Plastic Masterbatch Demand Will Rise to Nearly 5.5 Million Tons in 2031

Global demand for plastic masterbatches is expected to reach nearly 5.5 million tonnes by 2031, according to a new study by Germany’s Ceresana market research agency.

The third edition of the Ceresana Global Masterbatch Study analyzes the masterbatch production of 55 producers in 16 countries, including Evante, Global Colors and Americhem.
Around 1.4 million tonnes of white masterbatches, mainly used in toys, appliances, auto parts, furniture and films, were sold globally last year. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) protects these products from UV radiation.

After TiO2 masterbatches, color masterbatches including organic, inorganic and effect pigments are the most common, followed by black additives. Industrial carbon blacks are ideal for technical polymers due to their high resistance to color change and fading.

Using 2021 as the base year for the report, Ceresana found that the global demand for color masterbatches is broken down as follows:
34% white
25% color
21% black
20% additive

In terms of application, packaging will account for 36% of total masterbatch demand in 2021. This includes flexible packaging (films, bags, sacks) and rigid packaging (cans, bottles, lids). Construction applications are far ahead.

From a regional perspective, the demand for masterbatches echoes the global market for plastics; current revenue by region is:
Asia Pacific: about 33%
North America: Just under 24%
Western Europe: 22%