Plastics Sector Exports Reached USD 9.5 Billion in 2024

 

While automotive led exports with USD 37.2 billion, chemicals ranked as Turkey's second largest export sector at USD 30.8 billion. Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Manufacturers Federation, stated that plastics and plastic products are export leaders within the chemical substances and manufactured products category, accounting for USD 9.5 billion in total 2024 exports, placing them first.  

 

The 2024 export data were announced at the Istanbul Halic Congress Centre in a meeting attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The automotive sector provided the largest contribution to exports reaching USD 262 billion in 2024. Automotive ranked as export champion with USD 37 billion, chemicals ranked second with USD 30.8 billion, and apparel and clothing ranked third with USD 17.9 billion.

 

Within chemical substances and manufactured products, plastics and plastic products exports ranked first in 2024 with USD 9.447 billion according to İKMİB data. Mineral fuels and products ranked second with USD 7.850 billion in exports, while inorganic chemicals ranked third with USD 2.753 billion.

 

Other sectors ranking in the top 10 following inorganic chemicals were essential oils, cosmetics and soap at USD 2.091 billion; rubber and rubber products at USD 1.589 billion; pharmaceutical products at USD 1.555 billion; paints, varnishes, inks and preparations at USD 1.525 billion; miscellaneous chemical substances at USD 1.230 billion; washing preparations at USD 910 million; and organic chemicals at USD 760 million. 

The plastics industry, serving 35 sectors indirectly, creates added value for the Turkish economy through its exports. 

 

Ömer Karadeniz, Chairman of the Board of the Plastics Manufacturers Federation, stated that Turkey's 2024 exports reached USD 262 billion with a 2.5% increase compared to the previous year, noting that despite global contraction, Turkey achieved the highest exports in its republican history. Highlighting that the chemicals sector with exports exceeding USD 30 billion is Turkey's second largest exporter, Karadeniz revealed that the largest support comes from the plastics industry. Stating that the sector achieved USD 9.5 billion in exports in 2024, Karadeniz emphasized that they recorded 7% growth compared to the previous year. Karadeniz drew attention to the fact that the plastics sector grew at approximately three times the 2024 Turkish export growth rate of 2.5%, thereby creating added value.

 

Stating that during a period when manufacturing is declining, labor-intensive sectors are struggling to maintain prices due to high costs, PLASFED Chairman reported that regional conflicts, clashes and macroeconomic imbalances have had negative impacts on trade. Explaining that despite these uncertainties, both the country and the plastics sector have shown good export performance, Karadeniz noted that resolving these problems will increase export capacity.  

 

Stating that exports are an important commercial activity with positive effects on a country's economic growth, international relations and business competitiveness, Karadeniz said, "For businesses to compete in global markets and for countries to increase economic prosperity, the importance given to exports is continually growing. For this reason, understanding how exports function much better and taking correct steps in this area is critical for both businesses and countries." 

 

According to Turkish Manufacturing PMI data, the headline PMI, which was 48.3 in November, increased to 49.1 in December. This indicator, which remained just below the threshold value, drew attention as the most moderate data of the last eight months. Chairman Karadeniz noted that the notable signs of improvement seen in the PMI data of the Turkish manufacturing sector are encouraging, and while relative improvement is observed in many sectors, growth comes solely from chemicals, plastics and rubber products as well as food products. Highlighting that a significant portion of the increases in new orders, as in production, stem from the plastics sector, Karadeniz stated that all these data paint an encouraging picture for the sector in 2025.