Plastics in Electronic Components: Technologies and Global Markets

February 24, 2012

Wellesley, Mass. – According to a new technical market research report, PLASTICS IN ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS: TECHNOLOGIES AND GLOBAL MARKETS (PLS027C) from BCC Research (www.bccresearch.com), the global volume for plastics in electronic components is expected to reach 3.5 billion pounds in 2012 and increase to 4.4 billion pounds in 2017, a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7%.

The global market for plastics in electronic components can be separated into two segments: thermoplastic and thermoset. 

In 2012, thermoplastics are expected to total nearly 2.5 billion pounds and, in 2017, the volume should reach 3.1 billion pounds, a CAGR of 4.9%.

The thermoset segment is projected to total nearly 1.1 billion pounds in 2012 and, by 2017, the segment should reach 1.3 billion pounds, a CAGR of 4.3%.

Resin consumption in electronic components is made up of a select group of engineering thermoplastics led by nylon and thermoplastic polyesters in volume. Based on value, however, higher performance resins such as polyphenylene sulfide, polyimides, polyketones, and liquid crystal polymers have become more significant factors in the market. Engineering thermoplastics dominate the molded electronic component segment, of which connectors are the most important.

The advantages of using plastics parts as opposed to other materials for electronic components must be weighed against their disadvantages. To decrease already small component sizes, melts used in molding components must possess excellent flow and precise molding, thermal endurance, and dimensional stability due to tight space constraints and relatively high operational temperatures.

While mechanical performance of plastics can be enhanced through reinforcements and filler loadings, higher amounts of these additives often impair processability in the molten state. A better resolution of this dilemma is still an ongoing issue.

There are quite a few resin producers heavily involved in the plastic electronic business and a selected list include some of the following: Ashland Specialties, BASF, Bayer Material Science, Chevron-Phillips Chemical, Cytec, DuPont, Huntsman Specialty Chemicals, Loctite (a unit of Henkel), Mitsubishi Engineering Plastics, Sabic IP, Solvay Advanced Polymers, Ticona, Toray, and Victrex.

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Plastics in Electronics Components: Technologies and Global Markets( PLS027C )
Publish Date: Feb 2012    

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