phosphorus-Based Plasticizers 30 Citrate Plasticizers 31 Epoxy Plasticizers 31 Polymeric Plasticizers 31 IMPACT MODIFIERS AND PROCESSING AIDS 32 TYPES OF IMPACT MODIFIERS 32 ABS Modifiers 32 MBS Modifiers 33 Acrylic Modfiers 33 OTHER SPECIALTY ADDITIVES 33 ANTIMICROBIALS 34 Types of Antimicrobial Additives 35 Functioning of Antimicrobial Additives 35 ANTIFOGGING AGENTS 36 Functioning of Antifogging Agents 37 Anti-Fogging Agent Types 37 BLOWING AGENTS 37 Blowing Agent Classes 38 Physical Blowing Agents 38 Chemical Blowing Agents 38 CLARIFYING AND NUCLEATING AGENTS 40 Functioning of Clarifying and Nucleating Agents 40 Nucleating Agent Criteria 41 Nucleating Agent Types 41 Nucleating Agents Application Areas 42 SLIPS AND ANTIBLOCKS 43 LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS 44 ANTIOXIDANTS 44 LIGHT STABILIZERS 45 LUBRICANTS 46 HEAT STABILIZERS 47 PLASTICIZERS 48 FLAME RETARDANTS 48 BFRs 48 Antimony Trioxide Replacement 49 CLARIFYING AND NUCLEATING AGENTS 50 GLOBAL AND EUROPEAN MARKET ANALYSIS 51 WORLD PLASTICS MARKETS 51 EUROPEAN PLASTICS MARKETS 53 VOLUME FIGURES FOR PLASTICS ADDITIVES 53 SALES FIGURES FOR PLASTICS ADDITIVES 55 VOLUME FIGURES BY ADDITIVE TYPE 55 SALES FIGURES BY ADDITIVE TYPE 57 VOLUME FIGURES BY POLYMER TYPE 58 SALES FIGURES BY POLYMER TYPE 58 EUROPEAN MARKETS FOR ADDITIVES 59 ANTIOXIDANT MARKETS 59 Antioxidant Market Volumes 60 Volumes by Antioxidant Type 60 Antioxidant Volumes in Europe 62 Antioxidant Volumes by Polymer Types 63 Antioxidant Sales Figures 63 Antioxidant Manufacturers in Europe 65 ANTISTATIC AGENTS MARKETS 66 Antistatic Agents Volumes and Sales Figures 66 Antistatic Additives Manufacturers in Europe 67 HEAT STABILIZER MARKETS 68 Volume and Sales Figures 69 European Heat Stabilizer Market 70 European Forecasts 71 Health, Safety and Environmental Issues of Heat Stabilizers 72 Heat Stabilizer Manufacturers in Europe 73 LIGHT STABILIZERS MARKETS 75 Light Stabilizers Volume Figures 75 Light Stabilizer Sales Figures 78 Light Stabilizer Manufacturers in Europe 79 LUBRICANTS MARKETS 80 Volume Figures for Lubricants 80 Sales Figures for Lubricants 82 Forecasts for Lubricants 82 Lubricant Manufacturers in Europe 83 FLAME RETARDANT MARKETS 85 Volumes by Global Region 86 Sales By Global Region 87 European Flame Retardant Volume by Type 87 Volume Growth Forecasts 89 European Flame Retardant Sales Figures by Type 90 Legislation Issues of Flame Retardants 91 Flame Retardant Manufacturers in Europe 93 PLASTICIZERS MARKETS 96 Volumes by Global Region 97 Volumes by Plasticizer Type 98 Volume Growth Forecasts 99 Sales Figures by Plasticizer Type 100 Health, Safety and Environmental Issues of Plasticizers 101 Plasticizer Manufacturers in Europe 103 IMPACT MODIFIER MARKETS 105 Impact Modifier Manufacturers in Europe 108 MARKETS FOR SPECIALITY ADDITIVES 108 Antimicrobial Additives 109 Antifogging Additives 109 Blowing Agents 109 Clarifying/Nucleating Agents 110 European Countries? Statistics For Additive Manufacturers 111 PROFILES OF MAJOR EUROPEAN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURERS 118 AKZO NOBEL/AKCROS 118 ALBEMARLE CORPORATION 119 ATOFINA/CECA 120 BASF AG 121 BAYER AG 121 BAERLOCHER GMBH 122 CIBA SPECIALITY CHEMICALS 123 CROMPTON VINYL ADDITIVES 125 CLARIANT 126 EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION 126 FERRO CORPORATION 127 GREAT LAKES CHEMICALS 127 ROHM AND HAAS 129 LIST OF TABLES SUMMARY TABLE: EUROPEAN MARKETS FOR PLASTICS ADDITIVES, THROUGH 2006 XVII 1 HEAT STABILIZERS? METAL CONTENT AND LOADING LEVELS 15 2 HEAT STABILIZER APPLICATIONS BY TYPE 16 3 TYPICAL LUBRICANTS FOR VARIOUS THERMOPLASTICS 21 4 WORLD PLASTICS MARKETS, 2000 51 5 FORECAST FOR COMMODITY PLASTICS IN EUROPE, THROUGH 2006 53 6 ADDITIVES CONSUMPTION BY WORLD REGION, 2000 53 7 ADDITIVES SALES BY WORLD REGION, 2000 55 8 GLOBAL VOLUME BY ADDITIVE TYPE, 2000 56 9 GLOBAL SALES REVENUE BY ADDITIVE TYPE, 2000 57 10 VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF GLOBAL ADDITIVES BY MAJOR POLYMER, 2000 58 11 GLOBAL ADDITIVES SALES REVENUE BY MAJOR POLYMER, 2000 59 12 GLOBAL VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY ANTIOXIDANT TYPE, 2000 61 13 EUROPEAN ANTIOXIDANT VOLUME FORECAST BY MAJOR TYPE, THROUGH 2006 63 14 EUROPEAN ANTIOXIDANT CONSUMPTION BY MAJOR POLYMER, THROUGH 2006 63 15 ANTIOXIDANT SALES REVENUES BY WORLD REGION, 2000 64 16 EUROPEAN ANTIOXIDANT MANUFACTURERS AND TRADE NAMES 66 17 EUROPEAN ANTISTATIC ADDITIVES VOLUME FORECAST BY POLYMER, THROUGH 2006 67 18 ANTISTATIC ADDITIVES? MANUFACTURERS AND TRADE NAMES 68 19 GLOBAL VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF HEAT STABILIZERS BY TYPE, 2000 69 20 EUROPEAN HEAT STABILIZER VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE, 2000 70 21 EUROPEAN HEAT STABILIZER VOLUME FORECAST, THROUGH 2006 72 22 EUROPEAN HEAT STABILIZER MANUFACTURERS AND TRADE NAMES 75 23 GLOBAL LIGHT STABILIZER VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE, 2000 76 24 EUROPEAN LIGHT STABILIZER VOLUME FORECAST, THROUGH 2006 77 25 GLOBAL LIGHT STABILIZER SALES REVENUES BY TYPE, 2000 78 26 LIGHT STABILIZER MANUFACTURERS AND TRADE NAMES 80 27 EUROPEAN LUBRICANT VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE, 2000 81 28 EUROPEAN LUBRICANT VOLUME FORECAST, THROUGH 2006 83 29 MAJOR LUBRICANT MANUFACTURERS IN EUROPE 84 30 FLAME RETARDANT VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY WORLD REGION, 2000 86 31 FLAME RETARDANTS SALES REVENUE BY WORLD REGION, 2000 87 32 EUROPEAN FLAME RETARDANT VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE, 2000 88 33 EUROPEAN FLAME RETARDANT VOLUME FORECASTS, THROUGH 2006 90 34 EUROPEAN FLAME RETARDANT SALES REVENUES BY TYPE, 2000 90 35 VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF PLASTICIZERS BY WORLD REGION, 2000 97 36 GLOBAL VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF PLASTICIZERS BY TYPE, 2000 99 37 EUROPEAN PLASTICIZER VOLUME FORECAST BY TYPE, THROUGH 20006 100 38 GLOBAL PLASTICIZER SALES REVENUE BY TYPE, 2000 100 39 EUROPEAN IMPACT MODIFIER VOLUME DISTRIBUTION BY TYPE, 2000 105 40 EUROPEAN IMPACT MODIFIER VOLUME FORECAST, THROUGH 2006 107 41 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN ADDITIVE SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 112 42 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN HEAT STABILIZER SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 113 43 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN LIGHT STABILIZER SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 114 44 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN FLAME RETARDANT SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 115 45 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN IMPACT MODIFIER SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 116 46 DISTRIBUTION OF EUROPEAN PLASTICIZER SUPPLIERS, BY COUNTRY 117 LIST OF FIGURES SUMMARY FIGURE: EUROPEAN MARKETS FOR PLASTICS ADDITIVES, 2001 AND 2006 XVII 1 WORLD MARKETS FOR PLASTICS BY PERCENT OF VOLUME, 2000 52 2 WORLD MARKETS FOR PLASTICS BY VOLUME TONNAGE, 2000 52 3 WORLD REGIONAL ADDITIVE CONSUMPTION BY PERCENT OF TOTAL MARKET, 2000 54 4 WORLD REGIONAL ADDITIVE CONSUMPTION BY VOLUME TONNAGE, 2000 54 5 ADDITIVES PERCENT SALES REVENUES BY WORLD REGION, 2000 55 6 GLOBAL PERCENT VOLUME BY ADDITIVE TYPE, 2000 56 7 GLOBAL PERCENT SALES REVENUE BY ADDITIVE TYPE, 2000 57 8 PERCENT VOLUME DISTRIBUTION OF GLOBAL ADDITIVES BY MAJOR POLYMER, 2000 58 9 GLOBAL ADDITIVES PERCENT SALES REVENUE BY MAJOR POLYMER, 2000 Report Details: Publisher: bccresearch Type: Market Study - Januaruy 2002 Maps Europe