World Analysis – Polypropylene

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2050

Polypropylene (PP) is a lightweight, versatile polymer with excellent chemical resistance, relatively high rigidity, and a high melting point compared with other polymers such as polyethylene (PE). The high-temperature resistance allows PP to be used in under-the-hood auto applications as well as retort and hot-filled treatments for food packaging. In compounding applications, PP can compete with higher-cost engineering resins which is particularly beneficial to the automotive industry, where PP can be blended with glass and easily painted. PP continues to be used in a wide variety of applications such as disposable face masks, sanitary wipes, automotive parts, carpet backing, carpet facing, household and food containers, furniture, toys, dog kennels, sports items, diapers, water pipes, foam construction materials, packaging and wrapping films, and woven bags for transporting vegetables, grains, cement, and fertilizers.

Propylene is the main feedstock for making Polypropylene, along with catalysts and ethylene comonomer. PP homopolymer is a product that has high stiffness, good clarity, low density, good chemical resistance, and relatively high temperature resistance but has poor impact resistance, especially at low temperatures. PP random copolymers have higher impact resistance, higher clarity, and more flexibility than homopolymers. Impact copolymers have better impact strength at lower temperatures, as well as higher melting points, than random copolymers. In order to produce impact copolymers, a second reactor is required in the process. The two processes primarily used to manufacture polypropylene are gas phase and bulk slurry in liquid propylene.

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2050

The World Analysis – Polypropylene provides a comprehensive analysis and key insights of critical market developments as they shape the future outlook for the global polypropylene market.

The following reports, data files, analytical tools and visualization modules are available online and can be downloaded from our website:

• Direct Access to the Subject Matter Experts
• In-depth exploration of present market strategic insights, recognition of key challenges, and presentation of our experts’ forecasts and analysis
• Explanatory Notes detailing data sources, methodologies, unit and conversion factors, and World Analysis deliverables.
• Energy and Economy assumptions
• Price, cost and margin base assumptions forecast and sensitivities analysis, including price assessment methodology, including price definitions across all regions.
• Excel data files with standard supply/demand graphics and price forecasts extended to 2050, trade grids with country and regional trade flows Data appendix (Excel) with supply/demand, capacity and trade tables.
• An online dashboard visualization of capacity, supply/demand, trade grids, and price, cost and margin forecasts
• Supply/demand and capacity database access via data browser
• Data Appendix (Excel) with supply/demand and capacity tables
• Capacity by company/shareholder, capacity integration, top producer/consumer and surplus/deficit capacity ranking, and ownership/subsidiary information

This World Analysis contains detailed information on capacities, production, demand, and trade for all significant producing and consuming countries and regions. Although data gathering is essential for understanding history and potential future trends, we believe that the interpretation and analysis of the data is the most valuable information to our clients.

Duration: Long-term outlook to 2050