Plastic Industry Outlook 2025: Trends and Opportunities for Manufacturers

As we move through 2025, the plastic industry continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for injection molders, thermoformers, and plastic manufacturers. Here’s a look at the current landscape and emerging trends that are shaping the future of plastics.

Market Growth and Economic Outlook

The global injection molded plastics market is experiencing steady growth, with projections indicating an increase from $335.4 billion in 2024 to $439.4 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.6%. This growth is driven by increasing demand across various sectors, including automotive, healthcare, and packaging.

In the United States, the plastics manufacturing industry is showing signs of recovery and growth. Revenues are projected to increase by 4.2%, with a 5.2% rise in capital expenditures. This positive trend is supported by recent Federal Reserve decisions to lower interest rates, which is expected to sustain manufacturing activity and encourage investment.

Technological Advancements

Integration of 3D Printing

One of the most exciting developments is the integration of 3D printing with traditional injection molding processes. This hybrid approach allows for faster prototyping, reduced lead times, and the ability to offer customized products without compromising production speed.

Automation and Robotics

Automation continues to revolutionize the industry, with robots now performing tasks such as part removal, assembly, and quality checks. AI-powered cameras and sensors are providing real-time defect detection, ensuring higher-quality outputs with minimal waste.

The plastic industry is poised for growth and innovation. Manufacturers who embrace new technologies, focus on sustainability, and adapt to changing market demands will be well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities ahead. Stay informed, invest wisely, and remain flexible to navigate the evolving landscape of the plastics industry.

As we navigate the evolving landscape of the plastics industry in 2025, it’s crucial for manufacturers to partner with reliable plastic scrap brokers who can help manage waste streams efficiently and provide access to recycled raw materials. Domino Plastics Company stands out as a trusted partner in this arena, offering valuable services to plastic injection molders, thermoformers, and manufacturers.

Domino Plastics Company, with over 40 years of experience in the industry, specializes in purchasing post-industrial plastic scrap from manufacturers and selling recycled raw materials. Our comprehensive services include:

  1. Competitive pricing for a wide range of plastic scrap materials, including HDPE, LDPE, PP, ABS, PVC, PET, and many more.
  2. Fast and reliable pickup services across the USA, thanks to strategically located warehouses.
  3. Expert knowledge in handling various forms of plastic scrap, from regrind and film scrap to off-grade pellets and purge.
  4. A commitment to sustainability by diverting plastic waste from landfills and supporting recycled plastic innovations.
  5. Financial stability and a long history of payment integrity, providing peace of mind to their partners.

By working with Domino Plastics Company, manufacturers can not only optimize their waste management processes but also contribute to a more sustainable plastics industry. For competitive quotes and reliable service, contact Domino Plastics at (631) 751-1995 or email Joe@domplas.com with details of your materials.

What to know about the plastic pollution treaty talks in South Korea

What to know about the plastic pollution treaty talks in South Korea

via APNews

A last round of negotiations on a legally binding treaty to address the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea. Here’s what to know about it:

Nations are deciding what actions they’ll take

National delegations still have a lot to hammer out before there is a treaty. Most contentious is whether there will be a limit on the amount of plastic that companies are allowed to produce.

Read the full story here: https://apnews.com/article/plastic-pollution-treaty-negotiations-united-nations-south-korea-870c2dce64527f9de2ff91e423b48aba

plastic scrap

Paris to ban single-use plastic at 2024 Olympic Games

Paris to ban single-use plastic at 2024 Olympic Games

via ESPN

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said on Friday the city planned to ban single-use plastic when it holds the 2024 Olympic Games as part of efforts to tackle a global plastic pollution crisis.

paris olympics“We have decided to make the Olympic Games the first major major event without single-use plastic,” Hidalgo told a press conference at a session of the International Forum of Mayors against Plastic Pollution.

Read the full story here: https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/37733149/paris-ban-single-use-plastic-2024-games

There can be 240,000 plastic particles in a litre bottle of water

There can be 240,000 plastic particles in a litre bottle of water

via New Scientist

recycle plasticA single 1-litre bottle of water could contain 240,000 microscopic plastic particles. The health implications of ingesting plastic are unclear, but early research suggests such particles could travel into various organs within the body.

Millions of tonnes of plastic are produced every year as a result of human activity, such as the fishing industry and domestic waste. Most of this is made up of microplastics, which measure between 1 micrometre and 5 millimetres across.

Read the full story here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2411329-there-can-be-240000-plastic-particles-in-a-litre-bottle-of-water/

A Strange Plastic Rock Has Ominously Invaded 5 Continents

A Strange Plastic Rock Has Ominously Invaded 5 Continents

via Popular Mechanics

plastic rockPlastics are now  infecting the Earth’s geology—so much that experts are now calling to formally recognize a new kind of sedimentary rock: plastistone. Deyi Hou, an associate professor at Tsinghua University in China, and his colleague Liuwei Wang recently wrote a paper about the emergence of this new plastic-rock fusion.

Read the full story here: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a46181945/plastistone-sedimentary-rock/

FDA Investigates Failure-Prone Plastic Syringes Made in China

FDA Investigates Failure-Prone Plastic Syringes Made in China

Plastic industry

via Plastics Today

Agency recommends avoiding use of plastic syringes manufactured in China as it evaluates quality issues resulting in leakage and breakage.

  • FDA has received information about quality issues associated with several China-based manufacturers of syringes
  • Manufacturers made changes to syringe dimensions, affecting performance and safety
  • BD syringes not affected as almost all are made in US

Read the full story here: https://www.plasticstoday.com/medical/fda-investigates-failure-prone-plastic-syringes-made-in-china

Countries meet in Kenya to thrash out global plastic pollution treaty

Countries meet in Kenya to thrash out global plastic pollution treaty

Government delegations will gather in Nairobi, Kenya, to hammer out details of what could be the first global treaty to tackle the plastic pollution crisis.

A key focus for the discussions on Monday will be whether targets to restrict plastic production should be decided unilaterally or whether states should choose their own targets; this is, say environmentalists, the “centre of gravity” for the treaty’s ambition.

Read the full story here: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/12/countries-meeting-nairobi-kenya-global-plastic-pollution-treaty

The Microplastic Crisis Is Getting Exponentially Worse

The Microplastic Crisis Is Getting Exponentially Worse

via Wired

plastic scrapNot even the Arctic Ocean is immune to the incessant growth of microplastic pollution. In a new study that analyzed sediment core samples, researchers quantified how many of the particles have been deposited since the early 1930s. As scientists have shown elsewhere, the team found that microplastic contamination in the Arctic has been growing exponentially and in lockstep with the growth of plastic production—which is now up to a trillion pounds a year, with the global amount of plastic waste projected to triple by 2060.

Read the full story here: https://www.wired.com/story/the-microplastic-crisis-is-getting-exponentially-worse/

Amazon might finally be cutting down on plastic waste

Amazon might finally be cutting down on plastic waste

via Popular Science

After years of criticism for its outsize use of plastic, the world’s largest retailer appears to be making progress to reduce its plastic footprint.

plastic waste

Amazon announced in its latest sustainability report on Tuesday that orders shipped from its fulfillment centers used 85,916 metric tons of single-use plastic in 2022—an 11.6 percent decrease from the amount used in 2021.

Read the full story here: https://www.popsci.com/environment/amazon-cut-down-plastic-waste/

The future of recycling could one day mean dissolving plastic with electricity

The future of recycling could one day mean dissolving plastic with electricity

via Phys.org

 

recycle plastic

Chemists at CU Boulder have developed a new way to recycle a common type of plastic found in soda bottles and other packaging. The team’s method relies on electricity and some nifty chemical reactions, and it’s simple enough that you can watch the plastic break apart in front of your eyes.

The researchers described their new approach to chemical recycling in the journal Chem Catalysis.

Read the full story here: https://phys.org/news/2023-07-future-recycling-day-dissolving-plastic.html