Industry News Tensions in polymer markets worry flexible packaging manufacturers
Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) warns that the stable supply of food, pharmaceuticals, and medicals is under threat. There has been tension in the polymer market for some time, which is very concerning for its members, said the FPE. Deliveries of all relevant polymers to the industry continue to be unpredictable, in terms of volumes and time of delivery, and, therefore, jeopardise many production plans. Converters are seriously affected, as they have difficulties to supply finished products to meet their customers’ order requirements. In particular, the food and beverage sectors rely on the safe supply of packaging materials to meet the continuous high demand of retailers and ultimately end-consumers.
The concentration of ‘force majeure’ declarations or ‘maintenance’ announcements by the leading polymer
manufacturers in Europe created sudden and significant shortages along with unjustified price increases in the supply chain by the polymer manufacturers. The indications in recent weeks show that the situation will likely continue for some months, if not worsen further. FPE’s executive director Guido Aufdemkamp commented on the ongoing situation: “The polymer industry should not take the end-consumer hostage during these difficult times of the coronavirus pandemic, in which the entire population is so dependent on the safe and stable supply of food and hygienic products, as well as medical and pharmaceutical goods. We call on the polymer industry to do their outmost cooperating with their customers to solve this unfortunate situation.”
In Europe, almost half of the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), excluding beverages, are packed with flexible packaging. Examples include all kinds of packaged foods, pet food, personal and household care products. Almost two thirds of the materials used for flexible packaging are plastics. The ongoing unstable supply combined with the pressure by legislators and consumers in terms of sustainability increases attempts for material substitution.
Successful virtual presentation of EB solutions for sustainable and recyclable flexible packaging
Approximately 1,000 people attended The Green Packaging Showroom organised by Comexi and leading companies of the flexible packaging industry. The event presented the technological advantages of printing with offset or flexo Electron Beam curable inks, and its use in a wide range of flexible packaging applications.
“In partnership with SP Group, Elif, Chemosvit, Amcor, Vishal Containers, ESI, Sun Chemical, INX International, Dow, ExxonMobil, and Toray, we have shown brand owners the benefits that can be obtained by using EB printing technologies,” explained Comexi’s Felip Ferrer. “Inviting brand owners to explore the way in which sustainable packaging can be sustainably created while adding value to their products was the objective of the Green Packaging Showroom,” highlighted Comexi’s Jordi Puig. During the event, various partners showcased their solutions and presented, with real examples of flexible packaging, sustainable trends and solutions. The benefits of EB Flexo and EB Offset printing technologies were also disclosed at the event, and issues related to print quality and energy reduction of the printing process were addressed. These issues included EB inks, EB curing, packaging recyclability through the use of thinner films, mono materials and reduction of layers, as well as a global scale reduction of the carbon footprint.
Avient to expand colour concentrate capabilities in Vietnam
Avient Corporation, a premier provider of specialised and sustainable material solutions and services, will complete an expansion of existing production capabilities for colour concentrates at its Binh Duong site in Vietnam by next month. The move will improve speed-to-market and service level for local customers seeking unique color solutions to enhance aesthetics and appeal of high-quality end products.
“Demand for plastics has become one of
the Vietnam economy’s fastest growth areas,” said Avient Color & Additives Asia vice president and general manager, Say-Eng Lee. “As consumption grows, requirements for high-quality colour concentrates are becoming more challenging as well, as top brands focus on novel color solutions. We have increased our production space by over 30% and added to our state-of-the-art machinery portfolio to shorten lead times for developing and producing high-quality color concentrates. As a result, local customers will benefit from an efficient and agile setup, along with expert technical support. In addition, we can be more responsive in accelerating customer development times and help them to reduce time to market.” Vietnam’s plastics industry is currently experiencing an annual growth rate of 16- 18%, with key segments including packaging, construction and electronics.
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