The use of plastics in the production of wire and cable is known for more than a century. Originally, the field was dominated by elastomers – first natural rubber chemically modified and later on synthetic rubbers. With the arrival of thermoplastics in the 1930s and their widespread use after the second world war, this group of materials also conquered the world of wire and cable and more by more replaced elastomers.The bulk of the thermoplastics used in wire and cable are with PEs and PVCs. The PEs offer excellent insulating ability with moisture and chemical resistance, flexibility and light weight. Compared to the PEs, the vinyls are heavier, flexible and are somewhat poorer insulators.

It is a simple polymer with repeating CH2CH2 structure. It is an incredibly versatile polymer with almost limitless variety due to copolymerization potential, a wide density range, and a molecular weight that ranges from low to very high.