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Plastics (PMR) Return to top
Overview Return to top
2006 2007* (estimated) 2008* (estimated)
Total Market Size 37,250 43,840 45,150
Total Local Production 34,530 40,420 41,400
Total Exports 8,360 10,100 10,650
Total Imports 11,080 13,520 14,400
Imports from the U.S. 359 440 470
Exchange rate: USD 1.00 0.8 0.7 0.7*
(Figures in USD millions: * estimated figures)
Source FIEV (French Plastics Industry Association)
The French plastics industry ranks second in Europe after Germany and fourth in the
world after the United States, Japan and Germany.
With 3,750 companies and a workforce of approximately 151,808, the French plastics
industry generated a turnover of USD 37,250 million in 2006. Turnover in plastics
processing increased by almost 3% in 2006, sustained by the market for tubes, pipes
and profiles, by packaging and by the construction industry. Since 2002, the turnover of
the industry continuously increased and an increase of 3% per year is estimated for
2007 and 2008.
At the end of the first half of 2007, preliminary estimates for plastic products production
indicate a rise of 2.5% in value compared to the first half of 2006. As with its European
counterparts, France’s industrial plastics processing companies faced rising costs,
especially for raw materials.
Production of technical parts decreased mainly due to the weakness of the automotive
market, whereas plastic products for the building and construction as well as for the
packaging markets increased by approximately 7% in 2006. This tendency is expected
to continue in the next few years.
In 2006, sales of processed plastics products was broken down as follows: technical
parts accounting for 36%, packaging for 24%, building products for 18% and semifinished
products for 16%.
The European Union (mainly Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium and Italy) is
the main trading partner of France with 75% of exports and 80% of imports.
Outside of Europe, the main non-EU suppliers of plastics products to France are China,
the U.S. and Switzerland. In 2006, the U.S. sold USD 359 million in plastic products to
France, (+ 7% compared with 2005), mostly technical parts worth USD 168 million, semifinished
products for USD 135 million, packaging USD 50 million and building products
2/15/2008 Country Commercial Guide for France 59
INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
© 2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES.