Raw Materials
The availability of raw materials and supplies is a primary consideration in locating
plastic manufacturers.
The amount of raw materials used may vary from company to company. An industry average
is more than 60 percent of total production costs.
These materials are comprised primarily of polymer building block chemicals (monomers),
catalysts and additives, many of which are produced in West Virginia.
More than 200 major plastics suppliers operate with West Virginia and immediate
surrounding states.
|
Raw Materials Required
|
Number of producers within 250 miles
|
|
Plastic resins consumed
in the form of granules, pellets, powders, liquids, etc.
|
50
|
|
Acrylates and methacrylates,
monomers
|
18
|
|
Vinyl chloride, monomer
|
8
|
|
Other cyclic crudes and
intermediates
|
42
|
|
Synthetic organic dyes,
pigments, lakes and toners
|
69
|
|
Phenol
|
1
|
|
Styrene
|
3
|
|
Alcohols, except ethyl
|
9
|
|
Ethylene
|
5
|
|
Propylene
|
1
|
|
Butadiene
|
2
|
|
Vinyl acetate, monomer
|
1
|
|
Formaldehyde
|
4
|
|
Total
|
213
|
Source: Dun and Bradstreet,
March 2006
Major Products
The plastic cluster consists of four
North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) groups.
Recycling is the common thread in the four NAICS groups of the plastic segment:
- plastic materials and resins (325211)
- specialty resins (325991)
- plastic recycling (562920)
- fabricated plastic (3261)
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