Plastic Manufacturing

As an industry activity, plastic manufacturing refers to the production of plastics additives, resins, thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics, various packaging products, foam products, and other materials and products commonly derived from petrochemicals. As hydrocarbons, plastic since their first development have been primarily derived from oil (petroleum) and natural gas due to the large available quantities of both fossil fuels, and manageable competitive demand from other industries for olefins used to make polymers and oligomers for the chemical industry.

Heavy oils and bitumen (shale oil and oil sands) have been proposed as alternatives for plastic manufacturing, as well as renewable materials such as cellulose (like bagasse), starches, and naturally-derived oils from soybeans, oil crops, and even algae. Alternative sources for hydrocarbons used in plastic manufacturing have been developed and promoted during periods of high oil prices, although activity and development with bio-based and alternative fuel-based plastics has waned considerably with lower oil prices. Interest continues in bio-based plastics due to their biodegradability. Additionally, demand for petrochemicals has not skyrocketed to the extent of transportation fuels and therefore has not contributed heavily to rising oil prices.

Plastics manufacturing begins with cracking at a refinery to produce feedstocks like ethylene and propylene, which are catalyzed to produce intermediate polymers. Additives are introduced to the polymer in industrial mixing equipment or blenders. Extrusion, casting or pressing then proceeds with specialized machinery to achieve desired plastic shapes and forms. Mixers, slurry and feeding pumps, motors, generators, measuring and process control equipment, tanks, valves, and thermal equipment are all required at plastics and petrochemical plants.