Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Size, Share and Trends 2024 to 2034

Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Size and Forecast 2024 to 2034

The global plastic injection molding machine market size is worth around USD 12.31 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach around USD 19.72 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 4.83% from 2024 to 2034. The plastic injection molding machine market is growing because of the adoption of complex technologies, rising demand across industries, opportunities to lower costs, and concerns for sustainability.

Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Key Takeaways

• Asia Pacific dominated the global market with the largest market share of 39% in 2023.
• North America is anticipated to witness the fastest growth during the forecasted years.
• By technology, the hydraulic technology segment noted the largest market share of 53% in 2023.
• By technology, the electric technology segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 5.54% from 2024 to 2034.
• By end-use, the automotive end-use segment has contributed the largest market share of 30% in 2023.
• By end-use, the medical segment is projected to grow at a significant CAGR of 5.94% during the forecast period.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration in the Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market

Using AI in the plastic injection molding machine market makes the processes much more efficient, accurate, and affordable. It can automatically determine from sensor data when a mold could likely fail, thus preventing the issue by performing preventive maintenance.  These sensors correspond with information on molding-related factors like temperature, pressure, and flow rate. The application of AI in injection molding is changing the industry and bringing new prospects largely in terms of speed, effectiveness, and cost. The major aid of AI in injection molding is the capability to improve the production process.

Asia Pacific Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Size and Growth 2024 to 2034

The Asia Pacific plastic injection molding machine market size is exhibited at USD 4.80 billion in 2024 and is projected to be worth around USD 7.79 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 4.95% from 2024 to 2034.

Asia Pacific accounted for the largest share of the plastic injection molding machine market in 2023. Increased spending on manufacturing infrastructure is anticipated to bolster the growth of the plastic injection molding machine market in the Asia Pacific.  The demand for plastic injection molding machines is growing due to the increasing awareness of energy savings and the rise in manufacturing activities. China, India, and Japan are rapidly industrializing. The demand from industries such as health care, packaging, and automobile industries, among others, is boosting the uptake of injection molded plastics.

• As per China's Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China produced and sold automobiles of 27.021 million units and 26.864 million units, respectively, up by 3.4% and 2.1% compared to last year.

North America is anticipated to witness the fastest growth in the plastic injection molding machine market during the forecasted years. Strong industrial growth and technical advances have had an impact on the North American plastic injection molding machine industry market. The region’s strong manufacturing proficiencies and commitment to innovation drive demand for high-precision, efficient manufacture of complex parts used in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, and healthcare industries. Plastic injection molding machines play a crucial role in the automotive industry, aiding the mass production of complex and modified plastic components used in automobiles.

• According to the Flexible Packaging Association of the United States, the Flexible Packaging segment stands as the second largest in the United States, accounting for about 21% of USD 180.3 billion in the packaging market.

Market Overview

A plastic injection molding machine is the equipment used to form products with heat and pressure manufactured from plastics. It is also called an injection press. Plastic injection molding machines are used to create a wide range of plastic parts and products with precise forms and sizes. They employ a pressure system to force the molten plastic into the mold to create accurate and complicated parts for industries such as automotive, electronics, and packaging while promising efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness in mass production.

The global plastic injection molding machine market is growing because of increasing usage and demand for injection molded plastics across segments like automotive, packaging, and electronic industries. The advancements in injection molding machines, which include automation and accuracy in operations, have led to enhanced output and reduced expenses for manufacturers’ operations across the globe.

Market Scope

Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Growth Factors

• Increasing automotive industry: Plastics utilized in injection molding processes are widely used for interiors, exteriors, and bodily panels. As these industries develop, the requirement for high accuracy and low cost of plastic parts increases.
• Cost efficiency and scalability: They aid companies in manufacturing a variety of complex, high-accuracy plastic parts in large volumes with low manpower and material wastage.
• Trends affecting the packaging industry: The packaging industry across the world, especially in the food and beverages, consumer goods, and e-commerce segment, is expanding at a very high rate. Injection molding machines are very important in the manufacture of packaging products like bottles, caps, and containers.
• Sustainability: The growth of more sustainable and recyclable plastics also creates the demand for plastic products. Manufacturers are using bioplastics, recycled plastics, and energy-efficiency technologies to address environmental standards that require the manufacturing of green products.

Market Dynamics

Driver

Growing construction sector

The growth in the residential construction industry raises the need for the plastic injection molding machine market. The building construction industry utilizes plastic injection molding for cheap, flexible, durable, and high-performance construction products. In plastic injection molding, it is possible to make large quantities of acceptable plastic components by using different thermoplastic polymers. These parts are used in the construction area in both construction goods and products, as well as in the construction of commodities for use in flooring, roofing, and construction tools and equipment. Amongst durable plastics, each of such materials presents certain characteristics that make it suitable for construction exercises.

• The Indian government, in its Union Budget 2022-23, has allocated INR 48 000 crore (USD 6.44 billion) for its scheme ‘PM Aawas Yojana’ and remain ‘Housing for all’ exercise to construct 80 00,000 housing units for urban and rural poor in the fiscal year 2022-23.

Restraint

High initial investment costs

The key challenge for the plastic injection molding machine market is the capital costs, which are generally high and might not be easily achievable by small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and start-ups. Such devices require huge capital to purchase, install, and other recurrent expenditures that are likely to discourage potential customers. In addition, training operators and enhancing technology need more money, which is also a burden on the budget. However, the initial cost involved in penetrating the injection molding market and the increasing popularity of other potential and substitutive technologies, such as 3D printing, are projected to limit the market growth.

Opportunity

Increasing usage in the packaging and automotive industry

The plastic injection molding machine market services use high pressure to produce plastic parts for a variety of industries, including automotive and packaging. The use of this type of molding machine has particularly risen in the automobile industry in recent years due to the incorporation of more plastic products in automotive production. The need to use injection molding in the market is due to its expansion in the automobile sector, and it’s the demand to meet packaging needs.

Technology Insights

The hydraulic segment noted the largest share of the plastic injection molding machine market in 2023. Hydraulic technology is widely used in plastic injection molding machines; the primary applications of hydraulic systems are the clamping of molds and the injection of plastic material. The market will expand due to the high-rate production of complex parts for the automotive industry, more affordable than electrical equipment, high-precision molds, high wear resistance hydraulic parts, and the most extensive use in the automotive industry, ships, aerospace, and other spheres. The distinctive feature of the plastic injection molding machine is that the hydraulic system must produce reliable performance.

The electric segment is projected to witness the fastest growth in the plastic injection molding machine market during the forecast period. The electric segment is adopting accurate control and monitoring mechanisms, and the molding condition might be easily maintained. It is an electric injection molding machine with digital control, high speed, and high efficiency throughout the whole production process due to separate motors controlling injection, extruder, clamping, and ejection. Electric injection molding utilizes high-speed servo motors instead of hydraulics to power the machine. This makes a more accurate, quicker, and less power-intensive functionality.

End-Use Insights

The automotive segment contributed the largest share of the plastic injection molding machine market in 2023. Injection molding machines are widely used in the automobile industry, where body parts like door panels, car door trim, automobile bumpers, trunk trims, rear & front covering, floor rails, sensor holders, automobile grilles, wheel arches, and fenders/mudguards are used. Some of the products made with plastic injection molding technology include auto parts such as the body panels, the inside part, and the engine. It is widely used mainly by industries participating in high-volume production of plastic parts due to its speed, cost efficiency, and low material requirements. Automotive companies use flexible, lightweight polymeric materials, which are adaptable when manufacturing plastic products.

The medical segment is projected to witness the fastest growth in the plastic injection molding machine market during the forecast period. The growing requirement for medical disposables, improvements in technology and usage in healthcare, and growing demand for plastics in medical applications and consumptions are contributing to the growth in the plastic injection molding machine industry. The process of medical injection molding is the process of melting the right type of medical-grade plastics and forming them into the right shape of medical tools. Plastic injection molding is a cheap and very effective method of manufacturing medical and pharmaceutical parts with a high degree of precision, accuracy, and quality. It is employed in manufacturing a substrate out of various medical appliances and equipment, lab equipment, and testing devices.

Plastic Injection Molding Machine Market Companies

• Arburg GmbH + Co KG
• HAITIAN INTERNATIONAL
• KraussMaffei
• Milacron
• NISSEI PLASTIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
• ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH
• Chen Hsong Holdings Limited
• UBE Machinery Inc.
• Husky Technologies
• WITTMANN Technology GmbH

Announcements by Industry Leaders

• In February 2023, TOKYO Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd announced the launch of the iM18E, a hybrid injection molding machine. Optimized for a range of applications related to electronics for connectors and precision gears, it is characterized by a high injection speed of 600 millimeters a second.

Recent Developments

• In February 2024, Haitian launched the new 5th generation of injection molding machinery. By applying AI algorithms with modern sensor technology, the company has succeeded in implementing intelligent process control and endowing machinery with intelligent characteristics of recognition, adaptation, decision-making, and reconstruction.
• In July 2023, Haitian International introduced a manufacturing facility in Jalisco, Mexico, marking its first site in North America. The USD 50 million plant aims to enhance production, expedite regional deliveries, and potentially serve the broader North American market.

Segments Covered in the Report

By Technology

• Hydraulic
• Electric
• Hybrid

By End-Use

• Automotive
• Consumer Goods
• Packaging
• Electronics
• Construction
• Medical
• Others

By Geography

• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East and Africa