Exterior Automotive Plastics Market Report 2025

The exterior automotive plastics market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $12.7 billion in 2024 to $13.47 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to the industrialization of livestock farming, animal health and productivity, fluctuations in feed ingredient prices, globalization of livestock production, nutritional awareness, and regulatory support.

The exterior automotive plastics market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $17.38 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for aquaculture feed, alternative protein sources, biosecurity concerns, the impact of climate change, and growing demand for animal protein. Major trends in the forecast period include technological advancements in feed formulation, traceability and transparency, integration of digital technologies, innovations in feed additives, and sustainable sourcing.

Increasing demand from the automotive industry is expected to drive growth in the exterior automotive plastics market in the future. The automotive industry includes the sales and production of various vehicle types, such as passenger cars, hybrid vehicles, and motorcycles. Exterior automotive plastics are essential for manufacturing many vehicle components, including body panels, bumpers, grilles, mirrors, and trim. These plastics are often favored over traditional materials like steel or aluminum due to their lighter weight, durability, and resistance to corrosion. For example, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, a Belgium-based trade association, global motor vehicle production reached 85.4 million units in 2022, marking a 5.7% increase from 2021. Consequently, the growing demand from the automotive industry is fueling the expansion of the exterior automotive plastics market.

The expected growth in the exterior automotive plastics market is also anticipated to be influenced by the growing investments in the automotive industry. Investments in this sector involve the allocation of capital for purposes such as acquisition, development, and support activities related to design, production, distribution, and innovation within the automotive domain. Investments in exterior automotive plastics can contribute to the advancement and wider adoption of these materials in the industry. For instance, in 2022, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a US-based manufacturing company, reported a notable increase in investment within the US automotive manufacturing industry, rising from $32 billion in 2021 to $43 billion in 2022. Therefore, the substantial investment in the manufacturing sector acts as a catalyst for the growth of the exterior automotive plastics market.

The growing adoption of sustainable products is a significant trend gaining traction in the exterior automotive plastics market. Companies in this sector are increasingly integrating sustainable solutions to maintain their competitive edge. For example, in February 2024, AkzoNobel NV, a Netherlands-based provider of paints, coatings, and specialty chemicals, introduced a 2K solvent-borne primer in conductive and dark grey, specifically formulated for automotive OEM exterior plastic components, which often present adhesion challenges for clients. The low polarity of plastics like polypropylene results in low surface energy and insufficient adhesion, complicating the coating process for parts such as bumpers, rocker panels, and accent features.

Prominent companies in the exterior automotive plastics market are driving innovation by introducing advanced technological products such as nanocellulose fiber-reinforced plastics, offering sustainable solutions for the automotive industry. Nanocellulose fiber-reinforced plastics involve the use of nanocellulose as a reinforcing agent in polymer matrices to create high-performance biocomposites. For instance, in April 2022, Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., a Japan-based automotive manufacturing company, developed a cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-reinforced plastic to reduce CO2 emissions over the lifecycle of automotive components. This CNF-reinforced plastic integrates 20% CNF into a general-purpose plastic (polypropylene) used in various automobile interior and exterior components. Although the initial application presented challenges related to reduced impact resistance from CNF inclusion, ongoing developments aim to address this concern.

In October 2022, Aurora Plastics LLC, a US-based plastics fabrication company, completed a merger with Enviroplas Inc., a US-based exterior automotive plastics company, for an undisclosed amount. This strategic merger is poised to expand the product offerings of Aurora Plastics, providing clients with access to a broader selection of products. This collaboration reinforces their shared commitment to delivering exceptional quality and service in the exterior automotive plastics sector.

Major companies operating in the exterior automotive plastics market include Arkema S.A., BASF SE, Borealis AG, DuPont de Nemours Inc., Royal DSM N.V., Evonic Industries AG, ExxonMobil Corporation, Lanxess, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Convestro AG, Saudi Arabia's Basic Industries Corporation, Celanese Corporation, Salem Industrial Plastics, Lear Corporation, Magna International Inc., Trinseo S.A., Adient plc, Flex-N-Gate Corporation, Solvay S.A., Teijin Limited, DSM Engineering Plastics, LG Chem Ltd., Kuraray Co. Ltd., Toyoda Gosei Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited, Asahi Kasei Corporation, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Ravago Group, Plastic Omnium Group, Hanwha Advanced Materials Corp.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the exterior automotive plastics market in 2024. The regions covered in the exterior automotive plastics market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the exterior automotive plastics market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Exterior automotive plastics encompass a range of plastic materials utilized in the production of external components for diverse vehicles. These materials may comprise thermoplastic polymers, composites, bioplastics, or other plastic blends.

The primary categories of exterior automotive plastics consist of thermoplastic polymers, composites, and bioplastics. Polypropylene, a significant member of the polyolefin resin family, undergoes molding or extrusion to form a diverse array of plastic products that necessitate toughness, flexibility, lightweight properties, and heat resistance. Various vehicle types, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and others, utilize materials such as polyurethane, polycarbonate, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, and others. These materials find applications in various components such as bumpers and grills, roofs, lights, liftgates, and more.

The exterior automotive plastics market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides Exterior automotive plastics market statistics, including Exterior automotive plastics industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an Exterior automotive plastics market share, detailed Exterior automotive plastics market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the Exterior automotive plastics industry. This Exterior automotive plastics 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 exterior automotive plastics market consists of sales of body panels, and trims. 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.

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