Comparisons between Commodity, Engineering, High Performance, and Ultra Performance Polymers

Table 1 shows approximate global market values, global consumption levels, and average prices for four broad polymer categories: commodity; engineering; high performance; and ultra performance.

Table 1	2015 global market (US dollars)	2015 global consumption (metric tons)	average price (market/consumption)
commodity	$ 323,000,000,000	225,000,000	$              1,436
engineering	$    77,000,000,000	27,000,000	$              2,852
high performance	$      8,500,000,000	800,000	$            10,625
ultra performance	$          500,000,000	5,000	$         100,000
total	$ 409,000,000,000	252,805,000

The market values and consumption levels are based on data found on the Internet.  The market value and consumption levels reported on the Internet very quite a lot.  The amounts shown in the table are what I consider to be the most likely amounts based on my analysis of what was found on the Internet.

The average prices shown in the table are simply the market values divided by the consumption levels.  The prices shown in each category agree reasonably well with prices found on the Internet for polymers.  This reasonably-well agreement for prices suggests the validity of the market and consumption amounts shown in the table.  Also the total global market value ($409 billion) and the total global consumption amount (252.8 million metric tons) agree reasonably well with amounts found on the Internet for these totals.

Polymers in the commodity category include:  polyethylene; polypropylene; polyvinyl chloride; and polystyrene.  Polymers in the engineering category include:  polycarbonate; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; polyethylene and polybutylene terephthalate; polyacetal; and polyamide.  Polymers in the high performance category include: polyether imides; polyether sulfone; fluoropolymers; liquid crystal polymers; and specialty nylons. Polymers in the ultra performance category include; polyetheretherketone; polyaryletherketone; and polyamide imides.

Table 2 below shows the percentages for each category of the total market value and the total consumption amount (e.g., $323 billion/$409 billion)..

Table 2	total global market (US dollars)	total market value as percent of total market value	global consumption (metric tons)	consumption amount as percent of total consumption amount
commodity	$ 323,000,000,000	79.0%	225,000,000	89.001%
engineering	$    77,000,000,000	18.8%	27,000,000	10.680%
high performance	$      8,500,000,000	2.1%	800,000	0.316%
ultra performance	$          500,000,000	0.1%	5,000	0.002%
total	$ 409,000,000,000		252,805,000

A principle difference in the polymers from category to category is the degree of strength that the polymer has against chemical, thermal, mechanical, and other attacks on the polymer.  The higher the strength, the lower the damage on the polymer; the higher the strength, the higher the cost to develop the polymer – both factors that influence price.