Engineering Plastics
GPPS HIPS Supplier
General Purpose & High Impact Polystyrene
Polystyrene is one of the most widely produced commodity-engineering plastics worldwide, with global capacity exceeding 15 million tons annually. GPPS (General Purpose Polystyrene) offers crystal-clear transparency and rigidity for packaging and lighting applications; HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) adds butadiene rubber for toughness in appliance liners and consumer goods. As a GPPS HIPS supplier, Sychem partners with leading global suppliers — INEOS Styrolution Styrolution® PS, CHIMEI POLYREX® — and works closely with top-tier Chinese producers to deliver complete styrenic solutions for packaging, appliances, electronics, and construction.
GPPS vs HIPS — Choosing the Right Grade
Polystyrene comes in two fundamental forms — transparent rigid GPPS and tough opaque HIPS — each addressing distinct application needs.
GPPS · General Purpose Polystyrene
Manufactured by heat polymerization of styrene monomer alone. Crystal-clear transparency, high gloss, and excellent rigidity, with light transmission up to 90%. The rigid amorphous structure makes it ideal for transparent packaging, optical components, and disposable applications where clarity is critical.
HIPS · High Impact Polystyrene
Modified by polymerizing styrene in the presence of polybutadiene rubber, creating a tough, opaque polymer with significantly improved impact resistance. Better dimensional stability than GPPS at slight cost of clarity, and excellent for thermoforming. The standard plastic for white goods linings and rigid consumer packaging.
| Property | GPPS | HIPS | Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Crystal clear | Opaque | GPPS for transparent applications only |
| Light Transmission | ~90% | 0% | GPPS exclusive for optical use |
| Izod Impact (notched) | 1.5–2.5 kJ/m² | 8–14 kJ/m² | HIPS 5–7× tougher |
| Tensile Strength | 40–55 MPa | 20–35 MPa | GPPS more rigid |
| Vicat Softening Point | 95–105°C | 91–98°C | Similar heat performance |
| Density | 1.04 g/cm³ | 1.04–1.05 g/cm³ | Among the lightest plastics |
| Surface Finish | High gloss | Glossy or matte (PS 485N) | Both excellent for printing |
| Cost | Lower | +€100/t typical premium | GPPS most economical |
Applications
From transparent food containers to refrigerator liners, from XPS insulation to construction profiles — polystyrene serves as the workhorse of cost-effective consumer plastics.
Food & Consumer Packaging
Transparent food containers, yogurt and dairy cups, disposable cutlery, salad bowls, single-use cold drink cups, biscuit and confectionery trays, cosmetic bottles, and CD/DVD cases. Both GPPS and HIPS comply with FDA, EU 10/2011, and Japanese Food Sanitation Act standards.
Appliances & Houseware
Refrigerator inner liners and shelves, washing machine front panels, vacuum cleaner housings, TV back covers, kitchen appliance bodies, hangers, organizers, office accessories, toys, and consumer electronics enclosures. HIPS is the industry standard for white goods interiors.
XPS / EPS Foam & Building
Extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam boards for thermal insulation in building walls and roofs, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam for protective packaging and shock absorption, foam food trays, foam labels, and foam profile extrusions. Heat-resistant GPPS grades are critical for XPS process stability.
Construction & Optical
Decorative wall panels and ceiling profiles, light diffuser panels for LED lighting, lighting covers, photo frames, point-of-sale display units, retail signage, transparent showcase materials, and lab-ware diagnostics. GPPS’s optical clarity and HIPS’s printability serve complementary roles.
Global Tier-One Suppliers
INEOS Styrolution and CHIMEI represent the highest level of polystyrene manufacturing technology worldwide.
INEOS Styrolution
The world’s largest styrenics supplier, with full-line coverage of GPPS, HIPS, ABS, ASA, SAN, and styrenic specialties. Operating 9 production sites globally, INEOS Styrolution holds the leading position in European packaging and appliance supply chains. Pioneer in bio-attributed (PS ECO BC100) and mechanically recycled (PS ECO MR100) sustainable polystyrene grades.
CHIMEI
The world’s largest ABS manufacturer also operates a comprehensive POLYREX® polystyrene portfolio sharing production with its Zhenjiang and Taiwan facilities. POLYREX® is renowned for low residual monomer content and consistent batch quality, making it especially trusted for food-contact, medical, and household applications. Compliant with RoHS, REACH SVHC, UL, and global food-contact standards.
Chinese Manufacturing Network
China is the world’s largest polystyrene producer and consumer. Sychem partners with leading Chinese PS producers — including state-owned petrochemical groups and specialty HIPS compounders — to deliver international quality with local responsiveness.
Tier-1 China Producer A
Tier-1 China Producer B
Tier-1 China Producer C
Grade Quick Reference
Cross-brand grade selection by application — your one-stop reference.
| Application | Resin Type | Recommended Grades | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparent food containers | GPPS injection | INEOS Styrolution® PS 158K · CHIMEI POLYREX® PG-33 / PG-80 | FDA / EU 10/2011 |
| Disposable cups & cutlery | GPPS injection | INEOS PS 158N/L · CHIMEI PG-33 | High clarity · low cost |
| XPS insulation foam | GPPS heat-resistant | INEOS Styrolution® PS 158K · PS 165 N/L | High Mw · foamable |
| Lighting diffusers / optical | GPPS optical | INEOS PS 158K · CHIMEI PG-383 | ~90% light transmission |
| Co-extruded gloss cap | GPPS extrusion | INEOS Styrolution® PS 145D | Cap over HIPS sheet |
| Refrigerator liners | HIPS extrusion | INEOS PS HIPS extrusion · CHIMEI POLYREX® PH-88S / PH-888H | Sheet thermoforming |
| Appliance housings & TV covers | HIPS injection | INEOS PS 5601 · CHIMEI POLYREX® PH-88 / PH-55Y | High impact · gloss |
| Yogurt cups / thin-wall packaging | HIPS thin-wall | INEOS Styrolution® PS 5801 | High flow · toughness |
| Fat-resistant packaging | HIPS matte | INEOS Styrolution® PS 485N | Matte finish · ESCR |
| ABS replacement applications | Specialty HIPS | Specialty SKH-150G grade available via partner network | ABS-level toughness |
Actual selection depends on specific processing conditions and certification requirements. Sychem provides complete TDS, UL Yellow Card, SDS, RoHS, and REACH documentation.
Need GPPS / HIPS Selection Support?
Tell us your application and performance targets — our engineering team will respond within 24 hours with preliminary grade recommendations, technical data sheets, price ranges, and sample arrangements.
Request a Quote Discuss Your ProjectYour GPPS HIPS Supplier in China
SYCHEM TECH is a GPPS HIPS supplier based in Shenyang, China, offering general purpose polystyrene (GPPS) for clarity and rigidity and high impact polystyrene (HIPS) for toughness, serving packaging, appliances, electronics, lighting, and construction. As your formulation development partner, we match the right melt flow and impact grade to your process and source flexibly from global and Chinese producers to balance quality, lead time, and cost. For background, see the overview of polystyrene.
Looking for a reliable GPPS HIPS supplier with grade-selection support? Tell us your application and performance targets and our team will recommend suitable grades and arrange samples. Explore our related engineering plastics — ABS, PA6 / PA66, and PPO / PPE — or browse the full engineering plastics range.