In the first half of 2017, the total number of tubes delivered by all manufacturers which are members of the european tube manufacturers association (etma) amounted to nearly 5.4 billion. This mid-year figure is two percent higher than the corresponding figure in 2016.
Aluminium tubes put in an above-average performance, having increased by a good three percent. The aluminium tube sector benefited from stable demand from its main markets, namely cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as considerable increases in the household and food segment.
The new etma President Oliver Höll expressed great satisfaction with the stable growth trend in the European tube industry: “Tubes continue to gain ground and the end-use markets are quite stable by and large. Another welcome factor is that the overall economic situation in several southern European countries has improved again, which makes for a more positive climate in the markets. Our industry is therefore optimistic overall about the second half of the year and expects solid growth for 2017 as a whole.”
Despite rising costs for aluminium, lacquers and printing inks, etma Secretary General Gregor Spengler concurs in this favourable overall assessment of the market situation and considers the renewed growth to be a clear sign for a continuation of the long-term upward trend on the tube markets: “Tubes - whether they are made of aluminium, plastic or laminate - are extremely popular as packaging among consumers because of their wealth of positive features. They are fully in line with current trends because they are light in weight and efficiently re-closable. They are non-breakable and have tailor-made sizes which make them the ideal packaging material for our mobile society and its increasingly on-the-go consumption. In addition, they are easy and convenient to use. That makes them particularly appealing not least to the growing number of senior citizens in our aging society.”
