Washington, D.C. — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) Chief Economist, Dr. Perc Pineda, has released a new economic analysis examining how plastics manufacturing continues to drive value added and GDP growth in the U.S. economy.
“Each year, the Plastics Industry Association releases its Size and Impact Report, which, as the title implies, quantifies the size of the plastics industry and its economic impact,” writes Dr. Pineda. “In 2024, the report shows that the inflation-adjusted value added of plastics manufacturing increased by 2.0% from 1997 to 2024, while that of overall U.S. manufacturing decreased by 0.1% over the same period. This suggests that plastics manufacturing—the eighth-largest manufacturing sector in the U.S. economy based on the dollar value of shipments—continues to make a positive contribution to U.S. GDP.”
Click here to read the full analysis on the PLASTICS blog.
About the Plastics Industry Association
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) supports the entire plastics supply chain, including Equipment Suppliers, Material Suppliers, Processors, and Recyclers, representing over one million workers in our $551 billion U.S. industry. PLASTICS advances the priorities of our members who are dedicated to investing in technologies that improve capabilities and advances in recycling and sustainability and providing essential products that allow for the protection and safety of our lives. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members, and the eighth largest U.S. manufacturing industry, more globally competitive while supporting circularity through educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, convening opportunities and policy advocacy, including the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show.
