Global Polyolefins demand stood at 146.99 Million Tonnes in 2020 and is forecast to reach 250.43 Million Tonnes by 2030, growing at a healthy CAGR of 5.64% until 2030. Polyolefins is a class of polymers which are produced from a simple olefin as a monomer. Polyolefins generally include polyethylene, such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and others. The global plastics industry is dominated by Polyolefins due to their versatile characteristics which make them suitable for a broad spectrum of end-use applications such as rigid plastics, bottles and containers, and flexible films, pouches etc.
The packaging sector dominates the global polyolefin market followed by the building & construction and automotive industry. By type, Polyethylene (PE) holds the largest market share followed by Polypropylene (PP). Growing demand for LLDPE films from food and pharmaceutical packaging backed by rising HDPE consumption for manufacturing blow-molded containers and construction-related articles would augment the growth of the industry in the coming years. Moreover, soaring demand of Polypropylene for packaging purposes in food and pharma industries has been one of the key factors driving the overall market. It is estimated that because of its growing applications in replacement to metal parts in car interior and exterior, the demand for PP injection moulded parts will be spurred by increased production of lighter Electric Vehicles (EVs). Other highly demanded polymers include Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) resins used especially for construction-related applications such as piping or window frames, Polystyrene (PS) for food packaging applications such as are trays, cups, and bottles and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate for adhesives, sealants, and coatings.
Polyolefin prices are highly subjected to the fluctuations in upstream crude oil. The historic plunge in crude oil during the first half of 2020 rendered a significant fall in the Polyolefins prices during Q1 & Q2 2020 which was largely offset by appreciable demand for polymers from packaging and medical industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regionally, Asia-Pacific dominates the global Polyolefins market in terms of demand. There has been a consistent growth in the Polyolefins demand from populous economies like China and India, which are expanding their capacities to fasten their domestic manufacturing base and deepen their penetration in the export markets. Rapid industrialization, growing e-commerce sector and robust demand for packaging applications in the food and beverage sector are the key factors responsible for the market growth. As of 2019, Asia-Pacific and North America are the largest Polyolefin producers and are anticipated to maintain their dominance during the forecast period.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the world economy was disrupted. The market was affected drastically, and production and manufacturing units were shut down. Furthermore, the major market players intentionally halted the production keeping their employee’s health and wellness in mind. With imposed new regulations of the COVID-19 and proper precautions, the market is anticipated to regain its growth in the years to come. The pandemic is slowly being subsided and the effects are tried to be overcome by various methods. Once the market regains the full function of its production unit, the market is bound to show a robust growth in the forecast period.
Despite facing headwinds due to COVID-19 crisis, the global Polyolefins market has shown resilient growth. In 2020, the market has seen a significant rise in demand from the consumer packaging applications as lockdown in various economies triggered a rise in the e-commerce and home deliveries, leading to greater consumption of packaging films and non-durable plastics. It is anticipated that the demand fundamentals would further increase especially with the news of vaccination roll out and ease in social distancing norms. Moreover, various government initiatives and revision in FDI policies, etc., are encouraging core companies to setup manufacturing units across major COVID-hit economies across the globe, thereby providing a strong impetus to the global Polyolefins market.
Years Considered for this Report:
Historical Years: 2015 – 2018
Base Year: 2019
Estimated Year: 2020
Forecast Period: 2021 – 2025
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Objective of the Study:

  • The primary objective of the study was to evaluate and forecast Polyolefins capacity, production, demand, inventory, and demand–supply gap globally.
  • To categorize Polyolefins demand based on type, end use, region and distribution channel.
  • To identify major customers of Polyolefins globally.
  • To evaluate and forecast Polyolefins pricing globally.
  • To identify and profile major companies operating globally Polyolefins market.
  • To identify major news, deals and expansion plans globally Polyolefins market.



The global Polyolefins market is an oligopoly with few players catering to around more than 50% of the global demand. The leading Polyolefin manufacturers include China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.), Exxon Mobil Corporation Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., SABIC, INEOS Group Holdings S.A., Dow Inc. and others. Several Polyolefins players are strategically impending capacity additions to support rising demand from the downstream industries. As per ChemAnalyst, North America will be the second highest in terms of PE capacity additions, after Asia where China and India will hold more than 75% market share in the forecast period.


To extract data for Global Polyolefins market, primary research surveys were conducted with Polyolefins manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers and end users. While interviewing, the respondents were also inquired about their competitors. Through this technique, ChemAnalyst was able to include manufacturers that could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. Moreover, ChemAnalyst analyzed various end user segments and projected a positive outlook for Global Polyolefins market over the coming years.
ChemAnalyst calculated Polyolefins demand globally by analyzing the historical data and demand forecast which was carried out considering imported styrene prices, a monomer used for production of Polyolefins. ChemAnalyst sourced these values from industry experts and company representatives and externally validated through analyzing historical sales data of respective manufacturers to arrive at the overall market size. Various secondary sources such as company websites, association reports, annual reports, etc., were also studied by ChemAnalyst.
Key Target Audience

  • Polyolefins manufacturers and other stakeholders
  • Organizations, forums and alliances related to Polyolefins distribution
  • Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers
  • Market research organizations and consulting companies


The study is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for industry stakeholders, such as Polyolefins manufacturers, distributors and policymakers. The report also provides useful insights about which market segments should be targeted over the coming years to strategize investments and capitalize on growth opportunities.
Report Scope:
In this report, the Global Polyolefins market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

  • Market, by Type : Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Others
  • Market, by Application : Injection Molding, Film & Sheet, Fiber, Blow Molding and Others
  • Market, by Distribution Channel : Direct/Institutional Sales, Indirect Sales


Market, by Region : North America, APAC, Europe, MEA, South
Market, by Region

  • North America : United States, Mexico, Canada, Rest of North America
  • APAC : China, India, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, Rest of APAC
  • Europe : Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe
  • MEA : Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA
  • South America : Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Rest of South



Available Customizations:
With the given market data, ChemAnalyst offers customizations according to a company’s specific needs.