El Salvador-PlasticsEl Salvador-Plastics
Overview
Source: Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador. Note: No reliable source for local production.
Although El Salvador lacks petroleum reserves, the country is the second largest supplier of plastic products in Central America, after the U.S. which makes the plastics industry an important industrial sector in El Salvador. The plastic sector represents 2.8% of the manufacturing industry in El Salvador. The three largest areas of production are beverage bottles (23.7%), plastic bags (17.5%), plastic packaging (15.9%), plastic tableware (10.4%) and other plastic products (8.7%) and have become the Central American leader in exporting plastic bags, plastic beverage containers, and plastic packaging.
The United States is the largest provider of plastic products and equipment in the Salvadoran market. Main competitors of plastics machinery and equipment include: China, Guatemala, México, Canada, Colombia, Taiwan, and Brazil.
Salvadoran companies continue investing in new technologies and implementing new techniques to improve their productivity and efficiency in the plastics industry. The most exported plastic products are: plastic furniture ($13.8 million), polymers and other primary forms ($9.8 million), plastic brooms ($8.7 million) and plastic shoes ($5.5 million). The leading export markets for Salvadoran companies include: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
Top companies in the plastics industry are: Termoencogibles, S.A. DE C.V., Sigma Q, Carvajal Empaques El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Grupo Ravicorp, OPP Film El Salvador, S.A. de C.V., Smurkfit Kappa-Celpac, S.A. de C.V., Tubos y Perfiles Plásticos, S.A. de C.V., Salvaplastic, S.A. de C.V., Polybag, S.A. de C.V., and Iberplastic, S.A. de C.V.
Leading Sub-Sectors
Leading equipment and materials in the plastics industry include: resins, equipment for sacks and bags of ethylene polymers, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, plastic tubes, pipes, hoses of plastics, self-adhesive sheets, and thermoforming machines.
The sector continuously needs to invest in updated machinery if they are to continue to see an increase in exports in the coming years. Therefore, it is anticipated that imports of the equipment that they will need for their products will continue to grow as well.
The Salvadoran Association of the Plastic Industry (ASIPLASTIC) with its Plastic Recycling Program “Eco Amigos” is committed to providing information to other companies on how to separate and recycle plastic and reconvert it into a new product. Equipment and technology for plastic residue and disposal has strong potential in the market.
Opportunities
There are good opportunities in the market for U.S. exporters of equipment and materials in the plastics industry, especially in the manufacture of energy efficient plastic processing machines that save time and minimize waste. The use of bio-based plastic materials is growing in El Salvador and there is a niche for machinery that processes durable bio-based plastic products.
Following are additional opportunities for U.S. companies to meet Salvadoran potential buyers:
Web Resources
Salvadoran Industrial Association (ASI)
Salvadoran Industrial Plastic Association (ASIPLASTIC)
Central Reserve Bank (BCR)
U.S. Commercial Service Contact Information
Sandra Hernandez, Commercial Assistant, Sandra.hernandez@trade.gov
Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (est,) | 2020 (est.) | |
| Total Market Size | $365,573,482 | $422,381,665 | $426,605,482 | $430,871,536 |
| Imports | $736,879,471 | $789,108,867 | $796,999,956 | $804,969,955 |
| Exports | $371,305,989 | $366,727,202 | $370,394,474 | $374,098,419 |
| Imports from the U.S. | $200,839,142 | $190,908,889 | $192,817,978 | $194,746,158 |
Although El Salvador lacks petroleum reserves, the country is the second largest supplier of plastic products in Central America, after the U.S. which makes the plastics industry an important industrial sector in El Salvador. The plastic sector represents 2.8% of the manufacturing industry in El Salvador. The three largest areas of production are beverage bottles (23.7%), plastic bags (17.5%), plastic packaging (15.9%), plastic tableware (10.4%) and other plastic products (8.7%) and have become the Central American leader in exporting plastic bags, plastic beverage containers, and plastic packaging.
The United States is the largest provider of plastic products and equipment in the Salvadoran market. Main competitors of plastics machinery and equipment include: China, Guatemala, México, Canada, Colombia, Taiwan, and Brazil.
Salvadoran companies continue investing in new technologies and implementing new techniques to improve their productivity and efficiency in the plastics industry. The most exported plastic products are: plastic furniture ($13.8 million), polymers and other primary forms ($9.8 million), plastic brooms ($8.7 million) and plastic shoes ($5.5 million). The leading export markets for Salvadoran companies include: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
Top companies in the plastics industry are: Termoencogibles, S.A. DE C.V., Sigma Q, Carvajal Empaques El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Grupo Ravicorp, OPP Film El Salvador, S.A. de C.V., Smurkfit Kappa-Celpac, S.A. de C.V., Tubos y Perfiles Plásticos, S.A. de C.V., Salvaplastic, S.A. de C.V., Polybag, S.A. de C.V., and Iberplastic, S.A. de C.V.
Leading Sub-Sectors
Leading equipment and materials in the plastics industry include: resins, equipment for sacks and bags of ethylene polymers, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, plastic tubes, pipes, hoses of plastics, self-adhesive sheets, and thermoforming machines.
The sector continuously needs to invest in updated machinery if they are to continue to see an increase in exports in the coming years. Therefore, it is anticipated that imports of the equipment that they will need for their products will continue to grow as well.
The Salvadoran Association of the Plastic Industry (ASIPLASTIC) with its Plastic Recycling Program “Eco Amigos” is committed to providing information to other companies on how to separate and recycle plastic and reconvert it into a new product. Equipment and technology for plastic residue and disposal has strong potential in the market.
Opportunities
There are good opportunities in the market for U.S. exporters of equipment and materials in the plastics industry, especially in the manufacture of energy efficient plastic processing machines that save time and minimize waste. The use of bio-based plastic materials is growing in El Salvador and there is a niche for machinery that processes durable bio-based plastic products.
Following are additional opportunities for U.S. companies to meet Salvadoran potential buyers:
- NPE 2021-The Plastics Show – Orlando, Florida – May 17-21, 2021
Web Resources
Salvadoran Industrial Association (ASI)
Salvadoran Industrial Plastic Association (ASIPLASTIC)
Central Reserve Bank (BCR)
U.S. Commercial Service Contact Information
Sandra Hernandez, Commercial Assistant, Sandra.hernandez@trade.gov
Prepared by the International Trade Administration. With its network of more than 100 offices across the United States and in more than 75 markets, the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.