9 remarkable trends in the plastics industry

17 October 2018

At Rompa Group, we keep a close eye on the latest developments and trends in the plastics industry, for example by attending tradeshows such as IFA in Berlin and Kind + Jugend in Cologne. Our marketing and sales team has drawn up a list of the nine most remarkable trends that are happening right now.

1. Suppliers moving along the supply chain
Suppliers are taking over more and more processes from other organisations that come before or after them in the chain. Vertical integration, in other words. That makes sense, because buyers would much rather deal with a single supplier who handles multiple steps of the process.

2. Internet of Things and connectivity
We live in an age in which everyone and everything is connected and smart devices can communicate with us and vice versa. More and more products are connected to each other or gather data to share. A great example is the razor stand that Rompa produces, which allows users to order new blades at the touch of a button.

3. Advances in polymers and additives
The development of new polymers and additives continues unabatedly. More and more new materials with specific characteristics are being developed for explicit purposes. For example, Stanyl® TC is a material that was developed to conduct the heat produced by LED bulbs. That is remarkable, because plastic is normally an excellent isolator that retains heat instead of conducting it.

4. Improved efficiency through connectivity
We have entered the fourth phase of industrial development: Industry 4.0. Machines in factories are connected to each other and to other factories. This development makes it possible to achieve an even higher level of efficiency. The latest technologies result in the constant exchange of useful data at Rompa.

5. Global plastic production continues to grow
The demand for plastic products continues to grow on an annual basis. With the innovative solutions suppliers develop when it comes to design and materials, it is possible to replace all kinds of metals in more and more finished products with plastic. A perfect example is a new Nylon 6 material for electronics.

6. Lightweight plastics
The market for lightweight plastics is constantly developing. The plastics industry is a leader when it comes to innovations in lightweight solutions. Major industries such as the automotive industry are already moving from steel to plastic for certain applications. That also improves sustainability, because lighter cars use less fuel. Rompa’s engineers consider the possibility of using lightweight plastics early on in the design process.

7. Automation
Wage costs continue to rise and the workforce is ageing. The plastics industry is therefore investing heavily in automation – and with success. Automation improves reliability when managing production and assembly processes. The use of robots results in a faster, more accurate and more agile production process, which in turn leads to an increased production output and more efficiency.

8. Recycle-proof design
The circular economy is becoming a major factor in the plastics industry as well. When designing a new product, it is therefore increasingly common to consider the use of recycled bioplastics, the recyclability of the design and the option of making the design recycle-proof.

9. Local for local
A growing number of organisations look for local solutions to reduce transport costs and increase their flexibility in the supply chain. Producers build smaller production sites that can operate in a more flexible manner, which allows them to meet buyers’ demands locally. Rompa operates ‘glocal’: local for local on a global level.

Would you like to know more about these trends?
Contact Rompa Group’s marketing and sales team by calling +31 13 594 20 00.