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Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing in the UK Industry Data and Analysis
The UK’s primary plastic manufacturing industry continues to navigate a backdrop of rising costs, regulatory scrutiny and changing customer preferences. High energy prices, volatile crude oil costs and the implementation of carbon emission fees have exerted considerable pressure on margins, bringing the profit of many companies below the broader manufacturing average. Feedstock and energy costs, a core driver of industry fortunes, have stabilised with falling oil prices, but sustained pressure from policy changes and the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging plastics ensures costs remain elevated. In response, leading manufacturers are accelerating automation and operational restructuring to control expenses, bolstering operational stability but constraining job growth across the industry. Revenue is expected to contract at a compound annual rate of 0.7% over the five years through 2025-26 to £5.3 billion, including a dip of 3.9% in 2025-26.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released December 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom operates under the SIC industry code C20.160. This industry includes companies involved in the manufacture of resins, plastic materials and non-vulcanisable thermoplastic elastomers. It also includes companies involved in the mixing and blending of resins on a custom basis and in the manufacture of non-customised synthetic resins. The industry also includes the manufacture of cellulose and its chemical derivatives. Related terms covered in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include synthetic resins, dimensional tolerance, thermoplastic, polymer, bioplastic, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and polypropylene.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include Vinyl polymers, Acrylic polymers and Polyethers.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include INEOS Group Holdings SA, Advanced Elastomer Systems Ltd and SABIC UK Petrochemicals Ltd.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom in 2026?
The market size of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is £5.3bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?
There are 374 businesses in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be significantly impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is likely to be significantly impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a high share of industry revenue.
Has the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The biggest companies operating in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom are INEOS Group Holdings SA, Advanced Elastomer Systems Ltd and SABIC UK Petrochemicals Ltd
What does the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom include?
Polyvinyl chloride and polyvinyl acetate and Acrylic polymers are part of the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The company holding the most market share in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom is INEOS Group Holdings SA.
How competitive is the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Primary Form Plastics Manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom.
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