PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1927123
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1927123
Polycarbonate, a transparent thermoplastic polymer featuring carbonate functional groups, is renowned for its remarkable strength and impact resistance. Originating from bisphenol A (BPA) and phosgene, it serves as a lightweight and durable alternative to glass, owing to its high clarity and resistance to shattering.
Polycarbonates are available in various forms, including foil, strips, sheets, film, plates, tubes, fibers, and others. The general-purpose grade represents a standard formulation that strikes a balance among properties, offering good impact resistance, transparency, and dimensional stability. This versatility makes it suitable for application in diverse industries. The processing technologies involved encompass injection molding and extrusion. Different grades, such as general-purpose grade, flame retardant grade, PC alloyed grade, medical grade, food grade, among others, find application in various industries such as transportation, electrical and electronics, construction, packaging, consumer goods, optical media, medical devices, and more.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are impacting the polycarbonate market by increasing costs of imported bisphenol A, specialty additives, extrusion machinery, and molding equipment. Manufacturers in North America and Europe are most affected due to reliance on imported raw materials, while Asia-Pacific faces pricing pressure on export-oriented polycarbonate products. These tariffs are raising production costs and affecting downstream pricing. However, they are also encouraging domestic resin production, regional compounding facilities, and innovation in recycled polycarbonate grades.
The polycarbonate market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides polycarbonate market statistics, including polycarbonate industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a polycarbonate market share, detailed polycarbonate market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the polycarbonate industry. This polycarbonate market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The polycarbonate market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $24.08 billion in 2025 to $25.32 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of construction and infrastructure projects, rising demand for durable plastic materials, expansion of electronics manufacturing, increasing use of polycarbonate in glazing applications, availability of injection molding technologies.
The polycarbonate market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $31.61 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing adoption of electric vehicles, rising demand for sustainable building materials, expansion of high-performance plastic applications, growing focus on circular plastics economy, increasing investments in advanced polymer processing. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing use of lightweight and impact-resistant materials, rising adoption in automotive and transportation applications, growing demand for transparent engineering plastics, expansion of flame-retardant polycarbonate grades, enhanced focus on recyclable plastic solutions.
The rising demand for electric vehicles is expected to boost the growth of the polycarbonate market going forward. An electric vehicle (EV) is powered by one or more electric motors using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or other energy storage devices. Polycarbonate is commonly used in electric vehicles due to its lightweight, high-impact resistance, and optical clarity, providing enhanced safety, improved energy efficiency, and design flexibility. For instance, in April 2024, according to the International Energy Agency, a France-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, in 2023, global electric car registrations surged to nearly 14 million, marking a 35% increase from 2022 and bringing the total electric vehicles on the road to 40 million, a significant rise from just 5% market penetration five years earlier. Therefore, rising demand for electric vehicles is driving the growth of the polycarbonate market.
Major companies operating in the polycarbonate market are focused on innovative solutions to meet demand and sustain their market position. For instance, in May 2023, Essentium Inc., a US-based chemical manufacturing company, launched Essentium Altitude, the first polycarbonate material to withstand extreme cold temperatures, up to -60°C. This innovation allows manufacturers to produce parts that resist freezing temperatures, reduce costs, minimize waste, and simplify supply chains. Essentium Altitude is designed for extreme cold, UV exposure, and fire resistance, establishing a new benchmark for high-performance components in aerospace, automotive, cold storage, maintenance, and construction sectors.
In June 2023, ROHM Co., Ltd., a Germany-based manufacturer of PMMA products, acquired the Functional Forms business unit from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition enables ROHM to position itself as a global leader in high-quality transparent films and sheets, strengthening its foothold in the polycarbonate sector and enhancing its product range. As a result, ROHM will benefit from improved technical expertise and a wider customer base in rapidly growing markets like automotive and construction. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) is a chemical manufacturing company based in Saudi Arabia, involved in the development of polycarbonate sheets and films.
Major companies operating in the polycarbonate market are Covestro AG, SABIC, Teijin Limited, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, LG Chem, Chi Mei Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan, Trinseo, Formosa Chemicals, Asahi Kasei, Lotte Chemical, Samyang Corporation, Toray Industries, Kaneka Corporation, Saudi Kayan, INEOS Styrolution, RTP Company, Sumitomo Chemical, Wanhua Chemical Group, Sinopec Group
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the polycarbonate market in 2025. North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the polycarbonate market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa
The countries covered in the polycarbonate market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain
The polycarbonate market consists of sales of clear polycarbonate, abrasion-resistant polycarbonate, mirrored polycarbonate, anti-static polycarbonate, and more. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Polycarbonate Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses polycarbonate market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for polycarbonate ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The polycarbonate market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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