Bioplastics

As Quoted In Packaging Strategies

Technical innovations that improve bioplastics and lower their price -- along with increased production capacity -- will make bioplastics more cost-competitive with conventional polymers.

US demand to rise 20% annually through 2016

US demand for bioplastics is forecast to climb at a 20 percent annual pace through 2016 to 550 million pounds, valued at $680 million. Although they have achieved a considerable degree of commercial success, bioplastics remain in an early stage of development, representing only a small niche within the overall plastics industry. Going forward, technical innovations that enhance the properties of bioplastics and lower their price will drive growth. Increased production capacity will boost the availability and further reduce the price of bioplastics, thus making these materials more cost-competitive with conventional polymers.

In addition, many bio-based polymers benefit from relative price stability when compared with their petroleum-based counterparts. Moreover, the desire to decrease dependence on foreign oil will further fuel the expansion of bio-based resins, as will efforts by US manufacturers to enhance sustainability and improve the corporate image they project to an increasingly eco-conscious consumer base.

PLA to remain most extensively used bioplastic

Polylactic acid (PLA) is expected to remain the most extensively used resin in the bioplastics market through the forecast period, despite issues regarding the inability of biodegradable products such as PLA to decompose in landfills and their potential to contaminate the recycling stream. Advances will be promoted by a widening composting network and greater processor familiarity, as well as ongoing efforts to diversify PLA feedstocks, as critics cite the food versus fuel debate and the energy- and pesticide-intensive nature of corn production as a key drawback of biopolymers. Furthermore, PLA is being blended with other resins and additives to create new grades that offer improved product performance, allowing for use in an extended range of applications, including durable and semi-durable goods.

Bio-based polyethylene -- which entered the market in 2010 -- is expected to offer the best opportunities for growth through 2016, increasing rapidly from a small base. These exceptionally strong gains are predicated on the expansion of production capacity, which will reduce prices and enable this resin to compete more effectively with its petroleum-based counterpart. Although bio-based polyethylene will continue to command a price premium that will restrict demand in price-sensitive non-consumer markets through 2016, the fact that bio-based polyethylene is chemically identical to, and can serve as a drop-in replacement for, conventional polyethylene will remain a key factor driving its adoption.

Study Scope

This study analyzes the 220 million pound US bioplastic industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 2001, 2006 and 2011, with forecasts for 2016 and 2021 by resin (e.g., polylactic acid, starch-based plastics, cellulose films, bio-based polyethylene, bio-based polyamides, degradable polyesters), product (e.g., film, molded goods) and market (e.g., packaging, nonpackaging).

The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 44 industry players, including NatureWorks, Innovia Films and Arkema.

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  1. Bioplastics

    $4,900.00

    1. 1 INTRODUCTION

      $163.00

    2. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

      $177.00

      1. Table | BIOPLASTICS DEMAND (million pounds)

    3. 3 MARKET ENVIRONMENT

      $2,542.00

      1. 3.1 General

        $82.00

      2. 3.2 Macroeconomic Overview

        $202.00

        1. Table | MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS (billion 2005 dollars)

      3. 3.3 Consumer Spending

        $155.00

        1. Table | PERSONAL CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES (billion 2005 dollars)

      4. 3.4 Demographic Trends

        $222.00

        1. Table | POPULATION & HOUSEHOLDS (million persons)

      5. 3.5 Manufacturing Outlook

        $201.00

        1. Table | MANUFACTURERS' SHIPMENTS

      6. 3.6 Packaging Industry Outlook

        $138.00

        1. Table | PACKAGING SUPPLY & DEMAND (billion dollars)

      7. 3.7 Plastic Resin Outlook

        $170.00

        1. Table | PLASTIC RESIN SUPPLY & DEMAND (million pounds)

      8. 3.8 Historical Market Trends

        $111.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS MARKET, 2001-2011

      9. 3.9 Pricing Trends

        $179.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS PRICING (dollars per pound)

      10. 3.10 Solid Waste Management

        $473.00

        1. Table | MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT BY PROCESS (million tons)

        2. 3.10.1 Recycling

          $129.00

        3. 3.10.2 Incineration

          $82.00

        4. 3.10.3 Composting

          $116.00

        5. 3.10.4 Landfills & Other

          $126.00

      11. 3.11 Degradability & Bio-Based Standards

        $194.00

      12. 3.12 Regulatory & Legislative Environment

        $146.00

      13. 3.13 Raw Materials

        $99.00

      14. 3.14 Foreign Trade

        $99.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS SUPPLY & DEMAND (million pounds)

      15. 3.15 International Activity

        $102.00

    4. 4 RESINS

      $2,762.00

      1. 4.1 General

        $138.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS DEMAND BY RESIN (million pounds)

      2. 4.2 Types

        $206.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS DEMAND BY TYPE (million pounds)

      3. 4.3 Polylactic Acid

        $547.00

        1. 4.3.1 Products

          $224.00

          1. Table | POLYLACTIC ACID DEMAND BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

        2. 4.3.2 Markets

          $193.00

          1. Table | POLYLACTIC ACID DEMAND BY MARKET (million pounds)

        3. 4.3.3 Producers

          $82.00

      4. 4.4 Starch-Based Plastics

        $482.00

        1. 4.4.1 Products

          $82.00

          1. Table | STARCH-BASED PLASTICS DEMAND BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

        2. 4.4.2 Markets

          $136.00

          1. Table | STARCH-BASED PLASTICS DEMAND BY MARKET (million pounds)

        3. 4.4.3 Producers

          $147.00

      5. 4.5 Cellulose Films

        $179.00

        1. Table | CELLULOSE FILM DEMAND (million pounds)

      6. 4.6 Bio-Based Polyethylene

        $234.00

        1. 4.6.1 Products

          $82.00

          1. Table | BIO-BASED POLYETHYLENE DEMAND BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

        2. 4.6.2 Markets

          $82.00

          1. Table | BIO-BASED POLYETHYLENE DEMAND BY MARKET (million pounds)

        3. 4.6.3 Producers

          $82.00

      7. 4.7 Bio-Based Polyamides

        $121.00

        1. Table | BIO-BASED POLYAMIDES DEMAND (million pounds)

      8. 4.8 Degradable Polyesters

        $450.00

        1. 4.8.1 Products

          $150.00

          1. Table | DEGRADABLE POLYESTERS DEMAND BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

        2. 4.8.2 Markets

          $125.00

          1. Table | DEGRADABLE POLYESTERS DEMAND BY MARKET (million pounds)

        3. 4.8.3 Producers

          $147.00

      9. 4.9 Other Bioplastics

        $404.00

        1. Table | OTHER BIOPLASTICS DEMAND BY RESIN (million pounds)

        2. 4.9.1 Polyhydroxyalkanoates

          $175.00

        3. 4.9.2 Bio-Based PET

          $120.00

        4. 4.9.3 All Other

          $82.00

    5. 5 PRODUCTS & MARKETS

      $2,716.00

      1. 5.1 General

        $82.00

      2. 5.2 Products

        $378.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS DEMAND BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

        2. 5.2.1 Film

          $135.00

          1. Table | BIOPLASTIC FILM DEMAND BY PRODUCT & RESIN (million pounds)

        3. 5.2.2 Molded Goods

          $115.00

          1. Table | BIOPLASTIC MOLDED GOODS DEMAND BY PRODUCT & RESIN (million pounds)

        4. 5.2.3 Other

          $82.00

          1. Table | OTHER BIOPLASTIC PRODUCTS DEMAND BY FORMAT & RESIN (million pounds)

      3. 5.3 Markets

        $2,260.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS DEMAND BY MARKET (million pounds)

        2. 5.3.1 Packaging

          $1,003.00

          1. Table | PACKAGING MARKET FOR BIOPLASTICS BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

          2. Table | PLASTIC CONTAINER DEMAND

          3. Table | CONTAINER DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS (million pounds)

          4. Table | PLASTIC FILM DEMAND (million pounds)

          5. Table | PACKAGING FILM DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS BY RESIN (million pounds)

          6. Table | LOOSE-FILL PACKAGING DEMAND

          7. Table | BIOPLASTIC LOOSE-FILL PACKAGING DEMAND (million pounds)

          8. Table | OTHER PACKAGING DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS (million pounds)

        3. 5.3.2 Nonpackaging

          $1,202.00

          1. Table | NONPACKAGING MARKETS FOR BIOPLASTICS BY PRODUCT (million pounds)

          2. Table | CONSUMER NONWOVENS & TEXTILES INDICATORS

          3. Table | NONWOVENS & TEXTILES DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS (million pounds)

          4. Table | PLASTIC DEMAND IN FOODSERVICE DISPOSABLES (million pounds)

          5. Table | FOODSERVICE DISPOSABLES DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS BY RESIN & PRODUCT (million pounds)

          6. Table | BIOPLASTIC NONPACKAGING BAG DEMAND BY RESIN (million pounds)

          7. Table | AGRICULTURAL INDICATORS

          8. Table | AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS DEMAND FOR BIOPLASTICS (million pounds)

          9. Table | OTHER NONPACKAGING MARKETS FOR BIOPLASTICS BY RESIN & USE (million pounds)

    6. 6 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

      $4,931.00

      1. 6.1 General

        $98.00

        1. Table | BIOPLASTICS SALES BY COMPANY, 2011 (million dollars)

      2. 6.2 Market Share

        $355.00

      3. 6.3 Manufacturing Requirements

        $115.00

      4. 6.4 Research & Development

        $129.00

      5. 6.5 Marketing Strategies

        $146.00

      6. 6.6 Channels of Distribution

        $82.00

      7. 6.7 Competitive Strategies

        $82.00

      8. 6.8 Cooperative Agreements

        $202.00

        1. Table | SELECTED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

      9. 6.9 Company Profiles

        $4,138.00

        1. 6.9.1 Akzo Nobel NV

          $111.00

        2. 6.9.2 ALGIX LLC

          $82.00

        3. 6.9.3 American Excelsior Company

          $118.00

        4. 6.9.4 AMYLEX Corporation

          $82.00

        5. 6.9.5 Archer-Daniels-Midland Company

          $99.00

        6. 6.9.6 Arkema SA

          $170.00

        7. 6.9.7 BASF SE

          $140.00

        8. 6.9.8 BioBag International AS

          $97.00

        9. 6.9.9 Braskem SA

          $127.00

        10. 6.9.10 Cargill Incorporated

          $188.00

        11. 6.9.11 Celanese Corporation

          $82.00

        12. 6.9.12 Cereplast Incorporated

          $137.00

        13. 6.9.13 Clondalkin Group Holdings BV

          $100.00

        14. 6.9.14 Cortec Corporation

          $129.00

        15. 6.9.15 CSM NV

          $82.00

        16. 6.9.16 D&W Fine Pack LLC

          $101.00

        17. 6.9.17 DaniMer Scientific LLC

          $101.00

        18. 6.9.18 Dow Chemical Company

          $96.00

        19. 6.9.19 DuPont (EI) de Nemours

          $129.00

        20. 6.9.20 DURECT Corporation

          $83.00

        21. 6.9.21 Eastman Chemical Company

          $82.00

        22. 6.9.22 Ecospan LLC

          $82.00

        23. 6.9.23 Ingredion Incorporated

          $82.00

        24. 6.9.24 Innovia Films Limited

          $156.00

        25. 6.9.25 KTM Industries Incorporated

          $82.00

        26. 6.9.26 Kuraray Company Limited

          $94.00

        27. 6.9.27 Metabolix Incorporated

          $116.00

        28. 6.9.28 Micromidas Incorporated

          $82.00

        29. 6.9.29 Ningbo Tianan Biologic Material Company Limited

          $82.00

        30. 6.9.30 Northern Technologies International Corporation

          $116.00

        31. 6.9.31 Novamont SpA

          $145.00

        32. 6.9.32 Novomer Incorporated

          $82.00

        33. 6.9.33 PepsiCo Incorporated

          $82.00

        34. 6.9.34 Perstorp AB

          $82.00

        35. 6.9.35 Plantic Technologies Limited

          $83.00

        36. 6.9.36 PolyFerm Canada Incorporated

          $82.00

        37. 6.9.37 PolyOne Corporation

          $89.00

        38. 6.9.38 Reynolds Group Holdings Limited

          $115.00

        39. 6.9.39 Rodenburg Biopolymers BV

          $82.00

        40. 6.9.40 Sealed Air Corporation

          $84.00

        41. 6.9.41 Sekisui Chemical Company Limited

          $82.00

        42. 6.9.42 StarchTech Incorporated

          $82.00

        43. 6.9.43 Storopack Hans Reichenecker GmbH

          $85.00

        44. 6.9.44 Toyota Motor Corporation

          $91.00

      10. 6.10 Other Companies Mentioned in the Study

        $82.00

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