The industry sector
Today, in every day life, one could not do without plastics. Wether as a packaging for food, as a component in the car or component of clothes, plastics are available today in a big variety, with the most different qualities and for a multitude of uses.
The value chain of the production and processing of plastics applies from the extraction and production of the application materials and chemicals (oil, natural gas and secondary products) about the production of the primary plastics up to their procession in the form of semi-finished products and manufactured articles and next use in the sales branches.
Wertschöpfungskette Kunststoff
- Quelle: Polymernetzwerk 2010
Since 1950 the plastic production has risen worldwide rapidly and a turning away of this trend is not in sight.
Weltproduktion an Kunststoffen 1950-2009 (in Mio. t)
- Quelle: Nach PlasticsEurope 2010
8% of the world production in plastics is measured by Germany. Main outlets for plastics are the packaging industry (32,4%), the building trade (25,2%), the car industry (9,2%) as well as other use branches.
Hauptabsatzmärkte der Kunststoffindustrie in Deutschland 2008
- Quelle: Nach Consultic Marketing & Industrieberatung GmbH 2008
In the Ruhr area the production/processing of plastics forms a strong branch within the regional economy. Also in inner German comparison the Ruhr area positions itself as one of the leading plastic locations. More than 500 enterprises with more than 40.000 employees are active during the production of application materials, processing of plastics as well as in accompanying service enterprises (labs, recycling).
