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Plastics Growth in California, US, and World

Growth in California

Employment

California's plastics industry totaled 137,600 in 1999, making the state the largest plastics employer in the nation. Plastics employment in California has increased 24 percent in five years.

Plastic Shipments

California totaled $24.2 billion in 1999, a 38-percent increase in five years, making it the second-largest state in terms of plastics industry shipments. There are currently 2,635 plastics facilities in California, making it the largest state in terms of number of plastics facilities

source: http://www.socplas.org/industry/California/CA.htm

Growth in the US

State Value of Shipments $US Billions & Percent Growth 1994-1999

Note: Links are to SPI website

               Value of Shipments   % Growth 
   STATE          $US Billions      1994-1999
1. Texas              31.5             29.1
2. California         24.2             39.2
3. Illinois           22.1             33.2
4. Michigan           21.3             35
4. Ohio               21.3             31
5. Pennsylvania       15.3             47.1
6. Indiana            12.6             26.2
7. New Jersey         12.1             16.5
8. New York           12.0             31
9. Georgia            11.0             34.1
10. North Carolina     9.7             39
11. Wisconsin          8.5             58.1
12. Massachusetts      8.3             19
13. Louisiana          7.8             73.3
14. Kentucky           7.3             31.3
15. Tennessee          6.5             20.4
16. Missouri           5.3             32.5
17. Florida            5.2             38
17. Minnesota          5.2             37 
18. South Carolina     5.0             16.3
19. Virginia           4.6             55
20. Connecticut        4.5             45.2
21. Iowa               3.3             32
22. Alabama            3.1             38
22. Arkansas           3.1             54.5

source: http://www.socplas.org/industry/shipment.htm

The World

International Job Growth

International trade continues to play an increasingly important role for the U.S. plastics industry. Exports in the U.S. plastics industry were responsible for 131,000 jobs in 1999, up 5.6 percent per year since 1992. Export jobs in the plastics industry are responsible for 15 percent of plastics industry employment.

Plastics Trade Surplus

The U.S. plastics industry had a $5.2 billion trade surplus in 1999. The strongest plastics export sector is plastics raw materials, which had a $6.1 billion surplus in 1999. Plastics products had a positive trade balance of $558 million, while molds and machinery had a deficit.

World Consumption of Selected Thermoplastics

Of the six major thermoplastic resins, 114 million metric tons were consumed worldwide in 1999. This is a 19.2 percent increase in consumption since 1996. The annual growth rate in resin consumption from 1989-1999 was 5.6 percent, compared to a world GDP growth rate of about 3 percent.

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