Functional barrier polymers is classified under HS Code 3904.50. This falls under Chapter 39: Plastics and articles thereof, specifically Heading 3904 (Polymers of vinyl chloride or of other halogenated olefins, in primary forms), under subheading: Vinyl chloride, other halogenated olefin polymers; vinylidene chloride polymers, in primary forms.
* The data below is specific to the HS code, not the ingredient.
Suppliers
243
Across 39 countries
Shipments
2,324
from 2015 to 2026
Total weight
52.1M kg
4,538 TEU · standard 20-foot container units
Last shipment
6 months ago
Last updated at Feb 25, 2026
Growth
↑ 40%
Trade under 3904.50 has increased by 40% over the past 6 months
Trade activity under HS 3904.50 shows a large, active supply chain with 243 suppliers, 2,324 shipments, and roughly 52,000 metric tons moved between 2015 and early 2026. Recent shipment activity from major players like Asahi Kasei, Elix Polymers, and Novamont indicates ongoing trade flows. However, this evidence is not ingredient-specific; it reflects all vinylidene chloride polymers in primary forms, which includes general-purpose PVC and copolymers, not just functional barrier polymers. The data suggests a robust market for the broader polymer category, but the specific functional barrier polymer segment cannot be isolated from this trade signal alone.
HS code 3904.50 covers vinylidene chloride polymers in primary forms, falling under Chapter 39 for plastics and the heading for polymers of vinyl chloride or other halogenated olefins. This classification includes a broad range of vinyl-based materials, including PVC and copolymers that may serve as functional barriers, but it also encompasses general-purpose plastics used in construction, packaging, and other applications. The scope is therefore wider than the specific ingredient, meaning trade data under this code cannot be used to confirm the volume or value of functional barrier polymer shipments specifically. The classification limit is that it captures a polymer family, not a defined end-use or performance category.
| Supplier | Shipments | Top customer | Growth | Last shipment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No suppliers found. | |||||
The supplier landscape appears moderately concentrated at the top but highly diversified overall. The top five suppliers—Asahi Kasei, Elix Polymers, Novamont, Solvay Fluor, and Auserpolimeri—account for roughly 23% of total shipments, indicating meaningful but not dominant concentration. The remaining 238 suppliers each contribute a small share, with many showing only one or a few shipments. This suggests a fragmented market with a mix of large polymer producers, specialty compounders, and distributors. The presence of logistics providers and equipment manufacturers among the supplier list further indicates that the data includes non-ingredient-specific entities, complicating any assessment of true raw material supplier concentration.
Key supply risks requiring further diligence include supplier reliability and product specificity. Many suppliers show sporadic shipment patterns—over half have only one recorded shipment—suggesting inconsistent availability or distribution-based rather than production-based activity. Several known polymer producers, such as Novamont Terni and Asahi Kasel, show stale data with no recent shipments, indicating potential supply gaps. Additionally, the classification scope means that a supplier's activity under HS 3904.50 does not confirm they produce functional barrier polymers specifically. Companies like The Dow Chemical and Chevron Phillips appear in the data, but their shipments may be general PVC compounds, requiring product-level verification before qualifying them as functional barrier polymer sources.
The most relevant sourcing geographies are Belgium, Italy, Japan, and Spain, which together account for the majority of shipment volume and weight under HS 3904.50. Belgium leads in weight with 13.6 million kg, followed closely by Japan at 12.4 million kg and Italy at 10.1 million kg. These countries also host the highest-activity suppliers, including Asahi Kasei (Japan), Elix Polymers (Spain), and Novamont (Italy). China and South Korea appear as secondary sources with meaningful but smaller volumes. The trade lanes appear to be predominantly transatlantic and transpacific, with many suppliers shipping to North American affiliates, though the data does not specify final destinations.
By shipment count
Belgium
669 shipments
19 suppliers
13.6M kg total weight
Italy
510 shipments
60 suppliers
10.1M kg total weight
Japan
440 shipments
9 suppliers
12.4M kg total weight
Spain
264 shipments
27 suppliers
6.2M kg total weight
China
133 shipments
25 suppliers
2.9M kg total weight
South Korea
78 shipments
12 suppliers
2M kg total weight
United Kingdom
78 shipments
24 suppliers
971.9K kg total weight
Germany
35 shipments
12 suppliers
565.8K kg total weight
Bahamas
24 shipments
1 suppliers
734.6K kg total weight
United States
14 shipments
2 suppliers
214.6K kg total weight