Confidence in goodmarket development and ambitious sustainability goals
The European tube market was particularly stable in the first half of 2018. The member companies of etma, the European tube manufacturers association, produced some 5.6 billion tubes during the six-month period. This figure is somewhat higher than the productionin the corresponding period of the previous year, but when the figures are adjusted to take the production of new member companies into account the industry as a whole matched equal the very good level of last year.
Gregor Spengler, etma’s Secretary General, concludes that the half-year’s figures show the tube isheading along a path of success again in 2018and enjoying unbridled consumerpopularity. Furthermore,the prospects for the sector are definitely promising given that the order intake for aluminium, plastic and laminate tubes at the beginning of the second half of the year is regarded as being satisfactoryacross the board. Tube manufacturers are therefore looking forward optimistically to the final figures for 2018 and are hoping to at least repeat 2017’s excellent result.
In the first half of2018 there were light gains for laminate and plastic tubes, which was attributable primarily to buoyant demand from the cosmetics markets. The moderate decline in demand for aluminium tubes can be explained by the fact that some hair colouring products have been switched to laminate tubes. Overall, the tube is valued by consumers and manufacturers alike as a modern form of packaging that is abreast of the times and offers a wealth of practical and consumer-friendly functions and unique hygienic properties.
The European tube industry is also well placed to meet future demands regarding sustainability. The discussion concerning the growing pollution of the seas by plastic waste in particular has led to numerous brand manufacturers and retailers worldwide adopting far-reaching voluntary commitments. According to these, only recyclable or reusable packaging will be used from 2025 onwards. In addition, the fraction of recycled material in plastic packaging shall be increased further.
This is the reason why for some time European tube makers have been developing innovative solutions in cooperation with their clients in orderto further optimise the tubefrom a sustainability point of view and to make itan even more eco-friendly and resource-conserving packaging solution with the ambitious sustainability goals and legal requirements in mind.
