Ceresana, one of the globally leading market research companies specialized in the segments of automotive, chemicals, plastics, packaging, and industrial goods, has released a new report on the global market for plasticizers.

Researchers are working on bio-based plasticizers made from waste from the production of food and wood. However, until now, these chemicals have been almost exclusively made from petroleum, and are added in large quantities to plastics, elastomers, paints and coatings, adhesives, and even deodorants and perfumes.

Ceresana's latest plasticizers market report.

This is the sixth time Ceresana has analyzed the global market for plasticizers. The market researchers forecast that global demand for the indispensable additives will increase to a total of around 11.2 million tonnes by 2031.

PVC plastics are the largest area of application

In 2021, around 7.7 million tonnes of plasticizers were needed to make plastic products more pliable, soft and elastic. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is hard and brittle in itself, would often be useless without plasticizers: soft PVC consists of up to 50% plasticizers.

Last year, 2.37 million tonnes of these additives were used for plastic films alone, closely followed by cables and profiles. Until 2031, Ceresana expects the highest growth rate in plasticizer demand for the application area films (3.0%).

Currently, Asia-Pacific accounts for almost two-thirds of plasticizer consumption. Ceresana expects this region to continue to record above-average growth rates in the coming years – so that the consumption of plasticizers there is expected to rise to 7.4 million tonnes.

More environmentally friendly alternatives wanted

Plasticizers can evaporate from the end products, wash out or spread, for example, through abrasion of plastic particles. Phthalates in particular, which are considered harmful to health and the environment, have now been banned for many applications. Nevertheless, DEHP (bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) remained the most widely used plasticizer in 2021, accounting for 3.18 million tonnes worldwide.

The two phthalates DINP (diisononyl phthalate) and DIDP (diisodecyl phthalate) collectively accounted for around 31% of the total plasticizer market.

However, plastics processors are increasingly looking for more environmentally friendly alternatives. Ceresana analysts expect demand for phthalate-free plasticizers to increase by 3.9% per year to around 2.6 million tonnes.