Polybutylene Succinate Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Innovation in catalytic production technologies: The American Chemical Society reports that biobased succinic acid and butanediol catalytic polymerization processes have improved the production of PBS by nearly 21%. Companies utilizing these more advanced pathways have reported lower energy usage and emissions with higher yield, making PBS competitive with petrochemical plastics, while striving for collective sustainable goals in chemical production.

• Expansion of chemical recycling infrastructure: The increasing development and acceptance of chemical recycling for biopolymers is furthering circularity and attractiveness in the polybutylene succinate market. For example, companies in Europe are establishing investment opportunities specifically for depolymerization and catalytic conversion to be able to recycle PBS. A good example is the EU's Circular Economy Action Plan, which allows and supports investment by industry in a more sustainable manner while expanding PBS to rigid and flexible packaging to support its circular economy vision.

• Sustainability goals and green chemical investments: The global green chemicals market could increase USD 11 billion by 2027 as companies in the FMCG, packaging, and agriculture sectors begin to take sustainability commitments more seriously. PBS is a renewable, biodegradable polymer that is poised to benefit from any increased investment in sustainability. PBS is starting to be recognized as a strategic material to help reduce carbon impact across manufacturing value chains.

1. Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) Market Volume and Growth Trends

Global Shipments Value and Growth Trends (2023-2028)

(Source: OECD)

Competitive Landscape and Strategic Positioning

Top 10 PBS Exporters (2023) and Market Shares

(Source: ICIS)

2. Emerging Trade Dynamics

Import-Export Data for PBS (2019–2024)

(Source: METI)

Key Trade Routes

(Source: unctad.org)

Challenges

• Limited feedstock availability: The Polybutylene succinate market is constrained by the feedstock limitations of bio-based succinic acid. According to the DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office, the bio-based succinic capacity globally was <100,000 tons in 2023, and only a fraction of that is sufficient for PBS production on scale. There is not enough feedstock to stabilize supply and invest heavily in polymerization on scale. The global demand for bio-based polymers continues to grow in Europe and Asia, and reduced competition will exacerbate feedstock shortages, and predictable growth, keeping the costs of bio-based succinic acid costlier compared to petroleum-based options.

• Inadequate industrial composting infrastructure: Although PBS is biodegradable, its use is hindered by the lack of commercial composting, either industrial or municipal. According to the European Bioplastics Association, less than 1% of global plastics are composted, and even though industrial facilities exist in the EU, they are also regionally limited. According to the EPA, in 2023, there were ~185 full-scale composting operations in the US. If PBS is to realize its promise of a circular economy, an integrated and nationally implemented commercial composting infrastructure is necessary; otherwise, in a landfill or incineration waste management approach, PBS will not be accepted for conversion nor viewed as a preferable alternative to existing landfill disposal methods in the new FMCG and packaging segment.