TIPREX 2013: Thailand is growing market for bioplastics

Thailand is home to about 4,000 companies in the plastics processing industry. Of this total, 300 companies manufacture plastic parts for electrical appliances and electronics, according to the speech delivered by Mr. Gernot Ringling, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf Asia during the opening ceremony of TIPREX 2013 held on April 3, 2013. "Injection molding is the main production process and accounts for 82 percent of total output." Thailand's annual export revenue (from all industries) with outbound shipments of appliances and electronics in 2013 reached about $54 billion.

In terms of industry sectors, construction gobbles up $982.2 million worth of plastic each year. Thailand's automotive sector is next with consumption of $897.38 million in plastic for parts on trucks, vans, cars and motorcycles annually.

With the robust growth in plastics production, Thailand is expected to break into the top 10 of the world's biggest auto producing countries when output passes 3 million units in 2015, according to Mr. Ringling. This will create demand for more advanced and environment-friendly plastic materials. It has also become clear that automotive bioplastics are gaining ground as preferred material with research and development being initiated to expand the use of bioplastics.