Plastic Production in Europe: Focus on Value, Not Volume
The new global geography of plastics opens up strategic opportunities for European producers: Europe is redefining its role in the global plastics market.
According to the latest report from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), Europe's share of global plastic production has fallen from 22% in 2006 to 14% in 2022, while Asia has reached 60% of global production. However, this transformation represents a strategic opportunity for European manufacturers to specialise in high value-added solutions.
A sector that is still vital and strategic
Despite the reduction in its global production share, the European plastics industry remains significant in terms of numbers:
• 58.8 million tonnes of total production in 2022
• €405 billion in total turnover for the sector
• 1.5 million jobs distributed across more than 52,000 companies
• €14.4 billion surplus in the trade balance
These figures confirm the vitality and strategic importance of the sector for the European economy, which is evolving towards a model based on innovation and sustainability rather than production volumes.
Technological innovation as a driver of growth
The JRC report highlights significant opportunities for technological development, particularly in the recycling sector.
While mechanical recycling already processes 38% of collected plastic waste, chemical recycling accounts for just 0.2% in packaging applications, indicating ample room for growth for innovative technologies.
The concentration of production in five key countries – Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain – which together account for over 50% of European production, is creating real hubs of innovation. In these centres, sustainable technologies find the ideal ecosystem to develop and scale rapidly.
The Italian value-added strategy
In this scenario of transformation, the winning strategy for European manufacturers is not to compete on volume with Asian manufacturers, but to focus on quality, innovation and sustainability. Our focus is on developing high-performance recyclable plastic films that meet the needs of a market increasingly attentive to the circular economy and that offer the same guarantees of protection and mechanical properties as well as high profitability.
We are very adept at developing solutions that closely consider the needs of each customer: customised and sustainable products that create value for the entire supply chain.
Towards a sustainable and competitive future
The transformation of the global plastics market is not a threat, but an opportunity to redefine Europe's role in the sector.
By focusing on innovation, sustainability and high value-added products, European industry can maintain its global competitiveness while contributing to the EU's circular economy objectives.
Source: Milios, L., García-Gutiérrez, P., Walker, A. M., et al. (2025). Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of the Circular Economy Transition in the EU Plastics Sector. JRC143075, Joint Research Centre, European Commission.