Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a colourless, water-soluble synthetic resin employed principally in the treating of textiles and paper.

PVA, a synthetic water-soluble polymer has been the key ingredient used in formulation process in various end-use industries. The key end-use industries include food packaging, construction, electronics, coatings, printing, textile, cosmetics, and paper. PVA is mainly driven by the demand from the food packaging industry, as it is a material with better water solubility, and biodegradable properties.

A thermoplastic (sometimes written as thermo plastic) is a type of plastic made from polymer resins that becomes a homogenized liquid when heated and hard when cooled. When frozen, however, a thermoplastic becomes glass-like and subject to fracture. These characteristics, which lend the material its name, are reversible. That is, it can be reheated, reshaped, and frozen repeatedly. This quality also makes thermoplastics recyclable.

Demand for polymer modified bitumen (PMB) was highest for road construction. Infrastructure development, particularly in emerging economies including China and India, is expected to drive demand.

Styrene polymer SEBS uses styrene as their core building block, and has favorable properties, such as better impact resistance, flow, stiffness, low-temperature, thermal stability, and durability. SEBS is now replacing PVC, due to its greater structural retention, dimensional integrity, and chemical compatibility. Moreover, SEBS, being phthalates free and environmental friendly, can replace PVC application in multiple industries.

The resins market has continued to exhibit signs of growth over the last several years. Multiple factors have contributed to this market’s expansion, including the global health of the coatings market as a whole. According to Sheryl Southwell, president of Specialty Polymers, increased residential and commercial construction activity is a major driver of growth both domestically and globally.

Global Petroleum Resins Market Information- by Resin Type (C5, C9, Hydrogenated Hydrocarbon, C5/C9), by Application (Adhesives, Paints & Coatings, Printing Inks), by End-Use (Construction, Automotive, Packaging, Personal Hygiene) – Forecast till 2023

TPEs offer the formulation freedom to match or exceed the properties of many thermoset offerings for healthcare devices and equipment. Advances in TPE compounding science have helped these versatile materials make significant inroads into a variety of healthcare sectors. The desirable combination of design freedom, system cost benefits, and improved performance characteristics is fueling strong growth of TPEs in a wide range of medical applications.

3M company’s 4076 Extended Wear Medical Tape has given medical device manufacturers and engineers a long-term wear adhesive solution designed to increase patient comfort and provide a strong and reliable bond in challenging applications.

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research "Styrenic Block Copolymers (SEBS, SBS, SIBS) Plastics Market for Medical Applications (Medical Bags, Tubing, Wound Care, Equipments, Packaging & Diagnostic Products) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast," the global SBC demand for medical and healthcare applications is expected to reach 177.1 kilo tons by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 5.4% for several years. In terms of revenues, the market is expected to reach USD 698.8 million in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 7.2% annually.

Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) and contact adhesives adhere to most surfaces with very slight pressure. They are available in solvent and latex or water-based forms. Pressure sensitive adhesives (PSA) and contact adhesives are often based on non-crosslinked rubber adhesives, acrylics or polyurethanes. Pressure sensitive adhesives form viscoelastic bonds that are aggressively and permanently tacky. They adhere with just finger or hand pressure and do not require activation by water, solvent or heat. Pressure sensitive adhesives are often based on non-crosslinked rubber adhesives in a latex emulsion or solvent-borne form.

Asia Pacific thermoplastic elastomers market size was USD 4.63 billion in 2014. The market is anticipated to witness significant growth over the next seven years owing to increasing automotive production in countries such as China, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Government policies to investment liberalization coupled with private players focusing on improving technologies are expected to fuel demand.