Plastics International
Plastics International, founded in 1985 and based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is a privately held B2B distributor of engineering-grade plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films serving industrial manufacturers, machinists, design engineers, and food and medical processors through its e-commerce storefront and account-based sales channel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersEden Prairie, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Plastics International does
Plastics International is a privately held B2B distributor of engineering-grade plastic materials, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The company stocks and ships plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films across a catalog of 122+ material types including UHMW, Acetal, Polycarbonate, PEEK, PTFE, Ultem, Nylon, PVC, and Polypropylene. Core operations are anchored on maintaining in-stock inventory, offering cut-to-size fabrication with specified tolerances, providing low minimum order quantities, and shipping most orders the same day. Customers are industrial buyers, machinists, design engineers, and maintenance professionals sourcing material for mechanical components, food-contact equipment, medical devices, and aerospace parts; compliance documentation covers FDA, NSF, 3-A Dairy, USP Class VI, REACH, RoHS, UL, USDA, ASTM, and Canada AG standards.
The business model is direct-to-buyer distribution executed through a self-serve e-commerce storefront layered with an account-based sales channel that surfaces personalized pricing and order history. Pricing is per-unit, per material, dimension, and quantity; the company also generates ancillary revenue from reference tools including a 70+-material sample kit priced at $599 and a material spec guide book at $49.50. Marketing is primarily digital and content-led: the company publishes a Material Property Matrix, Chemical Resistance Chart, downloadable compliance certificates, and machining/annealing guides that function as top-of-funnel assets targeting engineering and procurement audiences. Operationally, distribution runs on customer-driven specifications with the seller retaining broad contractual discretion over returns, defects, and liability caps under Minnesota governing law.
The company has 11-50 employees, no disclosed institutional ownership, no parent company, and no M&A activity in the provided record. Self-reported scale signals emphasize 39+ years of brand history and global distribution reach, while disclosed operating geographies are limited to the United States. There is no disclosed management team, funding history, or audited revenue, leaving ownership structure, leadership depth, and financial scale as significant data gaps for an investor audience.
Plastics International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plastics International
- Legal name
- Plastics International
- Website
- https://plasticsintl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Plastics International, founded in 1985 and based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, is a privately held B2B distributor of engineering-grade plastic sheets, rods, tubes, and films serving industrial manufacturers, machinists, design engineers, and food and medical processors through its e-commerce storefront and account-based sales channel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plastics International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Engineering Plastics Distribution
- NAICS
- Plastics Product Manufacturing (3261)
- SIC
- Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Plastic Films & Laminated Packaging Structures Manufacturing (IMANAEAD)
Keywords
Where Plastics International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eden Prairie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Plastics International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Plastic Materials Distribution: Direct sales of engineering plastics including sheets, rods, tubes, and films in various material types. Offers cut-to-size services with standard and custom dimensions. Revenue generated from product sales with per-unit pricing.
- Reference Materials and Sample Kits: Sale of educational and reference products including material spec guide books and sample kits containing 70+ material samples for comparison and identification purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Stock Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cut-to-Size Orders |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Reference Materials |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Plastics International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plastics International distributes engineering plastic sheet, rod, tube, and film stock in 122+ material types (UHMW, Acetal, Polycarbonate, PEEK, PTFE, Ultem, Nylon, PVC, Polypropylene, and others), with in-house cut-to-size fabrication and same-day shipping on most orders. The catalog is complemented by reference and selection tools — Material Property Matrix, Chemical Resistance Chart, Compliance & Certifications portal, downloadable machining/annealing guides, and a 70+-sample Engineering Grade Plastic Sample Kit — used by industrial buyers, machinists, design engineers, and maintenance professionals to source materials for bearings, gears, wear strips, conveyor components, food-contact equipment, medical devices, and aerospace parts.
Product overview
Plastics International is a global distributor of engineering plastics established in 1985, specializing in stocking and shipping plastic sheets, rods, and tubes. The company offers over 100 different plastic material types including ABS, Acetal, Acrylic, Nylon, PEEK, PTFE, PVC, Polycarbonate, Polypropylene, UHMW, Ultem, and many more. Their core offering consists of in-stock plastic forms (sheets, rods, tubes) with custom cut-to-size services, same-day shipping on most orders, and low minimum orders on in-stock items. They also provide complementary reference tools including a Material Property Matrix, Chemical Resistance Chart, Sample Kit, and Material Specification Guide Book to help customers select appropriate materials for their applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Plastic Sheets In-stock engineering plastic sheets available in standard dimensions (e.g., 48"x96") across 122+ material types including UHMW, Acetal, Polycarbonate, PEEK, PTFE, Ultem, Nylon 6 Cast, Nylon 6/6, PVC, and Polypropylene; custom cut-to-size services available on standard sheets.
- Plastic Rods In-stock engineering plastic rods available in multiple grades and sizes with custom cutting services, for industrial buyers, machinists, and maintenance professionals.
- Plastic Tubes Plastic tubes in various engineering-grade materials for industrial applications, available through the online shop with standard and custom sizing.
- Plastics International Sample Kit Engineering Grade Plastic Sample Kit containing over 70 commonly used plastic material samples, each cut to 3.75" x 3.75", for buyers, designers, engineers, machinists, maintenance, sales, and tool-room staff to compare and identify materials; one-time price $599.00.
- Material Spec Guide Book Bound reference book comparing 16 engineering-grade plastics, with sample strips plus material properties and comparative cost data; one-time price $49.50.
- Material Property Matrix Comprehensive online matrix comparing mechanical, thermal, and electrical/physical properties across the plastic materials offered, used as a self-serve material-selection reference.
- Chemical Resistance Chart Interactive online chart with A–D rating system showing chemical resistance ratings for materials across substances, concentrations, and exposure conditions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Same day shipping on most orders
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Plastics International
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Plastics International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Plastics International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Plastics International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Professional Plastics: US-based distributor of engineering plastic sheets, rods, tubes and films with cut-to-size services across a comparable material set (UHMW, Acetal, PEEK, PTFE, etc.). Operates as a direct mirror of Plastics International in product range, target buyers and B2B distribution model.
- Interstate Plastics: Distributor of engineering plastic sheet, rod, tube and film with online ordering and custom cutting, serving industrial, medical and food processing customers. Highly comparable business model, customer mix and SKU breadth.
- Boedeker Plastics: Specialty distributor of engineering plastic sheets, rods and tubes with cut-to-size and value-added fabrication. Comparable focus on technical content, material selection tools and engineer/machinist customer base.
- Curbell Plastics: One of the largest North American distributors of engineering plastics in sheet, rod, tube and film forms with fabrication and cut-to-size services. Closest scaled analog to Plastics International, with overlap in aerospace, medical and industrial customers.
- Industrial Plastic Supply: Distributor of engineering plastic sheet, rod, tube and film serving industrial and OEM customers in the western US. Overlaps with Plastics International in SKU mix, online ordering and small-order focus.
Broad incumbents
- McMaster-Carr: Massive broad-line industrial supplier carrying engineering plastic stock alongside fasteners, tools and MRO supplies. Competes with Plastics International on speed and assortment, but plastics is one SKU family among thousands.
- MSC Industrial Direct: Large industrial MRO distributor with an engineering plastics and specialty plastics category. Overlaps in maintenance and machining buyers but operates a much broader catalog and deeper enterprise sales motion.
Emerging players
- Ensinger: Engineering plastics manufacturer (semi-finished stock shapes including sheets, rods and tubes) selling increasingly direct to industrial buyers. Comparable because it competes for the same end-customer relationships Plastics International serves, but as a producer rather than distributor.
- Röchling Engineering Plastics: European-rooted engineering plastics manufacturer offering semi-finished sheets, rods and tubes, with growing direct sales in North America. Comparable product mix and target applications; differs as a producer-led channel.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (formerly Quadrant): Global manufacturer of engineering plastic stock shapes (Ketron, Techtron, Ertalon, Acetron) with direct and distributor channels. Overlaps with Plastics International's SKU range and target industries (aerospace, medical, semiconductor, industrial).
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Plastics International social profiles
Digital presencePlastics International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Plastics International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plastics International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Plastics International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plastics International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plastics International
What does Plastics International do?
Plastics International distributes engineering plastic sheet, rod, tube, and film stock in 122+ material types (UHMW, Acetal, Polycarbonate, PEEK, PTFE, Ultem, Nylon, PVC, Polypropylene, and others), with in-house cut-to-size fabrication and same-day shipping on most orders. The catalog is complemented by reference and selection tools — Material Property Matrix, Chemical Resistance Chart, Compliance & Certifications portal, downloadable machining/annealing guides, and a 70+-sample Engineering Grade Plastic Sample Kit — used by industrial buyers, machinists, design engineers, and maintenance professionals to source materials for bearings, gears, wear strips, conveyor components, food-contact equipment, medical devices, and aerospace parts.
Is Plastics International a public or private company?
Plastics International is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Plastics International founded?
Plastics International was founded in 1985. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Plastics International based?
Plastics International is headquartered in Eden Prairie, United States, in the North America region.
How does Plastics International make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Plastic Materials Distribution is the primary driver. The others are reference Materials and Sample Kits.
Who are Plastics International's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Professional Plastics, Interstate Plastics, Boedeker Plastics, Curbell Plastics and Industrial Plastic Supply. Broad incumbents are McMaster-Carr and MSC Industrial Direct. Emerging players are Ensinger, Röchling Engineering Plastics and Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (formerly Quadrant).
Does Plastics International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plastics International.
What industry is Plastics International in?
Plastics International's product category is Engineering Plastics Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAEAD, Plastic Films & Laminated Packaging Structures Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3261 and its SIC code is 3081.