The US imports $45B+ in plastics and rubber products annually — resins, polymers, packaging materials, rubber compounds, and finished plastic goods. These materials flow to virtually every manufacturing sector. Track who is importing what with CBP manifest data.
| Country | US Market Share | Products Exported |
|---|---|---|
| China | ~25% | Finished plastic goods, PET, polypropylene products |
| Germany | ~10% | Engineering plastics, specialty polymers, rubber compounds |
| Canada | ~9% | Polyethylene, polypropylene, HDPE, LLDPE |
| Saudi Arabia | ~7% | Polyethylene, PVC, petrochemical plastics |
| India | ~5% | Plastic packaging, rubber goods, PVC pipes |
Sealed Air, Berry Global, Amcor, and thousands of smaller packaging companies import films, resins, and finished packaging materials. Consistent volumes with predictable reorder cycles — ideal freight accounts.
PolyOne (now Avient), Westlake, and plastic distribution companies import specialty resins and compounds for resale to manufacturers. High volume, high frequency, strong broker relationships.
Automotive rubber seals, gaskets, hoses, and industrial rubber components imported primarily from Asia and Germany. High-value specialty items with strict quality documentation requirements.
Representative records from US CBP public manifest filings
| Shipper | Product | US Consignee | Port | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SABIC SAUDI ARABIA | POLYETHYLENE RESIN | LYONDELLBASELL IND | Houston | 256,000 KG |
| LANXESS AG GERMANY | SYNTHETIC RUBBER COMPOUNDS | LANXESS CORP USA | New York | 38,400 KG |
| FORMOSA PLASTICS TAIWAN | PVC RESIN | GEON PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS | Los Angeles | 184,000 KG |
| WUXI GREENLAND PLASTICS | PLASTIC PACKAGING FILM | US PACKAGING DIST | Long Beach | 22,800 KG |
"polyethylene" or "polypropylene" resin imports by origin"plastic packaging" or "film" imports to packaging manufacturers"rubber compound" or "elastomer" imports from Germany, Japan"PVC" pipe or sheet imports to construction distributors"engineering plastic" specialty imports from Germany, NetherlandsResin and plastic raw material importers reorder on tight production schedules — often monthly or bi-monthly. Once you establish a freight relationship with a plastics importer, it is sticky. Manifest data helps you identify who these importers are before they are on any list.
As brands shift from single-use plastics to bio-based or recycled materials, new suppliers and new trade flows emerge. Manifest data captures these new sourcing relationships as they form.
Many engineering plastics require temperature-controlled storage and transport to prevent degradation. Brokers with specialty reefer and dry van capabilities in this category command better rates.
Yes. Both raw resin imports (polyethylene, PVC, polypropylene) and finished plastic goods (packaging, pipes, profiles) are covered. Product description search distinguishes raw materials from finished goods.
Yes — "natural rubber," "synthetic rubber," and "elastomer" are distinct search terms. Automotive rubber components, industrial seals, and rubber products all appear in manifest data under their own product descriptions.
Search for "packaging film," "plastic bags," "flexible packaging," or "blister packaging" to surface plastic packaging importers. These are a distinct sub-category from bulk resin importers.
Yes. Bio-based PLA, recycled PET, and sustainable packaging materials are appearing more frequently in manifest descriptions as brands shift to sustainable packaging. This is a growing, trackable trend.
10M+ manifest records covering plastics & rubber and every other US import category. Find importers, track volumes, and build your freight prospect list.
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