World Analysis – ABS Resin

Long-term outlook to 2060

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins are well-established, high-volume, amorphous engineering thermoplastics that offer an excellent balance of heat, chemical, and impact resistance with superior processing versatility. ABS resins are commonly produced in general-purpose, high-heat, flame-retardant, plateable, and extrusion grades. ABS is also used to make alloys or blends with other polymers, such as PC/ABS and PA6/ABS. ABS surface appearance can range from high gloss to matte finish, depending on the polymerization process. ABS is also dimensionally stable across a wide range of ambient temperatures and humidity levels. Flame-retardant additives can be added to suppress the ignition or flammability of the polymer. On balance, these characteristics make ABS an excellent choice for business/office equipment, appliances, electrical outdoor power equipment, toys, and many interior and exterior automotive components, plus countless other versatile uses across many industries and end-use applications.

ABS has become a mature product like other styrene derivatives, such as polystyrene (PS) and expandable PS (EPS). However, ABS continues to enjoy demand growth, especially in the appliance, automotive, and electronics industries. This versatile polymer competes primarily with polypropylene (PP) in the transportation sector and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) in the appliance sector. Appliance manufacturers have already converted many applications from ABS to PS to reduce the costs of the final product. ABS continues to be selected for highly visible appliance components where the gloss/luster of ABS yields an appearance preferred by consumers. Automobile manufacturers have converted many interior trim components from ABS to PP primarily for aesthetics as vehicle-interior trim styling migrated from high-gloss to low-gloss finishes, but the moderately lower cost of PP was also an important consideration. By now, low gloss interior automotive components are primarily made of mass-ABS that is more easily pigmented with color concentrates and produced in masterbatches. The production technology employed at the ABS polymerization plant, whether it be emulsion or mass polymerization, significantly influences the cost of producing ABS.

Long-term outlook to 2060

The World Analysis – ABS Resins provides an in-depth assessment of the global ABS resins market, offering comprehensive analysis and strategic insights into the key developments that will shape the long-term supply, demand, trade, and pricing outlooks. This service equips industry participants with the analytical foundation needed to navigate market volatility and anticipate structural shifts across the ABS resins value chain.

Subscribers gain access to a full suite of reports, data files, analytical tools, and visualization modules, available online and downloadable from our website, including:

• A strategic report outlining critical insights and the future trajectory of global and regional markets

• Online Data Browser access to supply, demand, and capacity databases

• Continuously updated company/shareholder capacity listings, capacity integration analysis, and rankings of top producers/consumers, including surplus/deficit capacity profiles

• A comprehensive Data Appendix (Excel) featuring supply/demand and capacity tables, plus a dashboard with standard visualizations for all countries and regions

• Excel data files with long-range supply/demand graphics and price forecasts through 2060, along with detailed trade grids showing country- and region-level trade flows with 5- and 10-year projections

• An interactive online dashboard visualizing capacity, integration, supply/demand balances, trade flows, and price, cost, and margin forecasts

• Explanatory Notes detailing data sources, methodology, assumptions, units, conversion factors, and full World Analysis deliverables

• Energy and macroeconomic assumptions used in the long-term outlook

• Price assessment methodology and forecasting framework

This World Analysis provides detailed intelligence on capacities, production, demand, and trade across all major producing and consuming countries, regions, and global hubs. While robust data collection underpins the historical and forward views, the true value of the service lies in the expert interpretation and market analysis applied by our global team.

Data verification is a central pillar of our approach. Direct engagement with key industry participants ensures that our conclusions reflect real-world market behavior and deliver the most accurate, realistic forward outlook for the global ABS resin industry.

Long-term outlook to 2060