The Plastics Industry in the UK

The UK Plastics industry sales account for approximately 2.1% of UK GDP and the industry employs 220,000. The industry is also a dominant player worldwide in the three core sectors that make up the plastics industry: material and additive manufacture, plastic material processors and machinery manufacture.

UK Consumption of Plastics is 4.8 millions tonnes with a growth of 1.5% pa. The UK is of the top 5 processors of plastics in the EU with some 4.8 million tonnes of materials processed in the UK. As an oil producer we can manufacture plastics additives, specialist materials, plastic compounds and additive masterbatches.

As a trading nation going back to the seventeenth century the need for packaging has always been important and today the UK has major strength in plastics packaging innovation. We invented ‘polythene’ in 1933 and were one of the first countries to exploit the amenability of polyester to the stretch-blow moulding process for the manufacture of PET, polyethylene terapthalate. Packaging remains a strong area of growth with innovation in PET pushing the boundaries of usage and ready meals and smart packaging creating new opportunities for plastics.

Because of the inward investment into the UK of large numbers of Japanese plastic manufacturing equipment, the UK has a very strong plastic precision moulding sector, this despite the high cost of labour.

The Pharmaceutical and medical industries in the UK are among those demanding growth.

The UK plastics machinery sector is typified by efficient, innovative and flexible companies that are operating at the cutting-edge of technology. As such they are able to respond quickly to their customers’ new requirements and ensure that they remain highly competitive in the global market.

The 120 small to medium sized companies that make up the plastics machinery sector in the UK tend to serve niche markets and the focus is on high-quality, bespoke and small scale processing machines, testing equipment and process measurement, control and ancillary equipment. In addition to this the industry has responded to recycling legislation by developing a range of reprocessing technologies and equipment, and it is now a world-leader in this field.

The UK has a strong materials testing sector serving the plastics industry, as well as rubber, composites and associated textile manufacturers. UK specialists also lead the world in the development of new testing methods at ISO and ASTM standards as well as providing engineering, service, training and front-line support.

There are EU Projects that are aimed at supporting the competitiveness of the EU plastics sector versus Far Eastern competition.

Thermoplastics

Thermoplastics start as pellets or granules and are remelted. Structural Foam is a term commonly used to describe thermoplastic injection moulding components made by the injection moulding process which have a cellular core.

Most thermoplastics can be processed by Injection Moulding. Enhanced quality, reduced cycle times and component weight reductions can be achieved by gas assisted injection moulding. Injection blow moulding is used for the production of hollow objects in large quantities.

The main applications are bottles, jars and other containers. The Injection blow moulding process produces bottles of superior visual and dimensional quality compared to extrusion blow moulding. Injection stretch blow moulding is used for the production of high quality containers.

Thermoforming has close similarities with Vacuum Forming except that greater use is made of air pressure and plug assisted forming of the softened sheet. Only thermoplastics sheet can be processed by this method. Rotational moulding differs from all other processing methods in that the heating, melting, shaping, and cooling stages all occur after the polymer is placed in the mould, and no external pressure is applied during forming.

Extrusion Blow Moulding is used for the production of hollow objects in large quantities. Obvious application are bottles and similar containers.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used for mouldings. However its major application is as a protective packaging for consumer electronic products and white goods.Vacuum formed products are all around us and play a major part in our daily lives.

Virtually all thermoplastics can be supplied as sheet and vacuum formed. Machining plastic components becomes more economical for small quantities. Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) is used for energy absorbing applications, including automotive, packaging that requires multiple impact protection, and furniture requiring unique performance solutions.

Extrusion of plastics materials is a widely used method of forming plastics materials.

Thermoset Plastics

Thermosetting materials start as liquids/syrups, often called "resins", as powders or partially cured products ("preforms") which need heat for the shaping phase. The shaping is accompanied by a chemical reaction, which means that the material does not soften on reheating.

The reaction may be exothermic (giving heat out), in which case cooling is required. Resin Transfer Moulding RTM is a low pressure moulding process, where a mixed resin and catalyst are injected into a closed mould containing a fibre pack or preform.

GRP Moulding involves impregnation of glass fibre mat with a liquid polyester mix. 'Gel Coat' provides a good surface on the mould side. Large mouldings e.g. boat hulls, lorry cabs.

Plastic Finishing Processes include plastics welding. Sometimes a product is made in two or more pieces. Post moulding joining of the parts provides a means of achieving an end solution.

All plastics can be recycled. The extent plastics recycling depends upon both economic and logistic factors.