Plastics for Barrier Packaging

Report Highlights

The U.S. packaging barrier resin market reached 8.8 billion pounds in 2014. This market is expected to grow to about 9.8 billion pounds in 2019, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2%.

Report Includes

• An overview of the global markets for plastics used in barrier packaging
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2013, estimates for 2014, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2019.
• Information on barrier polymers and their applications, their technology, competing barrier materials, and future trends
• Analysis of the market's drivers and opportunities
• In depth analysis of the market's restrictions, specifically including susceptibility to contamination or degradation, disposability and recyclability issues, challenges compared to competing materials, and cost
• Comprehensive profiles of major players in the industry.

Report Scope

This BCC Research study provides in-depth coverage of many of the most important technological, economic, political and environmental considerations in the U.S. barrier packaging polymer industry. It primarily is a study of U.S. markets. But because of the increasingly global nature of polymer and packaging chemistry it touches on some noteworthy international activities, primarily those having an impact on the U.S. market, such as imports/exports and foreign firms operating in this country.

We analyze and forecast market estimates for barrier packaging plastic resins in volume in pounds. Our base market estimate year is 2014, and we forecast market growth for a five-year period to 2019. All market figures are rounded to the nearest million pounds and all growth rates are compounded (signified as compound annual growth rates or CAGRs). Because of this rounding, some growth rates may not agree exactly with figures in the market tables; this is especially so with small volumes and their differences. All market volumes are at the manufacturer or producer level.

This report in segmented into nine chapters and an appendix, of which this Introduction is the first.

The summary, Chapter Two, encapsulates our findings and conclusions, and includes a summary table, which summarizes the major barrier packaging resins. It is the place where busy executives can find key elements of the study in summary format.

An overview follows in Chapter Three, starting with an introduction to the petrochemical industry, the source of all these barrier packaging polymers. Then we discuss the plastic resin industries and focus on barrier packaging. We conclude with a discussion of barrier packaging materials and structures, with emphasis on plastic barrier resins. Our intent is to introduce readers to the field of polymers, barrier packaging and barrier packaging resins.

Next is Chapter Four, the first of two devoted to market analysis. Here, we discuss, estimate and forecast markets for barrier packaging plastics by major resin type or class. This discussion includes some major commodity resins, such as polyolefins, that find use as structural packaging resins; however, since these are not primarily barrier resins (and thus outside our scope) we do not attempt to estimate their wide and diffuse markets. We start this chapter with an overall market estimate and forecast for the major types of barrier packaging resins, for base year 2014 and forecast year 2019. Then, in each subsection, we describe individual barrier resin types in more detail, discuss their important applications in barrier packaging, and estimate and forecast their markets in more detail. The types of barrier resins that we cover and forecast include EVOH, polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) fluoropolymer, nitrile (AN-MA) copolymers, polyamides (nylons), thermoplastic polyesters, (primarily PET) PVdC, other newer and smaller volume barrier resins like cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs) and liquid crystal polymers (LCPs), tie-layer resins and vapor-permeable films.

Our discussion and market analysis of vapor-permeable barrier resins and systems is included as an interesting sidelight to barrier resin chemistry, since the very term “vapor-permeable barrier” sounds like an oxymoron. These structures are designed for selective permeation, meaning the some gases should pass through the structure but others should not. These markets are growing and very fluid and are more difficult to estimate, but are included for interest.

Chapter Five is next, which discusses and forecasts markets by barrier resin applications. We have placed applications into three specific major groups: food (by far the largest segment), chemical and industrial products, and healthcare products packaging.

The next chapter, Chapter Six, is devoted to technology, starting with some basic plastic resin chemistry, manufacture and properties of plastics used in barrier packaging. Next, we go to polymerization technology. We then cover other important aspects of polymer technology, including fabrication of rigid and flexible structures, polymer orientation, barrier technology, some competing barrier materials, food processing and packaging, and additional new developments in barrier packaging. One of the most important more recent developments has been work on ways to increase the barrier properties of PET, primarily the attempt to develop a really good PET-based barrier plastic beer bottle.

Chapter Seven covers the barrier packaging resin industry structure, with emphasis on major domestic producers and suppliers, horizontal and vertical integration, market and product entry and differentiation factors, and other topics. Compounders, converters and molders are important links in the plastics production chain. We briefly discuss and analyze some international aspects of the barrier resin business, including its global nature, major foreign-owned supplier companies, which operate in the United States, and imports and exports.

Next is Chapter Eight, devoted to some environmental, regulatory and public policy issues that affect barrier plastic packaging. These include waste disposal and recycling, federal laws and regulations, and the all-important public perceptions of plastics and plastic packaging.

Our last narrative chapter, Chapter Nine, consists of profiles of many supplier companies that BCC Research considers to be among the most important and/or best representatives of this business.

We end with an appendix, a glossary of some important terms, abbreviations, acronyms, etc. used in the chemical, polymer and packaging industries.

We note again that some topics and materials covered in the text of this report are not included in our market estimates and forecast tables. We include these topics and materials for completeness. However, they either are really outside the market scope of this study (such as natural film, cellophane and some oxygen scavengers), too new to have yet developed a measurable commercial market (such as some nonpolymeric barrier coatings and films), or whose markets are too large and diffuse to forecast the barrier segment with any certainty (such as the use of polyolefins in barrier packaging as structural and secondary barriers). We include these materials and concepts to give the reader as complete coverage as possible, not only of new developments in barrier packaging plastics, but also other materials than can extend shelf life and/or otherwise affect markets for barrier resins.

For consistency in style and format, registered trade names are usually indicated by capitalizing the initial letter of the name; generic names are lowercase. Because many chemical names are long and complicated, we often use abbreviations, acronyms or chemical formulae. Many of these, such as HDPE, PVC, PVdC, PCTFE, etc. represent common polymers.

All chemical elements and compounds can be designated by chemical symbols and formulae. After introducing the element or compound, we often use symbols such as HCl for hydrochloric acid or hydrogen chloride. Our glossary in the Appendix at the end of this report contains definitions and explanations of many of the most important abbreviations and acronyms.

DISCLAIMER

The information developed in this report is intended to be as reliable as possible at the time of publication and is of a professional nature. This information does not constitute managerial, legal or accounting advice, nor should it be considered as a corporate policy guide, laboratory manual or an endorsement of any product, as much of the information is speculative in nature. BCC Research and the author assume no responsibility for any loss or damage that might result from reliance on the reported information or from its use.

Analyst Credentials

Dr. J. Charles Forman has been a research analyst for BCC Research covering polymers and chemicals for more than two decades. His work in the industry includes 21 years at Abbott Laboratories in R&D and manufacturing management. Dr. Forman has researched and written more than 70 multi-client market research reports on a variety of subjects, ranging from building construction materials and spectroscopy to several studies on plastic packaging. He holds a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, all in chemical engineering. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.).