The UK Plastics Industry
The UK Plastics industry is a Global leader operating at the cutting edge of technology. Sales account for approximately £17.5 billion (approximately 2.1% of UK GDP), the industry employs 220,000. The industry is a dominant player worldwide in the three core sectors that make up the plastics industry: material and additive manufacture, material processors and machinery manufacture.
| UK Consumption of Plastics |
4.8 millions tonnes |
Consumption Growth Average
2000 -2006 |
1.5% pa |
| Total Value of Plastics Industry |
£17.5 billion |
| Total value of Processing Sector |
£12.4 billion |
| Total Value of Exports |
£4.6 billion |
It is estimated that the UK produces annually approximately 2,500 ktonnes of plastics. Supporting the household names in Polymer Manufacturer are a range of specialist materials, masterbatch and additives manufacturers, helping to enhance the performance and push forward the boundaries of plastics use verses traditional materials around the world.
The UK’s Plastics Processors consumes 4,800 ktonnes of material, FIGURE 1 displays how polymer consumption breaks down by application area in the UK. The UK remains of the top 5 processors of plastics in the EU with some 4.8 million tonnes of materials processed in the UK.
To focus on the UK Strengths, firstly we have local sources of feedstock’s for manufacturing polymer and additives. We are still a significant oil producer although production in the North Sea is now well over its peak and our rich geological deposits on the mainland mean that almost the full range of additives is manufactured in the UK. Consequently we have particular strengths in specialist materials manufacture, compounding and masterbatch production.
As an entreport trading nation going back to the seventeenth century the need for packaging has always been important and today the UK has major strength in plastics packaging innovation. It is the country which invented ‘polythene’ in 1933 and was one of the first countries to exploit the amenability of polyester to the stretch-blow moulding process for the manufacture of PET. Companies like RPC and LINPAC have extensive interests outside the UK. Packaging remains a strong area of growth with innovation in PET pushing the boundaries of usage and ready meals and smart packaging creating new opportunities for plastics.
Similarly, because of the inward investment into the UK of large numbers of Japanese original equipment manufactures particularly in 1987- 1995, the UK have a very strong precision moulding sector. This section of the industry has been challenged by comparatively high labour costs in the UK, in 2004 average hourly wage in Germany was approximately $33.8, in the UK and US, 22.9, in Poland 3.5 and China just 1US$. The UK industry has, however, risen to this challenge and adopted new lean manufacturing operational practices and reduced headcount through automation.
The Pharmaceutical and medical industry in the UK, although representing comparatively small tonnages of material is a high AV sector and driving strong growth in the UK Plastics Sector. An analysis of the world’s top 100 medicines reveals that, after the USA, Britain’s pharmaceutical companies’ market share is more than all its European competitors combined.
A further area of strength is the supply of small-scale processing equipment and ancillary equipment. In the UK we have evolved away from the production of mainstream processing equipment and have put our national effort behind assisted processor and ancillary equipment which can add significant value to manufacturing. The UK plastics machinery sector is typified by efficient, innovative and flexible companies that are operating at the cutting-edge of technology. As such they are able to respond quickly to their customers’ new requirements and ensure that they remain highly competitive in the global market.
The 120 small to medium sized companies that make up the plastics machinery sector in UK tend to serve niche markets and focus is on high-quality, bespoke often small scale processing machines, testing equipment and process measurement, control and ancillary equipment. In addition to this the industry has responded to the implementation of stringent recycling legislation in the UK by developing a range of reprocessing technologies and equipment, and it is now a world-leader in this field.
In terms of supply of processing machines, the UK has a range of producers supplying most key processing technologies. Companies such as MCP are providing all electric mini-moulding machines that rival the best in the world, while the innovative processing of composite materials is supported by Plastech Thermoset Tectonics.
British companies are reknowned for many ancilliary innovations that are driving improvement in plastics processing. Firms such as Cinpres Gas Injection lead the world in the application of assisted moulding technology - an important technique that is driving plastics into new areas. Joining technology from companies such as Phasa Developments and MSA Engineering is also a notable strength.
The UK boasts a strong materials testing sector serving the plastics industry, as well as rubber, composites and associated textile manufacturers. Test equipment companies such as Hounsfield, Instron and Tinius Olsen have excellent reputations in providing accurate measurement of the physical properties of plastics products down to very precise detail. UK specialists also lead the world in the development of new testing methods at ISO and ASTM standards as well as providing engineering, service, training and front-line support.
Finally we have a strong Research and Development base and the major universities with a competence in plastics are: Belfast, Bradford, Leeds, Loughborough, London Metropolitan and Strathclyde. ‘Faraday Plastics’ is the umbrella for much government - funded work in universities on plastics with industrial collaborators. Companies such as RAPRA and PERA are heavily involved in organising EU Projects aimed at supporting the competitiveness of the EU plastics sector versus Far Eastern competition.
Below there are some graphs showing the UK Plastics consumption and Production and two pie charts which give an idea of the consumption of plastics by type and by market.
For further statistics/analysis on the UK Plastics Industry CLICK HERE
For an update on BPF Lobbying on Competitiveness Matters CLICK HERE
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