Disclosed herein are thermoplastic composition comprising (a) about 15 wt % to about 95 wt % polymer component comprising: (i) either about 20 wt % to about 85 wt % poly(p-phenylene oxide) and about 10 wt % to about 65 wt % flow promoter or about 70 wt % to 100 wt % polypropylene, said polypropylene being homopolymer and/or copolymer; and (ii) greater than about 0 wt % to about 30 wt % impact modifier; (b) about 2 wt % to about 50 wt % of a laser activatable additive having a core-shell structure, wherein the core comprises an inorganic filler and the shell comprises a laser activatable component; and (c) about 3 wt % to about 70 wt % inorganic fillers.