While in the past, the European market for thermoplastic compounds used to be dominated by the large raw material producers, the focus has now shifted to the independent compounders. As the British market research company Applied Market Information (AMI, GB-Bristol; www.amiplastics.com) estimates, Europe´s independent compounding sector now contributes 77% to the total production of 5.9m t (year 2000). In the 7th edition of its guide to the thermoplastics compounding industry in Europe AMI provides a list of 664 companies, 148 of which are integrated into plastics production, the remainder operates independently.

Almost all important independent compounders are international players, but US companies show a particularly strong presence in the international markets. Expanded capacities and new partnerships are prominent in Asia, but they are also a feature of middle and eastern European markets.

In 2001, after ten years of steady increase with annual growth rates of between 6% and 7%, the US market for thermoplastic compounds has experienced a marked slump. According to estimates by AMI, 2002 will not bring many positive changes for compounders. In 2000, the demand for compounds rose by roughly 3% to 6.4m t, AMI expects an increase to 7.9m t by 2005.

Colour compounds, currently under increasing pressure from the success of masterbatch products, are followed by PVC compounds, the second strongest individual sector in this industry. In a current study on the 50 largest European players in the area of PVC compounding, AMI rates the raw material producer Atofina (F-92091 Paris La Defense; www.atofina.com) as the market leader. The second, third and fourth place of the “Top 50” is occupied by important PVC producers such as EVC (NL-6254 AD Eijsden; www.evc-int.com), Solvay (B-1050 Brussels; www.solvay.com) and Norsk Hydro (N-0246 Oslo; www.hydro.com). The independent French compounder Saplast (F-67100 Strasbourg Neuhof) is rated in fifth place. AMI emphasises, that despite the strong market presence of plastics producers, the PVC compounding sector with a volume of 1.5m t is nonetheless dominated by smaller and independent compounders. This trend is expected to continue into the future since the independent sector has more cost-efficient structures.

Book Service: “AMI´s guide to the thermopastics compounding industry in Europe” (multilingual), 7th edition 2001, 168 pages, DIN A4, paperback, EUR 275.00 + postage/ VAT: PIE-No. B 45404. • “Corporate performance and ownership among PVC compounders – A review of Europe´s 50 largest players”, 3rd edition 2002, 116 pages, DIN A4, paperback, EUR 490.00 + postage/VAT: PIE-No. B 45577.