1Industry Profile

Plastics, in the modern meaning of the word, are synthetic materials that are
capable of being formed into usable products by heating, milling, molding
and similar processes. The term is derived from the Greek plastic, to form in
simplest terms; plastics can be described as resins in their molded form.
The wonders of plastics cut across all sectors of society. It is a
material of choice due to its versatility, its physical strength, its economic
viability; its easy process ability and also its attractiveness and durability of
all weather conditions. With the globalization of Indian economy and
television entering into homes and tiniest villages and communications
demand for the materials for suitable functional use more economic packing,
durable all weather products has meant increasing demand for plastics.
Packing of cement bags, the end user is demanding plastics instead of
conventional jute, because it prevent transits loses and wastages. The hilly
regions of East India or drought prone districts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and
Tamil Nadu demand auto molded tanks in thousands each day. The
agriculturists of Himachal Pradesh insist on plastic pipes for irrigation to
their farms, the floriculturists of Karnataka and Maharashtra cannot thrive
without ultraviolet stabilized polythene wide width films for huge tunnels
and green polymers consumption and import.
The Plastic industry in India has made significant achievements ever since it
made a modest but promising start by commencing production of
polystyrene

in

1957.

The

potential

market

has

motivated

Indian

entrepreneurs to acquire technical expertise. Achieve high quality standards

and build capacities in various facts of the booming plastic industry.
Phenomenal development in the plastic machinery sector coupled with
matching development in petrochemical sectors, both of which supports the

plastic processing sectors, have facilitated the plastic processors to build

capacities to service both the domestic market and overseas.
The chronology of manufacture of polymers in India is summarized as
under.
1957 : poly styrene
1959 : LDPE
1961 : PVC
1968 : HDPE
1978 : polypropylene
The economic reforms launched in India since 1991, joint ventures,
foreign investments, easier across to technology from developed countries
etc. have opened up new vistas to further Indian plastic industry are
exported to over 150 countries round the globe with major trading partners
being USA,UAE, Italy, UK, Russia, Hongkong, Germany etc. The plastic
processing sector comprises of over 30000 units involved in producing a
variety of items through injections molding, blow molding, extrusion and
calendaring. The capacities built in most of this industry coupled with
inherent capabilities have made us capable of servicing the overseas
markets. The development of plastics took place in 1920s with the
introduction of cellulose acetate, polyvinylchloride and nylon.
Polyethylene evolved out of the need for a superior insulating material
could be used for such applications as radar during World War II. The
decade of the 1950s saw the introduction of poly propylene and the
development of acetyl and polycarbonate. In 1960s and 1970s a sub group
of plastic family started to emerge ,called high temperature plastics, which
includes polyamides, aromatic polyesters, polyether siphoned etc.
PVC Pipes- Segmental Usage in India.
Irrigation- 45%
Water Supply- 29%
Sewage-12%

Plumbing- 10%
Flexible- 4%
Others- 1%
The PVC consumption on India was about 2416 lakh metric tones