Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable and bioactive thermoplastic polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch, sugarcane and others. PLA is a crucial material in the bioplastics industry, providing an eco-friendly alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. It is widely used across various industries due to its compostable nature and versatility in applications ranging from packaging to textiles.
The polylactic acid market consists of sales, by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships), of polylactic acid that refers to a thermoplastic derived from renewable resources and produced through the condensation of lactic acid molecules, making it a bioplastic that is environmentally friendly.
The global polylactic acid market was valued at $586.15 million in 2018 which grew till 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 14.0%.
Growing Consumer Awareness About The Environmental Impact Of Plastics
Growing consumer awareness about the environmental impact of plastics significantly drove the polylactic acid (PLA) market during the historic period. As consumers became more informed about the detrimental effects of traditional petroleum-based plastics on the environment, including issues like plastic pollution, marine litter and the long degradation time of conventional plastics, there was an increasing demand for sustainable alternatives. PLA, being a biodegradable and compostable bioplastic derived from renewable resources like corn starch or sugarcane, emerged as an attractive solution. This shift in consumer preferences prompted manufacturers, brands and retailers to adopt PLA in their products and packaging to align with the growing demand for eco-friendly and sustainable materials. For instance, according to an article by the United Nations, a global study conducted in 2019 revealed that 82% of participants are conscious of plastic waste and are actively taking steps to address plastic pollution. This indicates that consumers are concerned and desire change. Therefore, the growing consumer awareness about the environmental impact of plastics supported the growth of the polylactic acid market.
Growing Investments To Support Expansion Of PLA Production
Companies in the polylactic acid market are focusing on increasing their investments to expand their product portfolio and drive revenues. For example, in February 2024, BCML, an India-based ethyl alcohol manufacturing company, announced an INR 20,000 million ($250 million) investment to establish India's first industrial bioplastic plant, which will produce 75,000 tons of PLA annually. The plant will be located adjacent to one of BCML's existing sugar plants, leveraging local infrastructure and resources like sugar and bagasse for energy. Further, in September 2021, NatureWorks LLC, a US-based chemical manufacturing company, announced a substantial investment of USD 600 million to build a new, fully integrated PLA (Polylactic Acid) manufacturing facility in Thailand. The primary goal of this investment is to significantly boost NatureWorks' annual PLA production capacity by 75,000 tons, specifically for its Ingeo PLA grade, which is known for its low-carbon footprint and sustainability. NatureWorks' investment in the new PLA manufacturing facility in Thailand underscores its commitment to expanding the availability of sustainable biomaterials. By increasing its production capacity and integrating the entire production process, NatureWorks aims to meet the growing demand for eco-friendly alternatives to conventional plastics, thereby supporting a more sustainable future.
The global polylactic acid market is highly concentrated, with large players operating in the market. The top ten competitors in the market made up to 60.1% of the total market in 2022.
Polylactic Acid Global Market Opportunities And Strategies To 2033 from The Business Research Company provides the strategists; marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the global polylactic acid market as it emerges from the COVID-19 shut down.
Reasons to Purchase
- Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 15 geographies.
- Understand how the market is being affected by the coronavirus and how it is likely to emerge and grow as the impact of the virus abates.
- Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis.
- Identify growth segments for investment.
- Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market.
- Understand customers based on the latest market research findings.
- Benchmark performance against key competitors.
- Utilize the relationships between key data sets for superior strategizing.
- Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high-quality data and analysis.
Where is the largest and fastest-growing market for polylactic acid? How does the market relate to the overall economy; demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The polylactic acid 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; competitive landscape; market shares; trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's history and forecasts market growth by geography. It places the market within the context of the wider polylactic acid market; and compares it with other markets.
The report covers the following chapters
- Introduction and Market Characteristics- Brief introduction to the segmentations covered in the market, definitions and explanations about the segment by type, by raw material, by form and by application.
- Key Trends- Highlights the major trends shaping the global market. This section also highlights likely future developments in the market.
- Macro-Economic Scenario- The report provides an analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, impact of the Russia-Ukraine war and impact of rising inflation on global and regional markets, providing strategic insights for businesses in the polylactic acid market.
- Global Market Size And Growth- Global historic (2018-2023) and forecast (2023-2028, 2033F) market values and drivers and restraints that support and control the growth of the market in the historic and forecast periods.
- Regional And Country Analysis- Historic (2018-2023) and forecast (2023-2028, 2033F) market values and growth and market share comparison by region and country.
- Market Segmentation- Contains the market values (2018-2023) (2023-2028, 2033F) and analysis for each segment by type, by raw material, by form and by application in the market. Historic (2018-2023) and forecast (2023-2028) and (2028-2033) market values and growth and market share comparison by region market.
- Regional Market Size and Growth- Regional market size (2023), historic (2018-2023) and forecast (2023-2028, 2033F) market values and growth and market share comparison of countries within the region. This report includes information on all the regions Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa and major countries within each region.
- Competitive Landscape- Details on the competitive landscape of the market, estimated market shares and company profiles of the leading players.
- Competitive Benchmarking- Briefs on the financials comparison between major players in the market.
- Competitive Dashboard- Briefs on competitive dashboard of major players.
- Key Mergers and Acquisitions- Information on recent mergers and acquisitions in the market is covered in the report. This section gives key financial details of mergers and acquisitions which have shaped the market in recent years.
- Market Opportunities And Strategies- Describes market opportunities and strategies based on findings of the research, with information on growth opportunities across countries, segments and strategies to be followed in those markets.
- Conclusions And Recommendations- This section includes recommendations for polylactic acid providers in terms of product/service offerings geographic expansion, marketing strategies and target groups.
- Appendix- This section includes details on the NAICS codes covered, abbreviations and currencies codes used in this report.
Markets Covered:
- 1) By Type: PLLA (Poly-L-Lactic Acid); PDLA (Poly-D-Lactic Acid); PDLLA (Poly-DL-Lactic Acid)
- 2) By Raw Material: Corn Starch; Sugarcane And Sugar Beet; Cassava; Other Raw Materials
- 3) By Form: Films And Sheets; Coatings; Fiber; Other Forms
- 4) By Application: Packaging; Agriculture; Transport; Electronics; Textiles; Other Applications
- Companies Mentioned: TotalEnergies Corbion; Toray Industries Inc.; BASF SE; Mitsubishi Group; TEIJIN LIMITED
- Countries: China; Australia; India; Indonesia; Japan; South Korea; USA; Canada; Brazil; France; Germany; Italy; Spain; UK; Russia
- Regions: Asia-Pacific; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
- Time-series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
- Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets; GDP proportions; expenditure per capita; polylactic acid indicators comparison.
- Data segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data; market share of competitors; market segments.
- Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.