PVC converting

Once manufactured as a processable material, PVC is supplied downstream to companies collectively known as ‘converters’. 

These firms either make final PVC products for sale or make components for further downstream companies.

Various additives including stabilisers and plasticisers need to be added to PVC resin to create a compound that meets the requirement of the end product. Compounding may be carried out by the converters themselves or by separate compounders who supply ready-made blends ready for processing. The PVC compound is then converted by processes such as extrusion, moulding and calendaring.

The PVC resin industry, the PVC additive manufacturers and the PVC compounding & converting industry are closely associated with one another, and are often collectively referred to as the ’PVC industry’.

The total PVC production and conversion industry in Western Europe comprises more than 21.000 companies with more than 500.000 jobs and a turnover of more than 80 billion euros.

The industry can be roughly divided into four groups: PVC polymer producers, stabiliser producers, plasticiser producers, and PVC converters.