Turkish plastics

According to forecasts by the Turkish association PAGDER, representing the entire Turkish plastics industry, production of plastic products in 2012 should reach roughly 7.4 million tons. Looking ahead to 2015, this figure should exceed 9.5 million tons - 90% of which supply the Turkish domestic market - with a value of some 44 billion dollars.
Currently, 40% of the polymers are used to make packaging, 22% for products for the construction industry, 10% for electrical and electronic components, 6% for agricultural applications, 4% for automotive components, and 4% respectively for the garment and shoe industry. Overall domestic consumption of raw materials is estimated at 958 thousand tons in 2012, nearly 90% of which are imported.
In the first six months of 2012, Italian exports to Turkey of plastics and rubber processing machinery approached 46 million euros, as compared to 96 million for the entire year 2011. A significant portion of these sales (over 9 million euros) comprised extruders.
Local machinery production, after the peak of 296 million dollars recorded in 2011, is not expected to exceed 274 million dollars in 2012.