How the Iran War and Affecting Plastic Prices Are Affecting Aftermarket Body Kit Prices

Why are aftermarket body kits getting more expensive? Recently many customers noticed bumper kits and body kits slowly getting more expensive. One reason is the rising price of plastic materials like ABS and PP. Global events — including the current Iran war — can push oil prices higher, which then increases the cost of plastics used to manufacture automotive parts.

Why Oil Prices Matter for Body Kits

Most aftermarket bumpers are made from petroleum-based plastics.

• ABS plastic – common for aftermarket bumpers
• Polypropylene (PP) – flexible and lightweight
• Polycarbonate blends – stronger structural parts

Since these plastics come from oil, when oil prices increase, plastic material prices usually increase as well.

Why the Iran War Matters for Oil Prices

The Middle East is one of the world's largest oil-producing regions. When conflict happens there, global oil markets can become unstable.

One key reason is a narrow shipping route called the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz Factor

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important oil shipping routes in the world. Around 20 million barrels of oil pass through it every day, which is roughly about one-fifth of global oil supply.

This narrow passage sits between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf to global shipping routes.

If military tensions increase or shipping becomes risky in this area, oil supply could be disrupted. Even the possibility of disruption can cause oil prices to rise quickly.

And when oil prices rise, plastic material costs often follow.

What Happened to Plastic Prices in the Last 10 Years

• Before 2020: Plastic prices were fairly stable.
• COVID-19 period: Supply chains broke down and plastic shortages pushed prices up.
• Recent years: Energy prices and global conflicts continue to create uncertainty.

For manufacturers of aftermarket auto parts, this means raw material costs can change quickly.

Something Surprising from Our Factory

During production, there are always leftover plastic materials such as ABS or acrylic scraps. Normally these scraps are sold to recycling companies.

Recently we noticed something interesting: the value of these leftover materials has increased significantly.

In the past, production scraps were considered low-value recycling material. But recently, recycling companies are willing to pay much higher prices for them.

At the same time, the cost of new ABS raw materials has also increased a lot compared to a few years ago.

This reflects a broader trend in the plastics market. As global demand for plastic materials continues to grow — and as oil prices fluctuate — even production scraps are becoming more valuable than they used to be.

What This Means for Aftermarket Body Kit Buyers

Higher material prices affect several parts of production:

• ABS plastic resin
• polypropylene materials
• energy costs
• shipping and logistics

Because of this, aftermarket bumper kits and body kits may slowly increase in price across the industry.

The Bottom Line

The automotive aftermarket industry is more connected to global events than most people realize.

Conflicts like the Iran war can affect oil markets, oil affects plastic prices, and plastic prices affect the cost of manufacturing aftermarket body kits.