Industry Canada
ic.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Archived - A Technology Road Map for the Plastics Industry
Long Descriptions
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
Figure 3: The Four Dimensions
The illustration shows the four dimensions needed to achieve the vision set for the polymer materials industry: mass customisation, hybrid materials, sustainability and high-value-added products. Each dimension represents an aspect connected to new markets as well as separately emerging opportunities. Once combined, these four dimensions create a "sweet spot" resulting in maximum synergies. These synergies will enable Canadian plastics manufacturers to overcome obstacles currently limiting the industry's potential in terms of innovation.
Figure 5: Life Cycle Analysis of Plastics and Non-Renewable Feedstocks
This illustration depicts the current sequential life cycle of plastics and non-renewable feedstocks, such as oil and fossil fuels. The image is visually striking (e.g. refineries, fuel pumps, etc.) and clearly shows that, in its present form, Canada's plastics industry has barely broken new ground and depends mostly on traditional extraction, refining and recycling of non-renewable materials that negatively impact the environment.
Figure 6: Bridging the Gaps
Two images are shown side by side. The first image illustrates the gaps that exist today in Canada's plastics industry, namely, the presence of single materials, mass production, "one pass" use and low-margin commodity.
In order to successfully implement the Technology Road Map for the plastics industry, industry leaders have agreed to act upon each of those gaps by ensuring an efficient and effective transition that will result in a transformation from single materials to hybrids, from mass production to mass customization, from "one pass" use to sustainable products and from low-margin commodities to high-value-added products.
Success in this transition process will help generate maximum synergies among these four more forward-looking dimensions that better meet market needs and thereby increase the innovative capabilities of Canada's plastics industry.
