TPE for Pet & Pet Care Industry

According to statistics, there were around 31.6 million pets living in German households last year. This number includes dogs, cats, small mammals, exotic birds, exotic fish and terrarium animals. All in all, 44 percent of all German households are also homes to pets. In a European comparison, Germany places second between Russia and Italy. Accordinging to estimates by the Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe (German Pet Trade and Industry Association, ZZF), the largest share is accounted for by dogs and cats, with the latter enjoying increasing popularity.

Individualize products and conquer new markets with SOFT EST.® TPE

The total market volume for pet supplies in Germany amounts to around 4.7 billion euro (year-on-year increase of 2.5 percent), which makes the Federal Republic of Germany Europe’s second most important market in the sector. The industry achieves annual sales of around 70 billion worldwide. More than 900 million euro is spent every year in Germany alone on supplies and accessories in the pet and pet supplies market. In short: the pet supplies market is booming, for several reasons. Pets are generally regarded as fully-fledged members of the family and treated accordingly. Pet owners also often take their own demands and desires as a benchmark which they then apply to their respective pet. Gifts are bought for birthdays or Christmas and these occasions are celebrated in style. Pet owners also harbor desires for individualization as each pet has its very own personality which its owner wishes to express in the form of the appropriate accessories.

In view of these developments, pet owners’ demands on the quality and function of pet supply items are also increasing. Accordingly, accessories for cats, dogs or budgies, for example, must be durable, long-lasting and have a great design.

TPE for dog toys and chew bones with a high bite resistance

Let's take chew bones for dogs as an example. Bite resistance and durability are only two of many possible buzzwords as bones should still look good even after extensive play. What is also important, however, is compliance with food safety standards to EU 10/2011 and the FDA regulations which are just as relevant for pets as for people. After all, these toys keep ending up in pets’ mouths.

Our SOFT EST.® TPE compounds offer first-class possibilities for equipping products in this sector with enhanced functions, a brilliant design or particular grip. You can also benefit from all of the advantages of TPE as an intelligent material, including soft haptics, good adhesive properties for use in two-component injection molding, as well as the features referred to above, i.e. bite resistance, durability and conformity with food standards.

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