Plastic Processing Machinery Market Forecasts to 2028 – Global Analysis By Process Type (Fully Automatic, Semi-Automatic), Factory Type (Mold, Plastic, Toy), Plastic Type, Product, End User, and By Geography

According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Plastic Processing Machinery Market is accounted for $31.71 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $47.69 billion by 2028 growing at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period. Plastics have emerged to be a vital manufacturing and packaging element. Plastics exhibit superior properties such as flexibility, light-weight, low density, improved barrier resistance, durability, insulation, energy-saving, enhanced weathering, and aesthetic appeal. The growth in demand for plastics has led to an increase in the trend of plastic processing across the industrial and packaging sectors. Various types of plastics are processed through various processing machines in the manufacturing process. Owing to toxin resistant and contaminant-free factors, plastics processing gains an increase in traction across packaging industries. These factors have widened the application extent of processing machinery. Advancements in molding technology have led to the expansion of complex components such as joints, structural components, brake components, housing units, fuel tanks, suspensions and engine frames.



Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Precision of the material

Plastic processing machinery is perfect for very intricate parts. Compared to other techniques, precision allows the consumers to incorporate more features at very small tolerances. It would be impractical to make using plastic fabrication and impossible to make using the vacuum forming process. The techniques used within plastic processing machinery make it possible to create complex designs and add a large number of details to the parts. Since the injection molds are subjected to high pressure, the plastics get pressed harder which makes it possible to create complex designs. This makes it possible to create intricate design features within plastic parts to a complete precision level which is completely impossible with conventional molding machines.

Restraint:

Stringent government regulations and banning of polymer

Inspite of the positive growth environments, the introduction of stringent rules & regulations regarding the usage of plastics in several countries worldwide may create significant barriers for the industry growth. For instance, the central government of India has issued a draft proposal to mandate various requirements for plastic carryout bags and ban single-use plastics nationwide from 2022, which may pose negative impacts on the demand for plastic processing machines over the projected timeframe.

Opportunity:

Robust Plastic Demand in Healthcare Sector

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, various industries across the globe have witnessed fundamental changes in their supply chains, consumer behaviours, and routes to market, due to the temporary closure of businesses and other restrictions being imposed to contain the virus. These factors created adverse impacts on many industrial processes, including on the production of plastic processing equipment. However, the sales and production of plastics observed a significant increase in major countries like North America, despite the unprecedented health and economic challenges. Plastic materials have also been gaining widespread adoption for manufacturing of hospital devices as well as personal protective equipment, thus playing a major role in reducing virus spread and in turn, amplifying the plastic processing machinery industry outlook.

Threat:

Lengthy lead time

The time it takes to manufacture a mold might take a while. Usually, it takes around a month or more to have it made. Since the design and construction of a tool is so complex, fabrication requires both capital investment and enough lead time to create an effective tool. Some processes create first parts within 24 hours, while tooling and setup for certain high volume production processes takes months. This may become a dilemma for a client who wants things to be done as soon as possible. From product conception to final part can take months of design, testing and tool manufacturing.

The packaging segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

The packaging segment is estimated to have a lucrative growth. The global demand for plastic packaging from industries such as food & beverages, consumer goods, electronics, and even industrial is on the rise, owing to the benefits offered by plastic packaging as it reacts with less number of products and helps keep items safe, also the materials used can be made odourless, helps in protection of item from environmental conditions, and product can be even sealed for leakage proofing; such benefits are driving the demand for plastic packaging in the market.

The injection molding machine segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

The injection molding machine segment is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR growth during the forecast period.  The growth can be attributed to due to the development of numerous hybrid high-performance versions in the past few years owing to technological advancements in processing techniques. Companies increasingly prefer this processing owing to numerous benefits including low scrap rates, low production cost, high efficiency, enhanced strength and ability to use multiple types simultaneously. These machines are broadly utilized in various automotive applications as well, increasingly being used to manufacture automotive components such as interior panels, dashboards, bumpers, electrical housing components and external body panels.

Region with highest share:

North America is projected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period owing to the escalating sales of plastic resins and the rapid growth of the consumer electronics industry in countries including the U.S. North America is one of the major market for plastic packaging as a prominent share of the retail sector is organised and highly regulated which regulate safe keeping of items in various segments, owing to this the demand is significantly higher. For instance, according to the data by the US Census Bureau, the industry revenue of plastic packaging material and un laminated films in the US in 2024 is expected to reach USD 38 Billion.

Region with highest CAGR:

Asia Pacific is projected to have the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the exponential rise in the number of manufacturing activities, which would require high-performance components that consume plastic in various end-user industries. Within the types of plastic processing machinery, injection molding machinery is expected to hold a significant share in China. Also, the production data of bottled drinking water is indicative of the fact that the injection molding machinery market in China is poised to grow over the forecast period. The government of Japan plans to reduce its carbon footprint by EVs, which has resulted in substantial investments toward EV infrastructure development. Similar to China, injection molding machinery is expected to hold a significant market share among the types of plastic processing machinery, in the country.



Key players in the market

Some of the key players profiled in the Plastic Processing Machinery Market include Chen Hsong Holdings Limited, Crown Machines, Engel Austria, Graham Engineering, Haitan International Holdings Ltd, Hillenbrand Inc, Husky Injection Molding Systems, Lyle Industries, Milacron Holdings Corporation, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd, Tederic Machinery Co, The Japan Steel Works, Ltd, and Toshiba Machine.

Key Developments:

In April 2021, Tederic Machinery Co. launched the NEO series of injection molding machines at Chinaplas 2021, including all-electric, hybrid, multi-material, and 2-platen models. Able to achieve maximum pressure in 28 msec, Tederic’s NEOs feature a new generation of servo-pumps with high response speeds that can save from 30% to 80% in energy consumption compared to traditional hydraulics.

In September 2020, Engel Austria expanded the series of e-speed mould injection into the lower clamping force ranges, with a particular focus on manufacturers of thin-walled containers, buckets and matching lids. The new e-speed with a clamping force of 2800 kN will produce 1-litre around containers made of polypropylene in thin-wall technology.

In April 2020, Hillenbrand Inc. announced that it entered a definitive agreement under which Hillenbrand acquired Milacron in a cash and stock transaction. This transaction represented a pivotal step in Hillenbrand's vision to become a world-class global diversified industrial company by adding new strategic businesses in hot runner systems and injection molding to Hillenbrand's portfolio through Milacron's leading brands, including Mold-Masters and Milacron injection molding.

Process Types Covered:
• Fully Automatic
• Semi-Automatic
 
Products Covered:
• 3D Plastics Printers
• Blow Molding Machine
• Compression Molding Machine
• Extrusion Molding Machine
• Injection Molding Machine
• Rotational Molding Machine
• Thermoforming Machinery
 
Plastic Types Covered:
• Polyethylene (PE)
• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
• Polypropylene (PP) Random Copolymer
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Polyurethane (PUR)
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
 
Factory Types Covered:
• Mold
• Plastic
• Toy
 
End Users Covered:
• Agriculture
• Automotive
• Building & Construction
• Consumer Goods
• Electrical & Electronics
• Healthcare
• Packaging
• White Goods

Regions Covered:
• North America
o US
o Canada
o Mexico
• Europe
o Germany
o UK
o Italy
o France
o Spain
o Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
o Japan       
o China       
o India       
o Australia 
o New Zealand
o South Korea
o Rest of Asia Pacific   
• South America
o Argentina
o Brazil
o Chile
o Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa
o Saudi Arabia
o UAE
o Qatar
o South Africa
o Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:
- Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
- Covers Market data for the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025, and 2028
- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Free Customization Offerings:
All the customers of this report will be entitled to receive one of the following free customization options:
• Company Profiling
o Comprehensive profiling of additional market players (up to 3)
o SWOT Analysis of key players (up to 3)
• Regional Segmentation
o Market estimations, Forecasts and CAGR of any prominent country as per the client's interest (Note: Depends on feasibility check)
• Competitive Benchmarking
o Benchmarking of key players based on product portfolio, geographical presence, and strategic alliances