The plastics industry is one of the main branches of the economy in Poland. The Polish plastics industry employs more than 220,000 people and total production in Poland has exceeded €25 billion (more than 6% of the value of the domestic industry). Plastic converters are the largest sector of the plastics industry.
Between 2018 and 2021, global plastics exports have increased by 26.1% - from €528.4 billion in 2017 to €666.5 billion in 2021. In Europe, plastics production and processing are considered to be one of the most important segments of the EU industry.
The plastics industry is one of the main branches of the economy in Poland. The Polish plastics industry employs more than 220,000 people and total production in Poland has exceeded €25 billion (more than 6% of the value of the domestic industry). Plastic converters are the largest sector of the plastics industry.
Market structure
According to Plastics Europe Polska, Poland with about 7.5% share of total polymer consumption by plastic converters, ranks 4th in Europe (EU + UK, Switzerland and Norway). Currently, the Polish industry processes more plastics than the other Central European countries combined. More than 7,000 entrepreneurs in Poland are active in plastics industry. Interestingly, Plastics Europe Polska annual reports show that among the 300+ largest plastics processing companies, more than 60% are companies with Polish ownership.
The Plastech.pl database - the largest Polish vortal for the plastics industry - currently lists 1,700 companies dealing with plastics and raw materials for their manufacture, 870 companies producing and distributing plastics processing machinery, 1,110 manufacturers of plastics products and 824 companies providing services related to the operation of the industry.
The steady increase in demand for plastics in Poland has caused polymer production to grow faster than Polish industry as a whole in previous years. In the period of 2015–2020, the sold production of plastic and rubber products increased by a total of 34.1%, while the sales growth of industrial processing was 21.9%.
The largest customer of plastics processors is the packaging industry, which consumes more than 1.1 million tons of polymers annually (32.5% of the country’s plastics demand). The largest customer of plastics processors is the packaging industry, which consumes more than 1.1 million tons of polymers annually (32.5% of the country’s plastics demand). The construction industry is source of large polymer orders, using more than 900,000 tons of plastics (25.9%) and the automotive industry (360,000 tons - 10.3%).
The Polish construction sector includes the highly competitive market for plastic pipes for water and wastewater transmission. The Polish market includes global players as well as established domestic manufacturers who produce not only for the local market, but also for international export.
“Due to the fact that Poland is a member of the European Union, the requirements for construction products are the same as in other EU countries. At present, a major challenge will be to adapt the requirements for construction products by the revised European Parliament Construction Product Regulation, as well as the Drinking Water Directive with regard to products in contact with drinking water”, says Piotr Falkowski, director of the Polish Association of Pipes and Fittings Producers.
“Currently, judging objectively, the condition of the Polish plastics industry is good. In some sectors we have also become leaders in the EU, for example, in the production of PVC windows, stretch film, products for the automotive industry. Polish PVC joinery has conquered the whole of Europe, and in terms of sales volume it is number one in the EU”, says Robert Szyman, general manager of the Polish Union of Plastics Converters.
Polymer production
Poland’s polymer production sector is dominated by large corporations with large-scale facilities. Both their capital and know-how play an important role in the industry. Although large players account for about ¾ of the industry’s total revenue, this share has shown a gentle downward trend in recent years. This is because alongside them there is a relatively large group of smaller, but dynamically growing manufacturers focusing on more niche areas (plastics with various specialized applications).
Various types of polymers are produced in Poland, including polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), as well as some engineering plastics such as polyamide 6 and polyacetal (POM), polyurethane systems, and polyesters and epoxy resins.
In Poland, polyethylenes are the most popular, with just over 1 million tons required in 2017 (accounting for 30% of the country’s plastics demand), as well as: polypropylene (19% - about 670,000 tons), polyvinyl chloride (13% - 460,000 tons) and polystyrene (12% - 420,000 tons).
Domestic production of plastics does not fully meet the demand in this area, hence the need to import polymers, mainly from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
