Argentina produced almost 1.4m t of polymer in 2011, of which it exported a little more than 500,000 t, the latest data published by industry association Cámara Argentina de la Industria Plástica (CAIP, Buenos Aires / Argentina; www.caip.org.ar) indicate. A look at Plasteurope.com’s Polyglobe capacity database (www.polyglobe.net) shows that the country can turn out almost 1.6m t/y of polymers – mostly standard thermoplastics – if all plants are operating at full nameplate capacity. Aside from these, Koch Industries (Wichita, Kansas / USA) can turn out 40,000 t/y of PA 6.6 at its plant in Berazategui, while Petroquimica Rio Tercero (PRIII, Buenos Aires; www.pr3.com.ar) operates a 28,000 t/y TDI line in Rio Tercero.

Total polymer consumption stood at more than 1.7m t, with polymer imports slightly exceeding 900,000 t. Despite restrictions on gas supply, polymer production was up 1.8% over 2010. While polymer exports were down 0.8% year-on-year, imports rose by more than 11%.

PE was the most important polymer in terms of demand last year, accounting for almost 40% of Argentina’s total polymer consumption, CAIP data indicate. Trailing in second place was PP, at 16%, followed by PET (12%), PVC (9%) and PS (4%). All in all, the appetite of the country’s plastics processing sector grew by more than 7% over 2010.

Most primary plastics imports into the country came from Brazil – an important trade partner and part of the Mercosur free trade treaty zone. But Argentina also sourced almost one quarter of its polymer needs from the US. As far as Argentine polymer exports were concerned, 66% found their way to Brazil. Other important trade export destinations included Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.

As for Argentina’s plastics processing sector, following two years of decline in 2008 and 2009 as a result of the global economic downturn, the industry grew by almost 9% over 2010. All in all, Argentina consumed some 1.8m t of plastic products in 2011, CAIP data shows, which is tantamount to a per capital plastic product consumption of 43.2 kg per inhabitant.

Argentina’s exports of plastic products were down 1.6% in volume terms in 2011 at 153,000 t, reaching a total value of USD 611m. A comparison in the tonnage and value of exports and imports illustrates clearly that locally produced goods are mostly made of standard plastics materials, and thus not as expensive as the coveted import materials. The top destination for Argentine plastic product exports was Brazil (41%), followed by Chile (14%), Uruguay (14%), Paraguay (6%) and Bolivia (3%). All in all, CAIP data show, Mercosur countries as well as Chile and Bolivia absorbed 78% of all Argentine plastic product exports in 2011.

Investments in plastics equipment, including machinery and moulds, totalled USD 222m last year, with about a third of the money earmarked for injection-moulding equipment, followed by blow-moulding machinery (22%) and extrusion equipment (19%). Thermoforming assets accounted for only 5% of overall investment last year, CAIP says. Leading importing countries included China (21%), Germany (21%), Italy (18%), Switzerland (8%) and the US (5%).

Anyone interested in learning more about Argentina’s plastics industry can visit the country’s second “Argenplás” industry fair, held from 18-22 June 2012 in Buenos Aires. Organised by CAIP and Reed Exhibitions (Richmond, Surrey / UK; www.reedexpo.com), the event follows on the heels of the 2010 inaugural fair and is designed for processors, producers as well as machinery makers and recyclers.