Overview of the Injection Molded Plastic Market
The automotive industry is expanding rapidly extensively using injection molding plastics, upholding the injection molded plastics market size from USD 324.98 billion in 2024 to USD 435.74 billion by 2035. The ecosystem is likely to expand at an extremely sluggish pace, adhering to a CAGR of 2.7% through the forecast period.
The injection molded plastics market is expected to be driven by rising demand for plastic components across end-use sectors such as automotive, packaging, household appliances, electrical and electronics, and medical devices.
Advances in injection molding technology aimed at reducing defect rates have increased its importance in the mass manufacturing of intricate plastic shapes.
However, raw material volatility, especially for benzene, ethylene, propylene, and styrene, and growing disposal concerns are expected to constrain growth. Injection molding involves heating plastic ingredients to a molten state, injecting them into a mold, cooling, and solidifying them into final shapes.
Thermoplastics such as polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyamide (nylon), polycarbonate (PC), and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) are commonly used.
Due to their lightweight and cost-effectiveness, injection-molded plastics are widely employed in packaging, healthcare, electronics, automotive, and consumer goods.
Trends in the Injection Molded Plastics Industry
Widespread adoption across diverse sectors remains a core growth driver. ABS, being a food-grade plastic, is often used for kitchenware, containers, and food packaging owing to its strength and safety attributes.
Demand from cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, household chemical packaging, and food & beverage sectors has also boosted adoption. In other uses, injection-molded plastics find application in bottles, films, medical devices, electronic housings, and automotive parts.
Rising use of nylon is spurred by its superior electrical properties, durability, and chemical resistance. Additionally, manufacturers are shifting toward high-volume production using cost-efficient, quality plastics, accelerating innovation in molding technologies.
Other supporting drivers include growth in the packaging industry, rising automobile sales, increased consumer spending, expansion in construction, and technological advancements.
Because injection molding allows for large-scale, efficient production with minimal material waste, its market share continues to grow, aided by low production costs and strong reproducibility.
COVID-19 Impact
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted demand for injection-molded plastics, as key end-user industries like automotive, packaging, and construction weakened. Movement restrictions also disturbed supply chains, and factories were forced to shut down to contain the spread.
However, with economic reopening, these sectors are rebounding, and the injection molded plastics market is expected to recover its prior growth trend.
Recent Developments
- In February 2025, Hillenbrand sold a 51% stake in its Milacron division (injection molding & extrusion business) to a Bain Capital affiliate for USD 287 million, while retaining the rest.
- In April 2025, Arburg partnered with BASF to co-develop advanced polymer materials for micro-injection molding, targeting improvements in precision and cycle time for electronic components.
- In June 2025, KraussMaffei launched a new micro-injection molding platform (named KM micro X1) designed for very small parts (sub-5 grams) for the electronics industry.
- In March 2024, a new model-based controller was proposed for pressure tracking in thermoplastic injection molding, enhancing defect control and precision in the injection and cavity pressure phases.