Sabic first developed Polyetherimide in 1982 under the trade name, ULTEM resin. The major raw materials for PEI are bisphenol-A dianhydride and diamine. A polycondensation reaction between tetracarboxylic dianhydride and m-phenylene diamine produces PEI. Tetracarboxylic dianhydride is produced from bisphenol A and phthalic anhydride. PEI is an amorphous engineering thermoplastic and exhibits properties such as good processability, chemical resistance, UV resistance, flame retardant, high tensile strength, rigidity, flexibility, better electrical insulting properties. Unlike, polyimide, polyetherimide is suitable for melt-processing due to ether linkages present in the backbone of the polymer. 

Polyetherimides Market Segmentation

The application of Polyetherimide is very vast ranging from automotive, electrical & electronics, industrial, consumer & home appliances, medical, aerospace etc. Polyetherimide (PEI) finds key applications in the automotive sector, serving various components such as transmission parts, throttle bodies, ignition components, thermostat housings, bezels, reflectors, lamp sockets, and electromechanical systems like fuses, gears, bearings, solenoid bodies, ignition switches, and oil pump drives. Beyond automotive, the electrical/electronics sector emerges as the second significant market for PEI. Notably, in the telecommunications industry, the demand for high heat-resistant materials, particularly for top-tier connectors in fiber optics, is on the rise. PEI resin proves advantageous with its high heat resistance and excellent flow characteristics, particularly beneficial for thin wall design. The increasing need for electric vehicles, lighter automobile designs, and fuel-efficient transportation are some of the key factors driving the Polyetherimide demand in the automotive sector.

In aerospace industry, PEI is used in jet engines components, sheeting of aircraft interior due to its mechanical strength, electric conductivity, lightweight, and thermal resistance.

The Polyetherimide market is dominated by electrical & electronics applications globally followed by automotive segment. PEI is used in electric switches, connectors, electric motor, printed circuit boards, fibre circuit boards due to its heat resistant properties. Ceramic filled Polyetherimides have been developed for its application in electronic chips, capacitors, circuit boards working in microwave range. The growth in electronics industry will further drive the demand of PEI during the forecast period. India accounts for 3.6% of the global electronics system manufacturing industry in 2019 which has grown from 1.2% in 2012. Factors such as transition to new technology and IoT are driving the rapid adoption of electronics products in India. The global electrical & electronics industry is driven by the rising spending power and increasing innovation, research & development to increase the efficiency of electronic products. 

Asia-Pacific dominates the polyetherimide market in on the back of high demand in China, India, Japan due to their huge electronic and automotive industries. In 2022, the region produced was more than 50 million units, with China being the largest producer with over 27 million units, followed by Japan, India and South Korea, with about 7.8 million, 5.4 million, and 2.6 million units respectively. Growing population and urbanisation are the major factors driving the automotive sector in Asia-Pacific which will further drive the Polyetherimides market.

The polyetherimide market is projected to grow with a CAGR of around 6-7% from 2023-2032. Asia-Pacific is projected to grow at a faster rate and will retain its position of largest consumer of PEI in the forecast period. The Polyetherimide demand in  Asia-Pacific is driven by the growth in electrical & electronics, automotive and medical industry.

As per National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Centre, India’s electronics manufacturing and exports market is anticipated to reach Billion 300 USD by financial year 2025-2026. The semiconductor industry of India is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 22% from 2020-2030. The growing per capita disposable income and various incentive scheme such lunched by the Indian government such as Production Linked Scheme for large scale electronics manufacturing are driving the electrical and electronics industry. 

The medical and health care industry is also projected to have a significant share in driving the PEI market in forecast period. PEI is used in disposable and re-usable medical devices, membrane for bio-hybrid, surgical instrument handles, non-implant prostheses etc as PEI prevents ethylene oxide and gamma radiation and can withstand heat sterilisation at 180 degrees Celsius. As per International Trade Association, China has the second largest health care industry in the World. The medical device market in China is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 6% from 2020-2025 driven by the aging population, growing health insurance, economic growth and increasing imports of heavy technology medical devices.  

Some of the key players in the Polyetherimide market includes SABIC, Toray Advanced Composites, Solvay SA, Mitsui Chemicals, Röchling Group, Kuraray Co., Ltd and RTP Company. 

In August 2022, Sabic launched ULTEM Polyetherimide resin to expand their optical materials portfolio. ULTEM is designed with lower coefficient of thermal expansion to provide higher dimensional stability to optical transceiver collimator lenses. In addition to this, ULTEM 3310TD provides lower weight and near-infrared transmission signal without deteriorating the signal quality. 

Sabic also launched biobased ULTEM resins in December 2021. The bio-based polyetherimides resins are the first certified polymer available for the industry. Biobased ULTEM will help consumers of electronics, aerospace, automotive and other industries to achieve their sustainability goals without compromising with performance.