The plastics industry value chain can be divided into broad segments:

Raw material suppliers
(who supply the petrochemical and chemical feedstocks and additives)

Plastics producers
(who manufacture the different types of plastic resins)

Plastics compounders
(who prepare plastic formulations by mixing or/and blending polymers and additives into process ready pellets)

Plastics machinery manufacturers
(who manufacture the machinery used in the industry)

Plastics converters
(Who form the plastic resins and compounds into finished products)

Plastic product distributors/users
OEM manufacturers, retailers etc who put plastic products onto the market

Plastics end-of-life businesses
Waste management companies, recyclers and energy-from-waste operators

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