The eventful year 2020 is over
and it is time to look how 30 publicly listed material companies have performed.
The “Corona-Crash” hit
bottom in March 2020 (around 16-18th)and with it the S&P
500 Index dropped around 34%. Central
banks in the USA and EU reacted fast and flushed the markets with money to
stabilize the situation – with success!
The
S&P 500 Index recovered in a V-shape in a month and most stocks rose again.
Travel, leisure and oil kept a much slower recovery, since those sectors are
still heavily impacted by the Corona Pandemic.
Overall
materials performance
The
Vanguard Materials ETF, which tracks the performance of a benchmark index that
measures the investment return of stocks in the materials sector, closes with a
20% return in 2020.
30
material stock companies in detail
18
out of the 30 stocks could make gains for their shareholders (date of estimation:
02.01.2021).
This
year, we will see a growth in resin demand. However material companies still
feel the recession in the US and European markets. The plastics industry played
a key part in battling the Covid-19 crises by supplying resins for various
healthcare applications. This calmed the rage against plastics.
In
the long-term, the plastics industry counts with a yearly polyolefin market
growth of 3 to 4% per year, since the world population is growing and access to
clean water over the piping systems is in high demand, as well as medical care
products and electronics.
ASTM D7611: Resin Identification Codes (RICs) consisting
out of a equilateral triangle, Resin Identification Number, and abbreviated term
for polymeric material.
Example:
ISO 1043, ISO 1629 (rubber), ISO 18064 (TPE): Plastics –
Symbols and abbreviated terms:
Part 1:
Basic polymers and their special characteristics
ISO 1043 - Part 1: Abbreviated term and term of material (click for larger image).
Part 2:
Fillers and reinforcing materials
ISO 1043 - Part 2: Fillers and reinforcing materials (material)
ISO 1043 - Part 2: Fillers and reinforcing materials (form)
The tables below show an overview of the most common flame retardant classes, as well as the detailed codes. We can distinguish between halogen compounds, nitrogen compounds, halogen-free organophosphorus compounds,inorganic phosphorus compounds, metal oxides, Boron and zinc compounds, silicon compounds, and graphite.
ISO 1043- Part 4: overview of the most common flame retardant classes
ISO 1043 - Part 4: Flame retardant codes
Example:
ISO 29988-1:2019: sets up a designation system, a classification framework, and a basis for specifications for polyoxymethylene (POM) moulding and extrusion materials. It applies to homopolymers, copolymers, and polymer blends of POM supplied in powder, granule, or pellet forms, whether unmodified or modified with additives, fillers, or colorants.
ISO 24022-1:2020:Polystyrene (PS) plastic materials used in molding and extrusion.
ISO 16396-1:2022: Provides a designation system and data-block format for polyamide (PA) moulding and extrusion materials.
ISO 24026-1:2020: is an international standard that sets a designation system for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) plastic materials, superseding older standards like ISO 8257-1.
ISO 24025-1:2020: is an international standard that sets up a designation system and basis for specifications for sulfone polymer moulding and extrusion materials.
ISO 3672-1:2001: is an international standard that specifies a designation system for unsaturated-polyester resins (UP-R).
ISO 15023-1:2017: is an international standard that provides a designation system and basis for specifications for poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVAL) materials.
ISO 17855-1:2014: is a system of designation for polyethylene thermoplastic material, which may be used as the basis for specifications.
ISO 19069-1:2015: is an international standard that establishes a designation system and basis for specifications for polypropylene (PP) moulding and extrusion materials. It differentiates types of plastics based on tensile modulus of elasticity, impact strength, and melt mass-flow rate (MFR).
ISO 19062-1:2015: is an international standard that sets up a designation system and basis for specifications for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) molding and extrusion materials.
ISO 19065-1:2015: sets a designation system, classification basis, and material specifications for specific thermoplastic molding and extrusion compounds.
ISO 20028-1:2019: a designation system and specifications for thermoplastic polyester (TP) moulding and extrusion materials, including PET, PBT, and PEN in various forms.
ISO 19374:2026: designation system of recycled carbon fibres.
ISO 20523:2017: specifies classification, designations and short names for carbon based films.
Overview Plastic Part Marking for POM, PS, PA, PMMA, Polysulfones, PVAL, PP, ABS, UP-R, PE, and Thermoplastic Polyester.
Examples of often found part marking codes on plastic parts
In this blog post I highlight examples of often found part marking codes on plastic parts and their meaning using the standard ISO 1043.
ISO 16396-1:2022 (prev. ISO 1874) [2]: Polyamide moulding and extrusion materials
Another part marking standard is the ISO 16396 which was introduced particularly for Polyamides used in injection moulding and extrusion (PA 6, PA 66, PA 69, PA 610, PA 612, PA 11, PA 12, PA MXD6, PA 46, PA 1212, PA 4T, PA 6T and PA 9T and copolyamides of various compositions for moulding and extrusion).
The designation consists out of five data blocks:
-Data block 1: identification of the plastic by its abbreviated term (PA), and information about the chemical structure and composition
-Data block 2: position 1: Intended application and/or method of processing; positions 2 to 8: Important properties, additives and supplementary information
-Data block 3: designatory properties
-Data block 4: fillers or reinforcing materials and their nominal content
-Data block 5: contains additional information which may be added if needed
Example: PA6T/66 MH, 14-190, GF50
PA6T/66: Polyamide 6T which is a homopolymer based on terephthalic acid and Polyamide 66 which is based on hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid.
M: injection moulding; H: heat ageing stabilized
14-190: viscosity number (in ml/g) > 130 but below 150; 190: tensile modulus of elasticity between 17000 MPa and 20000 MPa
Example: ISO 29988 for POM
There is the ISO 1043 and ISO 11469, why POM has its own ISO standard ? [Community question]
ISO 29988 which is based on ISO 1043 and ISO 11469 are foundational standards for identifying and marking plastic products broadly. In contrast, ISO 29988 is a strict material specification and designation system tailored specifically to Polyoxymethylene (POM), enabling manufacturers to precisely classify, buy, and trade POM grades by their specific properties.The reason for this distinction comes down to the different goals of these standards:
1. ISO 1043: Generic Symbols and Terms
Purpose: Provides a universal dictionary of abbreviations (like "POM") and symbols for polymers and fillers.
Connection to ISO 29988: ISO 29988 relies on ISO 1043 to establish the base name. For example, it utilizes ISO 1043’s convention of using "POM-H" for homopolymers and "POM-K" for copolymers.
2. ISO 11469: Generic Marking of Parts
Purpose: Defines the rules for physically stamping or molding a recycling code onto a plastic part (e.g., >POM-H< ).
Connection to ISO 29988: ISO 11469 dictates how you mark the part, but ISO 29988 tells you exactly which material properties your specific POM grade possesses.
3. ISO 29988: Material Designation and Specifications
Purpose: Creates a structured "line code" (data blocks) to designate specific parameters of POM.
Why it needs its own standard: POM has unique crystalline and chemical properties that require specialized classification. ISO 29988 groups raw, extruded, and molded POM based on parameters crucial to engineers, including:Melt mass-flow rate (MFR) or melt volume-flow rate (MVR).Tensile modulus.Specific processing methods (e.g., injection molding, blow molding).Specific additives (e.g., wear-resistant properties, UV stabilization).
POM example conclusion:
Taking ISO 29988 as an example, Data Block 1 (polymer identification) and Data Block 2 (fillers, reinforcements, and related symbols) appear to correspond to information that is already defined in ISO 1043 and ISO 11469. The remaining data blocks then introduce the material-specific classification, such as method of processing, melt flow rate (MFR/MVR), tensile modulus, additives, and other POM-specific properties.
In short, ISO 1043 and 11469 answer the basic questions of "What plastic is this?" and "How do I label this part?". ISO 29988 answers the engineer’s question of "Which exact grade of POM is this, and what are its physical properties?"
Special case - EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) starting August 2026
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) mandates harmonized marking and traceability codes on all packaging placed on the European market. This system standardizes waste sorting, ensures material composition traceability, and introduces strict documentation requirements.
The PPWR establishes three main categories of marking codes:
1. Material Identification & Sortability Labels: To assist consumers and waste facilities, packaging must clearly display codes that identify the material and the correct disposal stream:
Material Identification Codes: Standardized abbreviation systems and numeric codes (e.g., PAP for paper, PET for plastics, GL for glass) will become mandatory. These markings build upon established systems like Decision 97/129/EC. These codes ensure that automatic sorting facilities (such as Near-Infrared spectroscopy systems) and consumers can identify exact polymer compositions.
The mandatory alphanumeric codes for specific plastic materials include:
Overview of mandatory alphanumeric codes for specific plastic materials (PPWR) [3].
Waste Sorting Labels: Standardized, harmonized pictograms and color codes guide users on which waste bin to use.
2. Traceability & Identity Markings: To ensure packaging can be traced directly to its manufacturer or importer, the regulation requires specific identification details to be affixed to each sales, repackaging, and transport package:
Type, Batch, or Serial Numbers: A unique code that corresponds directly to the packaging's EU Declaration of Conformity.
Manufacturer Information: The name, registered trade name or brand, and postal address of the manufacturer must be printed on the packaging. For imported goods, the EU-based importer is responsible for including their contact details.
3. Reuse & Recyclability Markings: For packaging that is part of a formal reuse system, the PPWR mandates specific reuse markings to inform the end user. Additionally, labels indicating recycled content and bio-based plastics must be evidence-based and accurate.
Important Rules for Plastics Under the PPWR [4,5]
How They Must Appear: Labels must combine both the number and uppercase text (e.g., 01 PET or PET 01). The layout will eventually be tied to a harmonized EU sorting pictogram and color-coding framework.
Complex Multi-Layer Plastics: If a package uses a combination of multiple plastics (e.g., LDPE and PP laminated together), it falls under Code 07 or specific composite code ranges, and manufacturers often use syntax like >LDPE+PP< to denote the exact blend.
Timeline Constraint: While the PPWR structure became active in August 2026, the fully harmonized, mandatory on-pack visual labels for consumer material sorting across the EU are scheduled to take full effect on August 12, 2028.
Summary of standards:
In terms of plastic part design for recycling, part marking codes play an important role as well. I have summarized some key point in this post here.
More examples of part marking codes for different plastics compounds can be found here and for PolyArylAmides here.
Miniguide "Plastic part marking"
Supporting this topic, I made a miniguide which can be downloaded below.
In this rule of thumb, we discuss the importance of melt
uniformity in injection moulding.
In a previous rule of thumb, we showed that there is a
20% variation in viscosity due to the intrinsic polymer structure (here thefull post). Additionally, non-molten plastic pellets and non-uniformity of melt
can cause several more problems in the final part.
Here are some of the problems related to improperly
molten resin pellets:
1. Decrease
in part performance and increase in part failures
2. Increase
of part warpage issues
3. Shot-by-shot
filling not uniform, combined with short shots
4. Decrease
in weld-line strength
5. Black
specs caused by material degradation (dead spots)
There are several ways to improve the melt uniformity in injection moulding: changing
the injection moulding screw, the use of in-situ monitoring devices such as
ultrasonic-based systems, and the processing conditions itself (temperatures, pressures).
General purpose is no purpose and why screw design
matters
Let us focus on the change of injection moulding screw. Most
moulding machines have a three section screw consisting out of solid conveying,
compression, and metering zone. It is commonly referred to as General Purpose (GP)
screw. And there it starts the challenge. Often people say that the general purpose
screw is a no-purpose screw. Following the pellet melting model of a GP screw, it can happen that not all pellets
are melted up. This can cause solid-bed break ups, which in turn decrease the
overall mixing quality. Furthermore, material degradation and black specs can
occur.
However, there are alternatives and all the major injection
moulding machine manufacturers put a lot of focus and resources into developing
improved screws. A well-known example is the barrier-screw, which allows the formation of a more
homogeneous melt. Also, there is no need of having mixing elements anymore. Barrier
screws are double flighted screws and they allow the pinpointing of the location
where melting is completed. The aim is to separate the melt from the solid
polymer by using a smaller diameter on one of the screw flights. Allover, plasticizing
is easier; however it is not suitable for all polymers.
In conclusion, using special screws in injection moulding
operations can lead to a reduction of melt temperatures, reduction of backpressure,
removal of coloring problems due to non-melted pellets, reduction of screw cleaning
operations and reduction of cycle times. Due to the aforementioned advantages, specialized
screws pay off already within several months.
