Trend Analysis Of Twin-screw Extruder Industry in 2026 (Part 4): What Is The Future Of Plastic Granulation Under The Ban On Plastic Production

1, Conclusion first: Under policy tightening, the demand for plastic granulation has increased instead of decreased

Many people mistakenly believe that the plastic ban will continue to shrink the plastic granulation market. In fact, according to the OECD's Global Plastic Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060, the world generates approximately 353 million tons of plastic waste annually, with a recycling rate of only about 9%. The plastic ban restricts non recyclable disposable plastics, while new demands are emerging for recycled plastic granulation, biodegradable material modification, and high-performance new materials. In other words, plastic granulation has not disappeared, but has changed the track.

2, How the international situation and policies change the demand for plastic granulation
1. Regulations on recycled content promote the granulation of recycled plastics

The EU Directive on Disposable Plastics (EU) 2019/904 explicitly requires PET beverage bottles to contain 25% recycled plastic by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Multiple economies around the world are following the extended producer responsibility system, making recycled plastic granulation a necessity.

2. Carbon constraints and equipment selection for reshaping green supply chains

International customers are increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint and regeneration content of products, and traditional high energy consuming and low stability plastic granulation equipment is being phased out. High cost-effective extruders have become a better choice for first-time entrants due to their low unit energy consumption and fast return on investment.

3. Degradable and bio based materials bring opportunities for new material granulation

Degradable materials such as PLA and PBAT usually require blending modification to meet their mechanical and processing properties, which opens up new space for the application of co rotating twin-screw extruders in the field of plastic granulation.

3, Simultaneous twin-screw extruder: the core equipment for upgrading plastic granulation

The co rotating twin-screw extruder has advantages such as self-cleaning threaded components, modular cylinder body, precise aspect ratio, multi-stage feeding, and vacuum devolatilization, making it particularly suitable for recycling plastic granulation, high filling modification, and thermal sensitive biodegradable material processing. Its dispersion mixing and distribution mixing ability can fully homogenize plastic melt, additives, fillers, and recycled components, and then obtain high-quality particles through filtration and granulation.

Compared to ordinary equipment, the co rotating twin-screw extruder is more stable in the plastic granulation process, especially suitable for international customers who want to produce new materials and try to recycle materials. Nanjing Kelongwell Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. helps customers reduce unit energy consumption by about 10% -15% while ensuring mixing quality by optimizing torque distribution and temperature control systems.

4, How to make cost-effective extruders save customers who are new to plastic granulation from taking detours

International customers who are new to plastic granulation are most concerned about three things: excessive investment, unfamiliar formula, and unstable equipment. The high cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruder provided by Nanjing Kelongwell Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. adopts modular design, which can start from small-scale pilot machines and reduce trial and error costs; Equipped with PLC control and precise temperature control, simplifying operation; Key components such as gearboxes, threaded components, and cylinders are made of high-quality materials to ensure long-term stable operation.

At the same time, Kelongwell provides formula and process support, overseas installation and commissioning, and remote services to help customers quickly achieve plastic granulation production from experimentation to mass production.

5, Three major opportunities for plastic granulation in 2026
1. Recycled plastic granulation

The demand for rPET, rPP, rPE, rABS and other products has increased, and the policy of mandatory regeneration content has brought long-term orders.

2. Degradable and bio based material modified granulation

PLA/PBAT/starch blending, capacity expansion, and reinforcement modification require complex mixing to be completed by a co rotating twin-screw extruder.

3. High performance new materials and functional masterbatch

Under the trend of reduced packaging and single material, the demand for high flow, high rigidity, and easily recyclable functional masterbatch has increased, and the complexity of plastic granulation processes has increased. High cost-effective extruders have become the key to entry.

6, Key Questions and Answers
Q1: Will the ban on plastic continue to shrink the demand for plastic granulation?
A: I won't. The plastic ban compresses non recyclable disposable plastics, but the demand for recycled plastic granulation, biodegradable material modification, and high-performance new materials is growing. OECD data shows that the global plastic recycling rate is only about 9%, indicating significant room for improvement.

Q2: What equipment should I choose when entering the plastic granulation industry for the first time?
A: It is recommended to choose a cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruder. It combines process flexibility and investment controllability, suitable for various plastic granulation scenarios such as recycled materials, biodegradable materials, and modified new materials.

Q3: Does a high cost-effective extruder mean a compromise on quality?
A: No, it's not. High cost-effective extruders reduce unnecessary costs through standardized and modular design, with core mixing, devolatilization, and temperature control performance not compromised. Instead, they are more suitable for international customers who pursue a balance between environmental protection and returns.

Q4: Which plastic granulation processes are suitable for co rotating twin-screw extruders?
A: Suitable for granulation of recycled plastics, blending of biodegradable materials, high filling reinforcement, preparation of functional masterbatch, etc., especially in situations where devolatilization, dispersion mixing, and precise temperature control are required.

Q5: What support can Nanjing Kelongwell Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. provide to international customers?
A: COLOWE focuses on cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruders, providing plastic granulation line solutions, formulation and process support, remote debugging, and overseas services from experimental machines to mass production machines, helping customers quickly achieve environmental compliance and commercial production.

Conclusion

The plastic granulation under the ban on plastic is not a dilemma of "where to go", but a definite opportunity to upgrade towards high value, compliance, and biodegradability. Choosing the right cost-effective co rotating twin-screw extruder captures a crucial link in the international green supply chain. Nanjing Kelongwell Chemical Machinery Co., Ltd. is willing to work with global customers to transform policy pressure into driving force for upgrading plastic granulation.