According to an authoritative report published in January 2021 by industry consultants, AMI Consulting, the fastest growing application for twin-screw compounding machines is in upgrading and recycling post-consumer plastic waste.
The report looks at the market for twin-screw corotating compounding machines as used commonly for compounding Engineering Plastics, Styrenics, Polypropylene, TPEs and masterbatches. These machines range from outputs of about 100 kg per hour up to 10 tonnes per hour with smaller machines being used to compound some of the highest performance polymers and the biggest machines used where compounders want to make batches of 200-500 tonnes at a time.
While the largest machines are often used on lower margin compounds, the scale at which they operate often justifies investment in the highest standards of technical performance and automation.
The best-known producers of these machines include Coperion, JSW, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Leistritz. A key success factor for many is strong local demand. In recent years strongest demand has been in China where there are now a large number of twin-screw compounding machinery producers, some of which have started to export internationally.
The report suggests the fastest growing application is recycling which is expected to see demand more than double between 2020 and 2024. In this segment more than 50 per cent of machines sold globally in 2020 were sold into China reflecting the opportunity within China to upcycle low value waste. Measured by the value of machinery sales, Europe however is the largest market due to investors’ preference for buying higher output machines.
The report segments the market by geography, application and machinery size. Demand data is supported by AMI Consulting’s well-developed understanding of compounding markets. Profiles of the suppliers include detailed market share data.
While Covid-19 slowed the market in 2020 recovery is expected to be rapid because of the emergence of new markets, geographical shifts in demand and pressure on compounders to invest in higher performance machinery in order to remain competitive.
This report is aimed at assisting industry participants and investors understand the size, structure and growth of the market, anticipate change, direct resources, and proactively manage threats and opportunities.