Dublin, July 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Mexico Plastic Industry Research Report 2024-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.The demand for cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages has been a key driver of the plastic industry's sustained growth in Mexico, with the market size reaching approximately USD 28.7 billion in 2023. Since 2018, Mexico's plastic industry has shown continuous growth, driven primarily by the packaging sector, especially food and electrical appliance packaging. According to the publisher, the plastic packaging industry constitutes over 50% of Mexico's plastic industry market size, contributing more than 1% to the national GDP. This sector has demonstrated significant resilience against market disruptions.The increasing use of plastics in automobiles is another significant growth driver for Mexico's plastic industry. Efforts to reduce vehicle weight for better fuel efficiency heavily rely on plastic components. High-performance thermoset plastics help absorb impact, making cars safer and more durable. Additionally, electric vehicle manufacturers are exploring the use of plastic battery housings to offset battery weight and reduce fire risks. Consequently, the demand for plastic parts in automotive applications is growing.Mexico has a long history as a significant player in the automotive manufacturing industry. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which took effect on July 1, 2020, stipulates that vehicles produced with at least 75% of components from the US, Mexico, or Canada can be sold tariff-free, up from the 62.5% required by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This agreement aims to further stimulate automotive production in North America.

iMoulder has been a hit with users, pulling in 4.5 stars on Apple, with six reviews, and 4.8 stars on Android from 56 reviewers, with 49 giving it a full five stars. Apart from some suggestions, users offered up glowing comments, ranging from "use it almost every day" to "I love this app, thank you."

Estimates of the total number of applications for Android and Apple vary, with some pegging Apple with more than 1 million apps in its App Store, while others estimate 775,000 for Apple and 800,000 for Android, but in any case, both now have injection molding programs mixed in among the Angry Birds and Words with Friends.

Key Topics Covered: 1. Overview of Mexico1.1 Geography1.2 Demographics of Mexico1.3 Economic of Mexico1.4. Minimum Wage in Mexico, 2015-20241.5. Impact of COVID-19 on Mexico' Plastics Industry2. Development Environment of the Plastics Industry in Mexico2.1. History of the Plastics Industry in Mexico2.2. Categories of Plastics in Mexico2.3. Policies for the Plastics Industry in Mexico3. Supply and Demand of the Plastics Industry in Mexico3.1. Supply of the Plastics Industry in Mexico3.1.1. Production Capacity3.1.2. Production Volume3.2. Demand of the Plastics Industry in Mexico3.2.1. Demand Volume3.2.2. Market Size4. Import and Export of the Plastics Industry in Mexico4.1. Import of the Plastics Industry in Mexico4.1.1. Import Volume and Value of Plastics in Mexico4.1.2. Main Suppliers of Plastics Imports in Mexico4.2. Export of the Plastics Industry in Mexico4.2.1. Export Volume and Value of Plastics in Mexico4.2.2. Main Destinations of Plastics Exports in Mexico5. Market Competition of Mexico's Plastics Industry5.1. Barriers to Entry in Mexico's Plastics Industry5.1.1. Brand Barriers5.1.2. Quality Barriers5.1.3. Capital Barriers5.2. Competitive Structure of Mexico's Plastics Industry5.2.1. Bargaining Power of Plastics Suppliers5.2.2. Bargaining Power of Consumers5.2.3. Competitive Landscape of Mexico's Plastics Industry5.2.4. Potential Entrants in the Plastics Industry5.2.5. Substitutes for Plastics Products6. Analysis of Major Plastics Brands in Mexico6.1. Alpek6.1.1. History of Alpek6.1.2. Main Products of Alpek6.1.3. Operating Model of Alpek6.2. Braskem Idesa6.3. Amcor plc6.4. Mondi Group6.5. Winpak Ltd.6.6. AptarGroup Inc.7. Outlook for Mexico's Plastics Industry (2024-2033)7.1. Development Factors of Mexico's Plastics Industry7.1.1. Drivers and Opportunities of the Plastics Industry in Mexico7.1.2. Threats and Challenges facing the Plastics Industry in Mexico7.2. Market Supply Forecast for the Plastics Industry in Mexico7.3. Market Demand Forecast for the Plastics Industry in Mexico7.4. Import and Export Forecast for the Plastics Industry in Mexico

iMoulder app serves up mobile injection molding expertiseKeith Hague, director of Imtech Design Ltd., a U.K.-based Moldflow Gold Certified injection molding consultancy, created the iMoulder app in 2010, with versions for Apple and Android. Described as a "Plastic injection molding trouble shooter and materials guide," the app has three main areas:

"An update for iMoulder is currently in the planning stage it will include a new user interface, a expanded material library and updates to the trade name and suppliers database," Hague said. User feedback is guiding some other potential changes, including:

Slide rule no moreEngel, which had supplied customers with a slide rule for quick calculations, now has an app performing much the same function but in a decidedly more mobile format. The Austrian supplier of injection molding machines and automation said in a release that its e-calc app contains materials data for typical thermoplastics, including thickness factors, temperature conductivities, de-molding temperatures, permissible peripheral screw speeds, enthalpy values, and guidelines for processing loss.

"We see great potential for our customer service, and in the long term for our training departments, in app technology," Wolfgang Degwerth, head of the customer service division at Engel Austria said in a release. "Thanks to e-calc, we have again simplified communication between Engel and our customers, and are now entering a totally new service era."

"The main concept behind iMoulder was that the app should contain all the information on the device and not rely on internet coverage so the user can access information equally well standing next to a molding machine on the shop floor or back at the office," Hague said.

Estimates of the total number of applications for Android and Apple vary, with some pegging Apple with more than 1 million apps in its App Store, while others estimate 775,000 for Apple and 800,000 for Android, but in any case, both now have injection molding programs mixed in among the Angry Birds and Words with Friends.

Beyond machine setup calculations, Engel envisions e-calc as a new extension of its existing customer service and training offerings.

Hague told PlasticsToday that several material and hot runner suppliers have told him iMoulder is now standard field kit for their tech service engineers, which makes sense given its all-the-time accessibility.

e-calc app is available for Android smartphones in German and English, with versions for iOS and Windows Phone under development.

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The analysis shows that in 2023, Mexico produced 3.78 million vehicles, making it the sixth-largest automobile manufacturing nation and the fourth-largest parts producer globally. Nearly all major automotive OEMs have factories in Mexico. Injection molding companies, carbon fiber producers, and other plastic suppliers operating in Mexico can benefit from this manufacturing hub by reducing time to market and transportation costs while strengthening partnerships, all of which support the growth of Mexico's plastic industry.The global medical device industry's anticipated substantial growth also boosts the demand for plastic medical devices. According to the publisher, Mexico has long been a low-cost center for manufacturing and assembling medical devices. The need for shorter delivery times has led many medical device companies to relocate production to Mexico.

At the same time, Hague said his wife, who is a children's author, had begun looking at eBook platforms and he seized on the potential for an electronic version of this trouble shooting guide. Hague estimated that there have been 40,000 downloads since the app's June 2011 launch, with 1000-1200 new users added every month, split evenly between Android and Apple.

With the acceleration of global industry relocation, Mexico, supported by the North American Free Trade Agreement, access to cheap labor, a well-established industrial chain, and manufacturing centers, is set to attract increasing foreign direct investment. In 2023, Mexico's FDI hit a record high of USD 36.058 billion, up 27% from the previous year, with 50% of the investment concentrated in manufacturing sectors, including transportation equipment, beverages, and metals.Mexico's packaging industry is striving to develop compostable materials and improve the infrastructure needed for higher recycling rates, receiving strong support from the government and related associations. According to the Mexico New Plastic Economy National Agreement, organizations commit to collecting, recycling, or manufacturing 80% of PET and 45% of packaging plastics by 2030.The publisher predicts that the ongoing population growth and the development of Mexico's manufacturing sector will continue to drive the growth of the plastic industry market. By 2033, the market size of Mexico's plastic industry is expected to reach USD 49.1 billion, with a CAGR of 5.5% from 2024 to 2033.Topics covered:

Hague told PlasticsToday the iMoulder's genesis dates back nearly a decade. "About 10 years ago I developed a simple injection molding process condition chart for a range of common materials, and this was well received by my customers," Hague said. "In the plastic consulting business, we get asked similar questions over and over from different customers, so I decided to put together a simple trouble shooting guide but was struggling to work out how to publish it and keep it pocket sized."