Total U.S. resin production 2009-2019

In 2019, resin production in the United States reached nearly 122 billion pounds of resin, on a dry weight basis. Resin is a viscous liquid, which is used in many industries and is also present in many of the products we use in everyday life. Resin is most commonly used in the production of plastic, varnishes, and adhesives.

Resin production in the United States

Synthetic resin is an important substance due to its capacity to harden immediately and permanently. One of the most commonly used synthetic resins is the thermoset polymer epoxy, used extensively by the flooring industry in particular over the last 50 years. Today however, this resin’s share of total production is very small.

The U.S. chemical industry produced some 121.46 billion pounds of resin in 2019. Thermoset polymers, among them epoxy, made up some 16.9 percent or 17.3 billion pounds of all production. Thermoplastics – including among others PVC, Nylon, high-density polyethylene resins and polypropylene resins - made up around 85 percent or 102.3 billion pounds. Thermoset production showed a growth of 2.9 percent compared to the previous year, while thermoplastic production increased 6.3 percent. Total resin production increased by 5.8 percent.

Thermoplastics have a wide range of applications. In the United States, most of it is used for packaging, consumer and institutional purposes, and building and construction.