Plastic Processing Machinery Market Analysis By Product (Injection Molding Machine (IMM), Extrusion Machine, Blow Molding Machine (BMM), Regional Outlook, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global plastic processing machinery market was estimated at 2,706.1 thousand units in 2016. The rapid rise in the production of plastic goods along with a healthier sales climate is anticipated to be a key factor driving industry growth.

The emerging economies in Asia Pacific particularly China and India have witnessed an exponential rise in manufacturing activities, which has further driven the demand for these high-performance components in various end-use industries. Plastics which are consumed in the manufacturing of almost every tangible goods are projected to gain traction regarding demand over the future, thus impacting the processing machinery industry as well.

Injection molding is widely used for processing plastic parts in large volume. Companies are increasingly preferring this processing owing to numerous benefits including low scrap rates, low production cost, high efficiency, enhanced strength and ability to use multiple types simultaneously.

These machines are widely utilized in various automotive applications as well, increasingly being used to manufacture automotive components such as bumpers, interior panels, dashboards, electrical housing components and exterior body panels. Increasing regulatory intervention to improve fuel efficiency and thereby cut down the carbon emissions in vehicles has been a major factor driving demand in automotive manufacturing.

The injection molding machinery industry has witnessed the development of numerous hybrid high-performance versions in the past few years owing to technological advancements in processing techniques. Furthermore, the brand consistency and part reliability offered by these machines have also proven to be conducive to the growth.

Extrusion is widely being utilized to convert a wide range of polymers into finished products, including film, tubes, sheets, filaments, cords, coat wire, cable, rods and profile shapes. Manufacturers prefer extrusion methods owing to its high production volumes, good compounding, efficient melting as well as cost-effectiveness. This method is also known as profile extrusion since it is used to make products with cross-sectional or liner profiles, such as hose, pipe and fenestration products.

The BMM industry has witnessed an upsurge in demand in recent years owing to the growing popularity of these machines across the globe. The blow molding technology offers numerous advantages, such as, well suited to low and high production rates, cost-effective, excellent part performance under pressure, quick product revisions for increased flexibility and one-piece construction. This technology is relatively cheaper than injection molding as well. Besides this, it also offers significant rise in production capabilities while allowing for three-dimensional moldings.

Application Insights

The rapidly widening scope of various plastic materials in transport, defense & aerospace, automotive, healthcare, furniture and the automotive industry is anticipated to boost the machinery demand. Besides this, technological advancements such as polymer-electronics, organic light emitting diodes, electro-optical & bio-electrical complements as well as low-cost chips and flexible solar cells have also paved new avenues for the industry in recent years.

Packaging sector which is booming at a tremendous rate is expected to provide huge scope for plastic compounds over the forecast period. These types of machinery are widely utilized to process these materials for industrial, commercial, paper, medical and, soft food packaging applications. 

Various extrusion machines available in the industry are HDPE pipe extrusion line, cast film line, blown film plants, PET recycling plants, air bubble sheet plant and the multi-layer is blown film plant among others. Advancements in packaging technologies and subsequent development in specifications for plastics in packaging applications are also anticipated to be a crucial determinant of the future.

Automotive applications are expected to witness the fastest growth rate for BMM over the forecast period. Major participants have developed BMM which significantly reduces the operating costs, reduces energy consumption, ensure safe operation and also produces higher quality plastic components. Several grades of components have been developed using BMM over the past to meet diverse performance requirements.

Regional Insights

Asia Pacific was the leading region for processing machinery and accounted for around 40% of the total market volume in 2016. The region is characterized by a large amount of skilled labor at low cost along with easy availability of land. The shift in production landscape towards emerging economies, particularly China and India is expected to positively influence the plastics growth in coming years. The region is home to several rapidly expanding industries as well, such as construction, automotive, electronics and others that present vast potential for processing machinery manufacturers. 

The Chinese household and furniture sector is anticipated to witness modest growth rate over the forecast period owing to improving housing market and broader economic recovery. The consumer furniture and bedding expenditures have also witnessed an upward trend in recent years, which has further boosted the processing machinery consumption across the region.

North America is driven by numerous advancements in plastic processing methods and high awareness among consumers regarding their health and environmental effects. Regulatory policies framed by EPA, FDA and other relative agencies are likely to act as a restraint force for growth, but the impact of this factor is expected to be mitigated by alternative production processes and sustainability through the life cycle of the product.

The U.S offers a premier market for processing machinery owing to its highly developed industries, advanced processing and application technologies, combined with highly skilled workforce and growing R&D initiatives to encourage new product launches. The region is home to several major automotive manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler who are responding to new domestic cost advantages by shifting production facilities to the U.S. from other regions. This factor has further boosted the consumption in various automotive interior and exterior applications.

Competitive Insights

The global market is characterized by high capital investment and development of advanced technology machines. Key industry participants include The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (JSW), Arburg, Husky Injection Molding Systems, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Persimmon Technologies Corporation, Milacron Holdings Corporation and Haitian International Holdings Limited among others.

The industry is highly fragmented in the light of rising demand for plastic in various end-use industries. New entrants are expected to increase the spending on development of technically advanced products to compete with existing multinationals. 

Report Scope 

Segments covered in the report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis on the industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global plastic processing machinery market on the basis of product & respective applications, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Thousand Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • Injection Molding Machine (IMM)

    • Consumer Goods

    • Automotive

    • White Goods

    • Packaging

    • Others

  • Extrusion

    • Packaging

    • Building & Construction

    • Consumer Goods

    • Automotive

    • Others

  • Blow Molding Machine (BMM)

    • Packaging

    • Automotive

    • Medical

    • Others

  • Others

    • Packaging

    • Automotive

    • Building & Construction

    • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Thousand Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • France

    • UK

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa

    • Saudi Arabia