MEXICO
Extension of petrochemical industry / Production and consumption of plastics increased / Low capacity utilisation
With a surface of about 2m km2 and approximately 83m inhabitants, Mexico is the largest and most populous country of Central America and has large deposits of natural resources. The country, however, is suffering from the sharp devaluation of the Mexican Peso and the extreme increase in population.
Although Mexico, in 1960, only had 35m inhabitants, this number will have been tripled by the end of the millenium.
In addition to coal and ore deposits (iron, zinc, copper and silver), Mexico has rich oil and natural gas fields in the Gulf coast region. Most of the primary commodity industries were put under government control many years ago. Recently, the extension of a domestic petrochemical industry was intensified. According to investigations carried out by the Mexican Institution of the Plastics Industry (Instituto Mexicano del Plastico Industrial), an overall amount of 1.7m t of plastics was produced in 1994 in Mexico, about 1.3m t of which were standard goods, such as PVC, PE, PP and PS. This means an increase of 7% compared to the previous year, while production of thermoplastic elastomers and technical plastics decreased. Capacities installed in this Central American country during the past few years amount to a total of 2.25m t and are thus much higher than the actual output. In 1994, about 320,000 t were exported by the polymeric domestic production, mainly to the USA and into Southern American states. At the same time, almost 660,000 t of plastics were imported in the previous year. Consumption, at 2,044m t, was well above domestic production. Almost 1.5m t of commodities alone were processed. Per capita consumption of plastics, at 22 kg per annum, is comparatively high. It corresponds approximately to the level of other South American states, such as Chile, but is still far below the consumption of the USA (113 kg) or of Germany (117 kg).
In addition to the production of thermoplastics, elastomers or duroplastics, there is also a manufacturing branch for synthetic caoutchouc in Mexico. Here, output in 1994 amounted to 137,000 t, which means that the capacity of 141,000 t was more or less utilised. About 45,000 t of this were exported, the biggest portion, however, was processed within domestic industry.
READER SERVICE: Detailed plastics statistics Mexico 1989-1994: PIE-No. 37365.
Although Mexico, in 1960, only had 35m inhabitants, this number will have been tripled by the end of the millenium.
In addition to coal and ore deposits (iron, zinc, copper and silver), Mexico has rich oil and natural gas fields in the Gulf coast region. Most of the primary commodity industries were put under government control many years ago. Recently, the extension of a domestic petrochemical industry was intensified. According to investigations carried out by the Mexican Institution of the Plastics Industry (Instituto Mexicano del Plastico Industrial), an overall amount of 1.7m t of plastics was produced in 1994 in Mexico, about 1.3m t of which were standard goods, such as PVC, PE, PP and PS. This means an increase of 7% compared to the previous year, while production of thermoplastic elastomers and technical plastics decreased. Capacities installed in this Central American country during the past few years amount to a total of 2.25m t and are thus much higher than the actual output. In 1994, about 320,000 t were exported by the polymeric domestic production, mainly to the USA and into Southern American states. At the same time, almost 660,000 t of plastics were imported in the previous year. Consumption, at 2,044m t, was well above domestic production. Almost 1.5m t of commodities alone were processed. Per capita consumption of plastics, at 22 kg per annum, is comparatively high. It corresponds approximately to the level of other South American states, such as Chile, but is still far below the consumption of the USA (113 kg) or of Germany (117 kg).
In addition to the production of thermoplastics, elastomers or duroplastics, there is also a manufacturing branch for synthetic caoutchouc in Mexico. Here, output in 1994 amounted to 137,000 t, which means that the capacity of 141,000 t was more or less utilised. About 45,000 t of this were exported, the biggest portion, however, was processed within domestic industry.
READER SERVICE: Detailed plastics statistics Mexico 1989-1994: PIE-No. 37365.
15.09.1995 Plasteurope.com [20562]
Published on 15.09.1995