World Analysis – Expandable Polystyrene

Long-term outlook to 2060

Expandable polystyrene (EPS) is a lightweight, thermoplastic material produced as small polystyrene (PS) beads impregnated with a blowing agent—most commonly pentane. During processing, EPS molders use steam to expand these beads and shape them into a wide range of products, including insulation materials, protective packaging, and consumer items such as disposable cups. EPS is often incorrectly referred to as “Styrofoam,” a trademarked brand name for extruded polystyrene (XPS) historically owned by Dow and now by DuPont, which is used specifically in construction applications.

EPS is the second-largest global styrene derivative, accounting for approximately 21% of total styrene demand. Global EPS consumption grew  in 2021, compared with 2020 levels, supported by continued expansion in the packaging sector and strong performance across building and construction markets.

Long-term outlook to 2060

The World Analysis – Expandable Polystyrene provides an in-depth assessment of the global expandable polystyrene market, providing comprehensive analysis and strategic insights into the key developments shaping 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 expandable polystyrene 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 expandable polystyrene industry.

Long-term outlook to 2060